Hyderabad: A visit to any trichologist—a specialist who treats diseases or problems related to the hair and scalp—out-patient clinic will come as a surprise because around 80 per cent of the complaints are about alopecia and other types of permanent and reversible hair loss. Even more shocking is the fact that most of the patients are youngsters, especially teenage girls, women and men in their 20s, 30s and 40s.

When you take a bath or comb your hair, it is natural for 50 to 100 strands of hair to fall and this hair loss is compensated by re-growth. But if you find yourself losing strands of hair throughout the day, even by just running your fingers through the hair, then this loss is not normal. This might indicate that the hair roots have come loose, a sign of alopecia. In this condition, the strands do not re-grow in the same thickness and diameter and the hair starts thinning, say trichologists.

Patients with hair loss got younger

Unlike earlier decades, when baldness was associated with elderly men, especially those in their 50s and 60s, nowadays, alopecia is hitting even teenagers and young adults, men and women alike, in their 20s and 30s. As per doctors, around 50 per cent of the patients are from a younger age bracket. This is mainly due to a paradigm shift in lifestyle, food habits, sleep patterns, and work-life imbalance.

Premature hair loss or alopecia, with symptoms of thinning, loss of hair volume and balding has a profound effect on the psychological and social well-being of people because it is considered as a failure to conform to the societal norms of physical appearance. 

Causes of alopecia

Genetics or a history of alopecia in the family, hormonal imbalance and Polycystic Ovarian Disease (PCOD) in teenagers, autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, infections and neoplasms (new or abnormal growth of tissues in some part of the body), stress, recovery from major illnesses and hospitalisation, crash dieting and faulty food habits, smoking and binging on alcohol, excessive chemical treatment of the hair like styling and colouring, and certain medication can cause alopecia.

Types of alopecia

Dr Rinky Kapoor, dermatologist and pan-India director of The Esthetic Clinics, explained the various types of alopecia.

The most common type is Androgenetic Alopecia related to hormonal imbalance and predisposition. Due to an unhealthy, sedentary lifestyle, inadequate sleep, consumption of junk food etc., young girls, even from 13-14 years of age, are becoming obese and around 70 per cent of them are suffering from PCOD. All these conditions can be responsible for hair loss and related issues. Unless the hair loss is treated, it is progressive and by the time one reaches their mid-30s, almost half of the hair is lost.

Telogen Effluvium is the second type of alopecia, which is a result of acute stress, mostly as fallout of a major illness such as long Covid effect, typhoid, jaundice, and post-hospitalisation complications. Postpartum hair shedding is also common. However, these conditions are reversible with proper diet and recovery from the ailment.

Anagen Effluvium appears from an injury to the hair follicles mainly as a side effect of chemotherapy, radiotherapy etc.

Alopecia Areata refers to hair loss in circular bald patches on the head. It is mainly due to autoimmune diseases when the immune system mistakenly attacks the hair follicles.

Academic stress and excessive hair salon treatments are also factors affecting alopecia in youngsters

Hair transplant surgeon Dr T Radha pointed out, “Apart from lifestyle changes and an unhealthy diet, academic stress is making matters worse for teenagers (between the ages 15 and 18). The pressure of board exams and coaching for competitive exams intensifies from Class IX to Class XII. It leaves teenagers no time for physical exercises and games. Their sleep pattern is disturbed, they stay awake till late at night using smartphones and laptops. Obesity, thyroid issues, PCOD, iron and other vitamin deficiencies, and crash dieting contribute to early-age alopecia.”

“Further, youngsters often tend to chemically treat their hair by colouring, styling, perming and straightening. This also damages the hair and causes excess hair fall. If alopecia runs in the family or if the father has male pattern baldness, then the son or daughter is most likely to develop irreversible alopecia as well and at a much younger age catalysed by lifestyle and dietary changes,” added the doctor.

Treatment for alopecia

Cutting down on harmful food and adopting a healthier lifestyle can stop the early stages of hair fall. Hair supplements and protein serum are also useful when prescribed by the doctor. Growth injections made from natural molecules when injected into the hair roots can help with Alopecia. In severe cases of balding, surgical intervention such as hair grafting is advised.

Dr T Radha pointed out that the treatment varies from one patient to another depending on the root cause of hair loss. The outcome of a hair loss treatment can be vastly improved through early diagnosis and treatment.

“Usually, a hair transplant is the last option. If there is hair loss only in one area and the rest of the hair is good, then follicular unit transplantation can be easily done for any age group. But if hair loss is spread across the head, then instead of a transplant, certain injections and medicines have to be administered. However, one should not self-medicate following easy fixes propagated on the Internet, especially social media,” she said.

Tips on hair care to prevent alopecia

Here are some tips by Dr Kapoor to prevent and minimise hair fall.

• - Use a wide-tooth comb for combing and brushing hair.

• - Do not comb the hair if it is too wet as the moisture will loosen the roots.

• - Towel dry or air-dry the hair rather than using a blow drier because heat from the blow drier damages the hair.

• - Minimise styling and colouring of the hair. Limit it to once a month at the most.

• - Do not keep the hair oiled overnight, especially if one has hair fall problems. Oiling half an hour prior to bath is adequate.

• - Oiling and shampooing the hair twice a week is enough unless daily outdoor work and pollution require one to shampoo every day.

• - Use shampoos with low sulphate content.

• - While applying natural henna on the hair, use a conditioner afterwards to prevent dryness and brittleness of the hair. Avoid black henna.

• - Exercise to keep the BMI (Body Mass Index) normal and prevent obesity at all costs.

• - Opt for a healthy diet which is high in protein, low in carbohydrates, and rich in green leafy vegetables, iron, minerals etc.