Experts emphasised that teenage hair loss is not merely a cosmetic concern but a clinical red flag. They urged parents and schools to take such symptoms seriously, rather than dismissing them as “just stress” or “too much styling.”
Published Nov 16, 2025 | 7:00 AM ⚊ Updated Nov 16, 2025 | 7:00 AM
The experts warned that teenage hair loss could soon become a public health concern.
Synopsis: Once confined to middle-aged adults, patterned baldness is now appearing in adolescents as young as 14. Dermatologists at South First’s Dakshin Health Summit 2025 linked the surge in early-onset hair loss among Indian teenagers to fitness supplements, hormonal imbalances, and high stress levels. They warned that the condition often signals deeper metabolic or hormonal disturbances such as PCOS, thyroid disorders, and insulin resistance, and urged parents and teenagers to take hair loss seriously.
Hair loss, once seen as a concern of middle age, is now appearing in school and college classrooms.
At South First’s Dakshin Health Summit 2025, dermatologists warned of a sharp rise in early-onset hair loss among teenagers, calling it a worrying trend linked to changing lifestyles, gym culture and hormonal imbalances.
The second edition of the Dakshin Health Summit 2025 was held at the Asian Institute of Gastroenterology in Hyderabad on Sunday, 9 November.
Speaking during a fireside chat on “Tackling Early Onset Hair Loss”, renowned hair transplant surgeon and dermatologist Dr Kavish Chouhan from Delhi and senior dermatologist Dr Madhavi Reddy from Hyderabad said they are now treating adolescents as young as 14 and 15 for patterned baldness, a condition once seen only in adults in their thirties or forties.
“We are seeing school-going children coming in with clear signs of androgenetic alopecia – male and female pattern baldness,” said Dr Kavish Chouhan, leading dermatologist and hair transplant surgeon. “Ten years ago, this was unthinkable.”
Both doctors emphasised that teenage hair loss is not merely cosmetic; it is a clinical red flag.
“When hair loss starts this early, it’s often a sign of deeper metabolic or hormonal disturbances,” said Dr Madhavi Reddy, Senior Consultant Dermatologist. “We’re finding nutritional deficiencies, thyroid dysfunction, insulin resistance and even early features of PCOS in many of these teens.”
The experts warned that teenage hair loss could soon become a public health concern, reflecting a generation under metabolic and mental strain.
“What we’re seeing in our clinics today is a glimpse of tomorrow’s chronic disease burden,” Dr Chouhan said. “Obesity, PCOS and insulin resistance are not adult problems anymore; they’re teenage realities.”
The experts urged parents and schools to take such symptoms seriously instead of dismissing them as “just stress” or “too much styling”.
“If a teenager is losing hair rapidly, it needs medical evaluation,” Dr Reddy added. “By the time they come to us, some have already tried over-the-counter oils, serums or salon treatments that worsen scalp inflammation.”
One of the biggest culprits, according to the experts, is the modern fitness culture that has reached even teenagers.
“We’ve seen 17-year-olds taking gym supplements like whey protein and testosterone boosters,” Dr Chouhan said. “Most of these products are unregulated and often contain androgenic compounds that accelerate hair loss.”
He explained that teenagers today face unprecedented academic pressure, erratic sleep schedules and digital stress, all of which disrupt hormonal balance.
“When you combine stress, junk food, gym powders and poor sleep, it’s the perfect storm for hair fall,” he said.
While boys often notice receding hairlines or thinning on the crown, girls are not spared either.
“We’re seeing girls as young as 15 develop female-pattern thinning linked to PCOS and obesity,” Dr Reddy said. “Early puberty, poor diet and sedentary lifestyles are accelerating these hormonal changes.”
She added that in many cases, the first visible sign of PCOS in adolescents is not weight gain or acne, but hair thinning.
Apart from physical changes, doctors said teenage hair loss has severe emotional effects.
“These are sensitive years; students lose confidence quickly,” said Dr Chouhan. “Many panic, thinking they’ll go completely bald. We spend as much time counselling as treating.”
Dr Madhavi added, “Hair loss may be the body’s first way of saying something is off.”
While genes still play a central role, doctors say lifestyle factors are amplifying hereditary hair loss.
“If a father started balding in his forties, we now see his son losing hair in his twenties – or even late teens,” said Dr Chouhan. “The genetic clock hasn’t changed, but the environment around it has become harsher.”
He cited rising rates of obesity, insulin resistance and poor nutrition among adolescents as major triggers accelerating hair follicle miniaturisation.
Experts at the summit strongly discouraged self-medication or relying on social media advice for hair loss. Instead, they recommended a medical evaluation by a dermatologist to rule out deficiencies and hormonal disorders.
“Hair loss in teenagers is not something to ‘treat at home’,” Dr Reddy stressed. “A simple blood test can uncover deficiencies in Vitamin D, iron or thyroid issues that need correction.”
They also advised parents to discourage excessive gym supplements, ensure balanced diets and promote healthy routines.
“Good sleep, adequate hydration and nutrient-rich food are far better for your hair than any powder or serum,” Dr Chouhan said.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
