Many Sikh men, even as young as 20 years old, are turning to hair transplant surgery after suffering from traction alopecia, the result of turbans pulling on the hair. Sikh religious laws require men to grow their hair long and wear it wound up in a turban for 24 hours a day. However, this practice is resulting in the loss of hair because of the strain that it puts on it.

One solution is to wind the turban less tightly so that it puts less strain on the hair. Hair transplants can be effective, but not if the patient resumes wearing a tight turban after the procedure.

The problem of hair loss from too much strain also results from wearing tight hats, hair braiding, hair extensions, and tight ponytails. To preserve the hair, it is best to avoid these practices.