Here's a hair-raising story. Literally

More and more youngsters in the city are experiencing hair loss at an early age. In fact, cases of young men and women of the age group 20-25 years experiencing severe hair fall is no longer an aberration these days.

Sedentary lifestyle with little or no physical activity, irregular dietary habits, intake of alcohol at an early age are some of the primary reasons for severe hair loss. “Hair fall leading to baldness is getting more and more common these days. What is shocking is men as young as 18 or 20 are getting bald because of severe hair loss. There is definitely an increase in the number of patients who are under 30 years of age,” says Dr D S Krupa Shankar, scientific committee chairman and academic coordinator, department of dermatology, Manipal Hospitals.

According to a study conducted by a hair-loss prevention clinic in city, there is a rising trend of youngsters getting hair transplant done. “Almost 50% of our patients whom we recommend hair transplant are under the age of 25 years,” says Bani Anand, founder and managing director, Hairline International.

The study shows that apart from smoking, and irregular dietary habits, people who test positive for insulin resistance, Vitamin D deficiency, high cholesterol and fat levels have higher chances of getting bald. Chronic and viral infections can also trigger profuse hair loss. In fact, intake of meat that has been artificially injected with oestrogen to increase its weight can also cause hair fall.

Nip problem in the bud
“Baldness does not happen all of a sudden. There are early signs which people tend to ignore. Most of my patients tend to come at a later stage. People should understand that hair is part of the body, hence it is important to keep a check on your diet. Regular exercise, yoga needs to be done,” says Anand adding that high levels of zinc in water can also contribute to baldness.

Among women, anaemia and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) , hypothyroid are most common cause for hair fall. “A woman’s body undergoes many hormonal changes. For instance, it is very common to suffer from severe hair fall post pregnancy, as hormones in the body are yet to settle down fully. However, if the problem persists beyond a year, blood test should be done,” says Dr Uma Shankar, senior consultant, dermatology, Apollo Hospitals.