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My son's sudden hairfall
My son is facing severe hairfall . He's scared to touch his hair , as it's only showing him several hair strands on his hands . He is 16. But there are few flaws with him . He stays up late night just to scroll , he overthinks a lot , and probably he have masturbation addiction. He is also preparing for a pre med exam , neet . My son also hated fruit . But it's from beginning,nothing new , yet there is severe hairfall. He uses loreal Paris shampoo and conditioner. Please respected doctors help me out , id be soo much grateful to you
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First – Please Don’t Panic. Severe hair fall at 15–18 years is VERY common.
This age group goes through:
• Hormonal changes
• Exam stress
• Sleep disturbance
• Nutritional gaps
• Irregular routines
All these directly trigger Telogen Effluvium — a type of temporary hair fall where hair sheds easily due to stress or lifestyle but grows back once the triggers are controlled.
This is not baldness, and not permanent.
What is causing your son’s hair fall? (Most likely combination)
1. Poor sleep (scrolling late at night)
Sleep deprivation raises cortisol → shuts hair follicles into shedding phase.
2. Stress + Overthinking (NEET pressure)
Exam stress is one of the BIGGEST causes of hair fall in teenagers.
3. Nutritional deficiencies (because he hates fruits)
At 16, body needs high:
• Iron
• Vitamin D
• Zinc
• B12
• Protein
Teenagers who don’t eat fruits/veg often have mild deficiencies → hair fall.
4. Over-scrubbing / chemical shampoos
L’Oréal Paris shampoos contain sulfates, which can worsen shedding in sensitive scalp.
5. Masturbation
Does NOT cause hair fall.
Completely safe. Please remove this worry from his mind.
Next Steps
What you should do NOW (Most effective plan)
1. Get these basic blood tests
These are the most important for teenage hair fall:
• CBC (Hemoglobin, iron)
• Ferritin (Iron stores)
• Vitamin D (25-OH)
• Vitamin B12
• TSH (thyroid test)
80% of teenagers with hair fall have low Vitamin D or low ferritin.
2. Start a Hair-Strengthening Supplement
Safe options for 16-year-olds:
• Keraglo Eva – 1 tablet at night
or
• Follihair – 1 tablet daily
These contain biotin, zinc, and amino acids.
3. Change the shampoo (important)
Shift to ANY mild, sulfate-free shampoo:
• Sebamed Anti-hairfall
• Keraglo AD / Gentle shampoo
• Mamaearth onion shampoo
• Curlvana / Cetaphil baby shampoo (very gentle)
Shampoo: 2–3 times a week only
Conditioner: Tips only, not scalp.
4. Improve sleep schedule (critical)
Tell him:
Hair grows at night, sheds when sleep is disturbed.
He must:
• Sleep by 11 PM
• No phone 45 minutes before bed
• Use “digital sunset” (phone outside room if possible)
This alone reduces shedding by 30–40%.
5. Reduce stress
Even mild NEET stress can cause massive shedding.
He needs:
• 10 minutes walk in evening
• 5 minutes deep breathing
• Avoid comparing marks with others
• Daylight exposure 20 min daily
Stress control = hair control.
6. Improve diet (VERY IMPORTANT)
Even if he hates fruits, use alternatives:
Daily Must-Haves:
• 2 eggs OR paneer (protein)
• A bowl of curd
• Dal/chicken
• 10 soaked almonds or peanuts
• One fruit that he can tolerate (banana, apple, grapes — choose only one)
Avoid:
• Junk food
• Sugary snacks
• Soft drinks
• Excess tea/coffee
Hair needs nutrition before anything else.
Is this permanent hair loss? — NO
At 16, permanent hair loss is extremely rare.
This looks like stress + lifestyle + nutritional shedding, and it is 100% reversible.
Once routine and nutrition improve, hair starts regrowing in 6–10 weeks.
Health Tips
When to see a doctor
• If hair fall continues beyond 2 months
• If bald spots appear (rare)
• If itching/dandruff is very severe
• If test results show deficiency
Do consult me in case you require any further help with reports.
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Being a pediatrician it looks like adolescent related anxiety issue probably have trichotillomania(just a guess) needs proper history and evaluation for the same, along with other nutritional deficiencies
Next Steps
consult me on practo for a detailed plan and management
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Severe multivitamin and micronutrient deficiency.
Take him to a psychologist to develop good habits. Consult a dietician to prepare a good diet plan.
No shampoo or conditioner is going to help.
The nourishment to the hairs must be provided from inside.
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It's due to stress anxiety and nutrition defects
Next Steps
need to do some blood test
vitamin D
complete blood count
Health Tips
must avoid stress
eat healthy and fresh food
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Hello,
At 16 years of age, the reasons for sudden heavy hair shedding are usually functional and reversible, not permanent baldness.
From your description, your son’s routine and habits themselves explain most of what is happening:
1. Severe stress + exam pressure + overthinking
Stress pushes hair into the telogen (falling) phase.
Teenagers under academic pressure commonly experience this pattern.
This type of hair fall often starts 2–3 months after a stressful period, so it may not match the immediate trigger.
2. Poor sleep & late-night scrolling
Irregular sleep disturbs hormones like prolactin, cortisol and growth hormones all of which affect the hair cycle.
Lack of sleep alone can cause visible shedding.
3. Poor nutrition (avoids fruits + likely low protein / low micronutrients)
Teenagers often have low:
Iron
Vitamin D
Vitamin B12
Zinc
Protein intake
These deficiencies directly cause heavy shedding.
4. Masturbation is not the cause
This is a common myth. Masturbation has zero effect on hair fall or hormones.
Tell him not to blame himself for that.
5. Hair products
L’Oréal or any mild shampoo does not cause this pattern of shedding.
The issue is internal, not external.
What actually needs to be done
To understand exactly what’s driving the hair fall, three steps are needed:
1. Detailed evaluation of lifestyle, sleep cycle and stress pattern
We need to correct the root habits causing hormonal disruption.
2. Nutritional and blood parameter review
Especially iron, ferritin, Vitamin D, B12, thyroid profile.
Deficiencies are extremely common in teenagers.
3. Hair examination
This helps confirm whether it’s telogen effluvium (most likely) or early pattern hair loss.
Only after reviewing these can we make a proper action plan for him.
This situation is reversible but only with structured guidance
Random shampoos, home remedies, or assumptions will not solve it.
Your son needs a clear, personalised plan for sleep, diet, stress, and scalp routine.
If you want, you can message me privately and I’ll evaluate the complete picture and guide you step-by-step.
You can reach me directly on w.h.a.t.s.a.p.p – nine three two six zero two zero five three six.
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It can be due to stress anxiety or nutritional deficiencies...
Kindly consult me on nine nine three four eight 31 six zero six
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Hair fall can be due to anxiety, thyroid disorders, nutritional deficiency
Please connect me through practo app or wattsap me nine zero seven two two zero seven zero nine three
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It is due to lack of proper nutrition and stress most probably kindly contact through whatsApp nine nine nine 9 six six 6909
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Check thyroid
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Most likely this is stress + poor sleep + exam anxiety + nutrition-related hair fall (common at 16).
This is usually temporary and reversible.
✅ What to do now (simple steps):
Sleep 7–8 hrs daily — strict no phone after 10 PM.
Protein in every meal — eggs, dal, paneer, curd, chicken, soy.
Add iron-rich foods — spinach, jaggery, beetroot, dates, peanuts.
Even if he hates fruit — give banana / apple / orange juice / coconut water daily.
Shampoo 2–3×/week only; L’Oréal is fine.
– Conditioner only on hair ends, not scalp.
Avoid hot water, tight hairstyles, frequent touching/pulling of hair.
Masturbation does NOT cause hair fall — please don’t worry.
✅ Get these tests if hair fall continues >4–6 weeks:
• CBC
• Ferritin
• TSH (thyroid)
• Vitamin D
• Vitamin B12
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Dr. Tejasree
Consult Now
Ayurvedic Endocrinologist & Internal Medicine Specialist
4 yrs exp
Tirupati
Please consult a dermatologist as it needs further evaluation of hormones and follicular study
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You can consult me directly on Practo, or reach out via WhatsApp:
Eight Seven Six Two Seven Four Nine Nine Seven Four
I’ll guide you step-by-step with easy-to-follow treatment plans.
Early consultation helps avoid complications — feel free to connect.
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Please consult
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Need few more details for proper understanding of your issue.
You can consult with me online on Practo or whatsapp on eight three one eight four six nine eight eight six for proper diagnosis, conclusion and management
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At the age of 16 it's common to have hormonal changes for which some changes in body and mind come.. it also get worse when added with late night Sleep and stress.. suggest you to consult a dermatologist. And ensure a strong family support
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Consult superspecialist like dermatologist/ homeopathy
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Dr. Chaithra H
General Physician
5 yrs exp
Bangalore
Consult Pediatrician
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Dr. Anuj Mothsra
General Physician
6 yrs exp
Jhunjhunu
Can help you, kindly consult and provide detailed history for proper diagnosis and further management
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Dr. Vetsa Sri Krishna Chaitanya
General Physician
7 yrs exp
Rajahmundry
May be due to alopecia or hereditary.... consult for further evaluation and treatment
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Dr. Gaurav Jaiswal
General Physician
7 yrs exp
Jhansi
Do connect and consult
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