Que: I am 21 years old and have been suffering from acute hair loss. I know the hair loss is not hereditary, which is why I am thinking that the culprit might be the hard water that runs through the taps in my town. I have tried homeopathy, but without much luck. What would you suggest for me?

Ans: Just because your parents or grandparents are not bald, does not mean that what you are suffering from is not male pattern baldness. The condition can be inherited from even the farthest branches of the family. And water will not cause baldness, which means that you can rule that out. Your best bet would be to talk to a dermatologist or a hair specialist, who might ask you to undergo a series of tests to determine the exact cause behind your hair loss.