Akshaye Khanna suffered from premature balding at 19; Dermatologist explains common causes, symptoms and ways to stop hair fall

Actor Akshaye Khanna once compared losing hair to a pianist losing his fingers. (Picture Credit: Instagram/@akshaye_khanna_)

Akshaye Khanna is riding high on the success of his latest film Dhurandhar. From his performance to his character's hairdo, everything is being appreciated. However, in real life, the actor back in the day spoke about suffering from premature balding at the tender age of 19. He had said, "It started happening at such a young age, and it was like a pianist losing his fingers. It almost felt like that in those days."

Premature balding can dampen the spirits of any person. It can make one feel underconfident and lead to other self-esteem-related issues. A lot of people who suffer from it often wonder what let to the condition and if they could have done something to reverse it.

Moneycontrol team spoke to Dr Sunita Naik, Head Medical Advisor (West) and dermatologist at Kaya Limited, to understand more about premature balding, causes, symptoms and the line of treatment.

"Premature balding, or hair loss before the age of 30, is a type of androgenetic alopecia, often called pattern baldness. It typically begins in the teens or 20s. Thinning hair, a receding hairline, and a visible scalp are some of the hallmarks of the condition," Dr Naik explained.

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Dr Naik told Moneycontrol that the condition of premature balding affects about 25% of males, according to data, and this number is sharply rising. "Dermatologists and hair loss specialists consistently stress that early baldness can be avoided with timely treatment. All one has to do is take stock of the situation early on and seek treatment," she said.

Causes of premature balding

"Premature baldness is largely caused by a variety of hormonal and genetic problems. Extensive hair loss can also be caused by several underlying diseases, stress and even nutritional deficiencies. Alopecia areata, telogen effluvium, thyroid problems, unhealthy diets, and hereditary disorders are a few of these," the doctor shared.

Line of treatments available

Dr Naik shared that there are two traditional approaches to treating premature baldness. One is through medications and a healthy diet. The other route is through hair restoration therapies like platelet-rich plasma (PRP), exosome therapy, QR678, and stem cell therapy. If one is suffering from the problem of hair loss, then hair transplant is the option.

When can the situation of premature balding not be reversed?

Once a hair follicle begins to shrink, it eventually dies off when it is deprived of nutrition through blood flow. Conventional hair loss solutions, such as hair oils or medicine, cannot treat this irreversible phenomenon. On the other hand, hair loss therapies like hair PRP, Exosomes, QR678, and Stem cell therapy can give you natural-looking hair.

Symptoms of premature balding

The most common symptoms of hair loss include noticeable hair loss, receding hairline, and progressive thinning on top of the head. "While shedding is common, if you start seeing more hair when washing, combing, or waking up to pillows covered in hair, it could be an indication of something more serious," Dr Naik cautioned.

In addition, circular or patchy baldness patterns on the scalp and eyebrows is referred to as alopecia areata, an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system targets hair follicles.

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Other symptoms include changes in the texture of the scalp or hair, such as an itchy, flaky, or inflammatory scalp and the presence of redness, lumps, or sores. These could be signs of dermatitis, psoriasis, scalp infections, or nutritional deficiencies, particularly vitamin B12 insufficiency, which can cause hair loss. Diffuse thinning and female pattern baldness are often accompanied by changes in hair texture, Dr Naik concluded

FAQs on premature balding:

It refers to significant hair thinning or hair loss at an early age, often before 30.

Common causes include genetics, hormonal changes, stress, nutritional deficiencies, and medical conditions.

Yes, poor diet, lack of sleep, high stress, and smoking can contribute to hair thinning.

It depends on the cause—early intervention can slow, stop, or sometimes reverse hair loss.

If hair loss is sudden, severe, or occurring at a young age, consulting a dermatologist is recommended.