Selenium in Punjab-Hry wheat behind hair loss outbreak: Expert

Analysis revealed it contained 600 times more selenium than the locally grown variety of wheat. DR HIMMATRAO BAWASKAR, Padma Shri awardee

- Press Trust of India

MUMBAI: Incidents of sudden hair loss or acute onset alopecia totalis in Maharashtra's Buldhana district, which hit national headlines, are linked to high selenium content found in wheat from Punjab and Haryana supplied by local ration shops, a report by Padma Shri awardee expert Dr Himmatrao Bawaskar has said.

These cases were reported in 279 individuals in 18 villages between December 2024 and January this year, prompting authorities to order a probe. The affected individuals, many of whom were college students and young girls, faced significant social challenges due to the condition, including disrupted educational pursuits and arranged marriages. The social stigma surrounding alopecia led some to shave their scalps in an attempt to avoid embarrassment.