Around 279 cases of alopecia were reported in Buldhana district of Maharashtra within two months. Most of the affected persons were college students and young girls. Some of them shaved their heads to avoid embarrassment
Hyderabad: Losing even a few strands of hair can be quite stressful. Imagine the trauma of a person, particularly a female, where she has to face sudden hair loss leading to acute onset of alopecia totalis in young age.
This is exactly what happened in Buldhana district of Maharashtra where not just one or two, but 279 persons in 18 villages, reported sudden hair loss or ‘alopecia totalis,’ between December 2024 and January. Most of the affected persons were college students and young girls.
Hair loss takes a severe toll on an individual’s mental health, leading to depression and anxiety. Society’s perception of baldness only adds to the problem, with people being ridiculed and stigmatised for their hair loss.
Faced with significant social challenges due to the condition, including disrupted educational pursuits and arranged marriages, some of those suffering alopecia shaved their scalps in an attempt to avoid embarrassment.
The incidents of sudden hair loss in Buldhana made national headlines, prompting the authorities to order a probe into the matter.
After investigations, it was found that individuals, primarily young women, had symptoms such as headache, fever, scalp itching, tingling, and in some cases vomiting and loose motions, Dr Himmatrao Bawaskar, MD of Bawaskar Hospital and Research Centre in Raigad, said.
“The primary cause of the outbreak was linked to wheat imported from Punjab and Haryana, which was found to have a significantly higher selenium content than the locally produced wheat,” the Padma Shri awardee doctor said.
“Our analysis of wheat from the affected region revealed that it contained 600 times more selenium than the locally grown variety. This high selenium intake is believed to be the cause of the alopecia cases,” he said.
The condition developed rapidly with total baldness occurring within three to four days of the symptoms onset in these villages..
The probe also found a marked increase in selenium levels in the blood, urine and hair of the affected individuals, he said. “The blood, urine and hair samples showed a 35-fold, 60-fold and 150-fold increase in selenium content, respectively. This suggests that excessive selenium intake is a direct contributor to the outbreak,” Bawaskar said.
The experts also found zinc levels were significantly lower in the affected individuals, pointing to a potential imbalance caused by the excess selenium.
Further examination of the wheat indicated the selenium content was not a result of external contamination but was inherent in the grain itself, the expert said, adding that wheat from Punjab and Haryana is known to have high selenium bioavailability. No significant contamination was found in the wheat samples from ration shops of the area.
The region where the outbreak occurred is known for its salty, alkaline soil and recurrent droughts, which have affected agricultural productivity. Many families rely on government-subsidised wheat from ration shops, which have been poorly regulated for quality.
Bawaskar said the outbreak highlights the need for stronger regulation of food supplies, particularly in areas where residents depend on government-provided rations.
Meanwhile, after the authorities asked people to stop consumption of the selenium-rich wheat as a preventive measure, some people have reported partial regrowth of hair within 5-6 weeks.
What is Selenium
Selenium is a mineral found in the soil and naturally appears in water and some foods. People need a very small amount of selenium, which plays a key role in metabolism.
