Apart from your skin and facial features, hair is the third most noticeable part of your physical appearance. Healthy-looking hair with good density and quality can boost a person’s personality and increase their confidence.
However, hair loss in men and women is a common problem not only in India but also all over the world. That said, baldness can be a big disadvantage for many people.
Many people start losing hair at an early age for a variety of reasons, including:
- Environmental Factors
- Generic Reasons
- Hormonal Imbalances
- Bedtime Habits, and many more.
That is why taking good care of your hair is crucial to preventing baldness. In this article, we will give you a brief overview of the major factors which cause baldness and how to prevent it.
Baldness: A Statistical Overview
In this section, we have discussed the percentage of people suffering from baldness or extreme hair loss across different genders and age groups in India.
Baldness Statistics According To Gender
Men: In India, male pattern baldness (officially and medically termed male androgenetic alopecia) is very common. It was projected that almost 50% of Indian men would have hair loss in 2023. Usually beginning in early adulthood, hair loss occurring due to genetic, stress-related and environmental reasons usually worsens with age and ultimately causes baldness among men.
Women: Although less common, female-pattern baldness (or, female androgenetic alopecia) is nonetheless noteworthy. According to the reports of the National Centre of Biotechnology Information, about 20–30% of Indian women experienced hair thinning or severe hair loss in 2020; this frequency increased after menopause.
Baldness Statistics According To Age
Young Adults: Although it affects a smaller percentage of people during this period, hair loss can start as early as the late teens or early 20s for men. Thinning at the crown or receding hairlines are common in young people.
Middle Ages: Baldness becomes more noticeable in people in their middle years, generally starting at the age of 30-35, particularly in men. This age range is when most of the cases of the occurrences of male pattern baldness appear.
Older Adults: Hair loss advances further in these age groups; many men experience noticeable baldness by the time they are 50 years or older.
It is important to remember that these statistics are approximations based on the available data as of 2023. The precise prevalence rates may fluctuate depending on the Indian location and individual factors.
Furthermore, new developments in medical and cosmetic therapies are always being made to address hair loss. Therefore, it’s crucial that those who are affected by it speak with healthcare providers for individualised care.
5 Factors Contributing to Baldness
In India, baldness is more common due to a combination of lifestyle, genetics, and environmental factors. Because of food habits, stressful lifestyles, and pollution, hair loss is frequently more common in urban regions.
Here are the 5 common factors contributing to baldness.
1. Genetic factors
Androgenetic alopecia, often known as male pattern baldness, is a prevalent disorder impacted by genetic factors. Though it can happen to women as well, it mostly affects men. Baldness is largely influenced by genetic predisposition.
Individuals may be more vulnerable if they have variations in particular genes, such as the androgen receptor gene. This gene controls the sensitivity of hair growth to the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is connected to hair loss.
These genetic variations, which can be inherited from one or both parents, alter how the hair follicles react to DHT, which causes hair loss and thinning.
Strong evidence comes from family history as baldness in close relatives raises the likelihood. Male pattern baldness is a complex hereditary characteristic that has multiple manifestations due to a complex interaction between hormonal and genetic factors.
2. Hormonal Imbalance
According to ALCS Doctors, One of the main reasons for baldness in India is hormonal imbalance. A major contributing factor to hair loss is variation in the levels of specific types of hormones, specifically high levels of DHT and dihydrotestosterone.
Hair follicles that are exposed to DHT eventually stop generating hair altogether and instead generate fewer, weaker hair strands. Genes, food choices, and lifestyle are frequently associated with hormonal imbalances.
Hormonal imbalances get worse when a person already suffering from it starts taking a bad diet, undergoes extreme stress, or sometimes takes drugs.
3. Age-Related Factors
Baldness affects a significant percentage of people and is more common as people age. Genetic predisposition and the natural ageing process are the main causes of baldness.
People who have weak or thin hair follicles often become less effective at growing new hair as they age. Hair loss can also result from age-related hormonal changes, such as an increase in dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels.
Because age-related baldness is common in India, even though other variables like genetics, lifestyle, genes, and environmental ups and downs play a part, it is important for people to be aware of this aspect and take the necessary steps to get rid of this baldness problem.
4. Environmental Factors
Common environmental factors responsible for causing baldness include:
- Dust Pollution
- Bad Air Quality
- Extremely Dry Weather
- High Humidity
- Exposure to toxic substances present in the environment
Pollution is one of the major problems with hair loss in a country like India as polluted air contains PM10 and PM2.5, which are thinner than hair.
Dust, which is not good for hair, makes your hair dry and leads to hair fall because it gets directly trapped in the hair and as long as it stays there it depletes your hair quality.
5. Stress
When the body is under some stress, the natural cycle of hair growth is disrupted by the stress and this can be a major factor for baldness. It means any kind of shock which includes surgery, burns, emotional trauma etc can cause stress in an individual’s mind and it affects hair growth.
You can practise healthy habits like modifying your diet, increasing your water intake and practising calming exercises like yoga and meditation to eliminate stress and ultimately keep yourself away from baldness.
Conclusion
In conclusion, apart from affecting your appearance, baldness and severe hair loss can make you more worried causing stress that can lower your self-esteem and make you underconfident.
If you’re facing hair loss which is not due to genetic or uncontrollable reasons, you can always contact a qualified and certified dermatologist or physician to guide you on how to take the best care of your hair to minimise hair loss.
However, if the problem doesn’t go away with trying home remedies and taking the right precautions and steps advised by a physician, you can always opt for medical interventions that can include surgeries relating to hair transplantation.
