Hair Loss

Hair loss is extremely common and rarely dangerous — but the cause matters, because the treatment is very different. Losing 50–100 hairs a day is normal. Sudden shedding of large amounts, patchy bald spots, or visible scalp in women usually needs investigation.

Common patterns

• Telogen effluvium — sudden diffuse shedding 2–3 months after an illness, high fever, COVID, childbirth, surgery, crash diet, or severe stress. Usually recovers in 6–9 months without treatment.
• Androgenetic (pattern) hair loss — gradual thinning at the temples and crown in men, widening parting in women. Genetic. Slow and progressive.
• Alopecia areata — sudden round bald patches on scalp or beard. Autoimmune. Often regrows.
• Traction alopecia — from tight braids, ponytails, hair-extensions, or repeated tight oiling-and-pulling.
• Scarring alopecia — redness, itching, permanent loss. Needs a dermatologist — early treatment protects what's left.

Common treatable causes — check these first

• Iron deficiency — a leading cause in Indian women; ferritin level needs to be well above "normal" for hair regrowth.
• Vitamin D deficiency — very common in India.
• Thyroid problems — both hypo- and hyperthyroidism cause shedding.
• PCOS / androgen excess — in women with acne, irregular periods, or frontal thinning.
• Recent COVID, typhoid, dengue, childbirth, major surgery — a classic 3-month delay before shedding.
• Severe weight loss, crash diets, low protein intake.
• Drugs — some BP, cholesterol, anti-seizure, chemotherapy, acne retinoid, and weight-loss drugs.

What actually helps

• Before treating "hair fall" with expensive creams or oils, do a blood test — haemoglobin, ferritin, vitamin D, thyroid, B12. Correcting these often fixes the problem.
• Gentle care — avoid very tight hairstyles, aggressive hair oils massages, frequent chemical colouring and straightening.
• Minoxidil (topical) is the only widely evidence-backed over-the-counter option for pattern hair loss. Works slowly; shedding often worsens for 2–3 months before improving.
• Prescription options (hair-growth tablets for men, oral anti-androgen class for women, platelet-rich plasma, low-level laser) — under a dermatologist.
• Hair transplant is appropriate for established pattern baldness. Clinic choice matters — avoid unregistered "hair clinics".
• "Ayurvedic" hair-regrowth oils, magic shampoos, online hair-growth products — most have no evidence; several contain hidden minoxidil or steroids.

See a doctor

• Bald patches appearing within days or weeks.
• Scalp redness, pain, scaling, or permanent loss.
• Hair loss with fatigue, weight change, irregular periods, or infertility.
• Sudden heavy shedding after a new medicine.