Hello,
Thank you for raising this question as a lot of readers are very concerned about hair issues as well. I can see an area of sparse hair on the crown, but the resolution of the photo is too low to evaluate the hair follicles. If your boyfriend has family members with similar pattern of baldness, and if he also has a receding hairline at the forehead, then this is consistent with male pattern hair loss, also known as androgenetic alopecia.
In this condition, the hairs become fine and tiny, giving the appearance of sparse areas. This usually occurs on the crown and frontal hairline. I understand his concern that he feels too young to be affected by male pattern hair loss, but from my experience, the youngest patient I have seen was in his late teens. With family members also affected, your boyfriend is thus more susceptible to having this particular pattern of hair loss.
It is important to be evaluated by an experienced dermatologist in order to assess his scalp condition, the state of hair follicles in that area and if other areas are affected.
There are treatments available in the form of oral or application medicines once the diagnosis is reached. Examples of oral medicines are finasteride and application medicines consist of minoxidil.
Do seek a consult if required.
Take care!
Warm regards,
Dr Ker Khor Jia