Men's Guide To Combat Premature Hair Loss

Male pattern baldness hit men at an early age, at times in late 30s and early 40s. We asked the experts the reason behind it, treatments that can help, and factors to take care of

- Sukriti Shahi

It was 2007 and I was sitting with a group of friends in our school canteen; the agenda of the immediate call for a meeting was only one-discussing and finding out how a boy in our group had the silkiest and healthiest-looking locks, even better than all the girls. He was often hounded by everyone, teachers included, asking what products and at-home care he used for his hair. 'It's in my genes, I believe,' he'd say. This was no joke until we all met a couple years ago, the long locks were a thing of the past and receding hairline with evident side patches on his head is now a reality. It was a shocking revelation. What happened, we collectively asked, 'my 30s haven't been all good,' he replied. So, are we now dealing with hair loss and baldness in our thirties?

What Causes Hair Loss?

While most of us know that genetics and hormones are major reasons behind hair loss in men, there's a lot more to it. "It happens mostly because of hormonal and genetic causes. DHT, a hormone generated from testosterone, is associated with male pattern baldness, commonly referred to as androgenetic alopecia," Dr Trishna Gupte, founder and owner, Cosmo-Square Clinic. Explaining further, Dr Jamuna Pai, cosmetic physician, author and founder of SkinLab, says, "The conversion of testosterone into DHT accelerates with age. What also adds to this process is the shortening of the growth cycle of hair, further leading to hair follicles not growing at all, resulting in baldness with time."