In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Rashi Soni, MBBS, consultant at Traya, revealed the reason behind the hair loss. Hair loss in young men is no longer something we associate only with their 30s or 40s. In dermatology clinics, it is increasingly common to see men in their late teens and 20s concerned about a receding hairline, widening thinning at the crown, or excessive shedding. But what is actually driving it? Is it genetics? Stress? Diet? Fitness supplements such as creatine? In reality, hair loss is rarely caused by one factor alone.
Exams, demanding jobs, emotional stress, poor sleep, rapid weight loss and illness can all affect the hair cycle. The increased hair fall may become noticeable a few months after the triggering event, which is why people don’t always connect the two. Dr Rashi highlighted that hair is a non-essential tissue from the body’s survival perspective. During periods of nutritional deficiency or physiological stress, the body can prioritise essential organs over hair growth. Inadequate protein intake, restrictive diets, and deficiencies such as iron or other nutrients may contribute to hair shedding in susceptible individuals. This does not mean that every person experiencing hair fall has a nutritional deficiency, and blindly taking supplements is not the answer.
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One common condition is telogen effluvium, where a larger-than-usual number of hairs prematurely enter the shedding phase, according to Dr Rashi.
