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[Lee Ju-yeon YouTube]
[Lee Ju-yeon YouTube]

Lee Ju-yeon, 39, a former member of the K-pop group After School who has since built a career as an actor, recently opened up about struggling with significant hair loss and scalp itchiness.

In a video posted to her YouTube channel "Lee Ju's Lead," Lee received a scalp care treatment. "I've been under a lot of stress lately," she said. "It's a little embarrassing to admit as a woman, but my hair has been falling out a lot and my scalp is itchy."

During the scalp checkup, she also revealed that she had been using hair fiber powder to conceal thinning areas. Her scalp care specialist said the product can mix with sweat and leave residue on the scalp.

Hair loss is not a condition exclusive to middle-aged men. According to data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, of the 241,217 patients who visited hospitals for hair loss in 2024, 39,079 were in their 20s and 51,619 were in their 30s — together accounting for 37.6 percent of the total. However, those figures cover primarily insurance-eligible conditions such as alopecia areata and do not fully capture the more common androgenetic hair loss in men and women, or cases treated for cosmetic purposes.

If hair is suddenly falling out in greater quantities than usual, telogen effluvium — a form of stress-related hair shedding — may be the cause.

Hair naturally cycles through growth, regression and resting phases, and even healthy individuals shed roughly 50 to 100 strands a day. After illness, high fever, rapid weight loss, childbirth, surgery or severe psychological stress, a larger-than-normal number of follicles can enter the resting phase simultaneously and shed. Symptoms may not appear immediately after the triggering event but can emerge several months later.

Crash dieting can also be a factor. Drastically cutting food intake often leads to insufficient consumption of protein, iron, zinc and other nutrients essential for hair growth, causing strands to thin or fall out in greater numbers. Thyroid disorders are another common cause of generalized hair thinning.

Another type of hair loss common in women is female-pattern hair loss, which typically presents not as sudden, dramatic shedding but as a gradual widening of the part line and a reduction in hair density at the crown. It becomes more prevalent after age 40 but can occur in younger women as well.

This is why excessive shedding alone is rarely enough to pinpoint a cause. Clinicians look at the full picture: whether the patient has recently experienced significant stress or weight loss, whether the part line has widened, and whether hair is falling out in a circular patch in a specific area.

Lee also complained of scalp itchiness alongside her hair loss. Itchy scalp can stem from skin conditions entirely separate from hair loss itself.

One of the most common is seborrheic dermatitis, which causes redness, dandruff and oily flaking on the scalp, along with itching or a burning sensation. In severe cases, repeated scratching can irritate the skin and cause hair to break.

Contact dermatitis triggered by shampoos, hair dyes or styling products is another cause of scalp itchiness. If the scalp becomes red, itchy or flaky after using a particular product, it is worth checking whether any hair care products were recently changed. The American Academy of Dermatology lists dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis and allergic reactions to hair products among the leading causes of scalp itch.

The fact that hair loss and itchiness appear together does not necessarily mean they share the same cause. Female-pattern hair loss can develop alongside seborrheic dermatitis, and scalp inflammation can coincide with a period of telogen effluvium.

Particularly when the scalp becomes severely red, weeps fluid or develops crusting — or when skin changes resembling scarring appear in a specific area along with hair loss — a dermatologist visit is advisable. Some forms of scarring alopecia can permanently damage hair follicles, making early diagnosis important.

The hair fiber powder Lee said she uses is a product designed to temporarily conceal areas where hair appears sparse. It typically works by attaching fine fibers or pigments to existing hair and the scalp to create the appearance of greater density.

There is insufficient evidence to conclude that hair fiber powder itself clogs pores and causes hair loss. However, if residue lingers on the scalp, mixes with sweat and sebum, or if the skin reacts sensitively to certain ingredients, itching or irritation can result. After use, the scalp and hair should be thoroughly washed to remove any residue, and if itching or a rash recurs after application, discontinuing the product is advisable.

When hair loss is a concern, identifying the underlying cause matters more than repeated scalp treatments alone. Telogen effluvium often resolves once the triggering stress, illness or nutritional deficiency is addressed. Female-pattern hair loss may require treatment to slow progression and support hair regrowth; the American Academy of Dermatology lists minoxidil among the primary treatment options.

Diet also plays a role, and balance matters more than simply eating more. Even while trying to lose weight, it is important to consume adequate protein, iron and other essential nutrients and to avoid sustaining an extremely low-calorie diet over a long period.

If heavier-than-usual shedding persists for several months, the part line widens noticeably, hair falls out in a circular patch, or scalp itching, pain or inflammation accompanies the shedding, the cause should be investigated.

When excessive hair loss and scalp itchiness occur together, it is important not to attribute the problem simply to stress or scalp condition alone, but to examine both the pattern of hair shedding and the possibility of an underlying scalp disorder.


rainbow@heraldcorp.com