Dhurandhar Akshaye Khanna Went Bald at 19: What Causes Early Hair Loss, and Can It Be Prevented?

While Dhurandhar has made him the flavour of the season, Akshaye Khanna has always been an actor par excellence. His earlier interviews had him talk about an emotional and important chapter from his past

life. Long before he became one of Bollywood's most nuanced actors, Akshaye faced an unexpected struggle – losing hair as a teenager. In an old conversation with Mid-Day, Akshaye opened up about the shock and pain of losing his hair as a teenager. The now 50-year-old said premature hair loss and balding during his youth had shattered his confidence. “It started very young,” he said in the interview. “For me, it felt like a pianist losing his fingers. Until you truly make peace with it, it keeps troubling you,” Akshaye added. “You can lose a year or two from your career. For an actor, how you appear is extremely important. You can hide your body—but never your face. At 19 or 20, it feels catastrophic. Heartbreaking. It can kill you mentally,” Akshaye said.

What is premature baldness?

Premature baldness or losing hair at a younger age happens before a person hits 30 years of age - often starting in the teens or 20s, as a form of androgenetic alopecia, also known as pattern baldness. According to doctors, the condition is characterized by thinning hair, receding hairline, and visible scalp, impacting quality of life and requiring early intervention for best results. Data says around 25 per cent of men face premature baldness, which is increasing drastically. Hair loss experts and dermatologists keep emphasizing that premature baldness can be prevented if treated promptly.

What causes premature baldness?

According to doctors, many genetic and hormonal issues play an important role in triggering premature baldness. Also, certain underlying conditions cause extensive hair loss. A few of these include:

Hereditary Issues

Most young men inherit hair loss problems from their ancestors and go bald at an early age. This is the most common reason behind premature baldness, as you have no control over your genetic features. You’re already at risk if you have a family history of premature balding or other hair fall issues.

Unhealthy diets

Doctors say the health of your hair is strongly connected to your dietary habits. Inadequate intake of essential nutrients and vitamins can lead to premature hair loss. A balanced diet can help you reverse your hair fall issues to some extent if malnutrition is the reason behind your hair fall problems.

Thyroid issues

Imbalanced thyroid hormone production in your body can adversely affect your hair health. Both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism cause hair loss if not managed promptly.

Telogen Effluvium

While it is normal for hair threads to fall out in the Telogen phase, many hair threads fall out at once when Telogen Effluvium takes place. People start panicking as too many hair threads suddenly fall out. Ongoing stress or physical illness are the common triggers that cause Telogen Effluvium.

Alopecia areata

This autoimmune disease is alarming and a key factor behind early-age hair loss. The immune system of an individual with alopecia targets the hair follicles of a particular area in the head.

Ways to treat premature baldness

Once you see signs of balding, experts advise immediately taking steps to prevent further issues. According to doctors, the two conventional methods to treat premature baldness include medications, a good and healthy diet, and hair transplantation. After the initial check-up, the doctor will prescribe medications to fix your problem. Based on your condition, the doctor may ask for blood tests or other diagnostic tests before prescribing medication.