Stress

Can it Cause Hair Loss?

Everyday life is full of stress and as individuals we have different ways of coping with it. Daily stress is not a direct cause of hair loss, however it may be an underlying factor that contributes to it. On the other hand, dramatic stress events can cause such shock to the body that it can be directly linked to hair loss. Examples of these extreme stress events are childbirth, high fevers, severe depression, sudden weight loss programs and some types of surgery. Telogen Effluvim is the medical term given to this type of hair loss. An extreme stress event can cause hair follicles to suddenly stop growing and enter into the resting phase. Where normally 10% of follicles may be in this phase, it may go up to 30%. Two to four months after the stress event the result is an increased amount of shedding, those hairs that would normally be shed at that time and the additional hairs that were ‘stress’ triggered into the resting phase. Assuming the cause of the stress has been removed, the hair growth will start again within a year. Childbirth in women is the most common cause of Telogen Effluvim. With the physical stress of childbirth and associated hormonal changes the body is undergoing, the incidence of hair loss with moms after birth is greater than 20%.

Getting back to day-to-day stress. When stress levels increase our daily habits also tend to change, our diet may be off, we spend less time with friends, we work those longer hours at the office, get less sleep and less time exercising. These seemingly minor events mount up and ultimately have a cumulative effect on the overall vigor of our bodies right down to the health of the hair follicles. Does this mean you will lose your hair – No, the linkage to hair loss or even thinning hair is not that direct. Everybody is genetically unique and as individuals we’re not that predictable. We all know people who lead what appear to be very stressful lives who have a full head of hair. The opposite is also true, people with very sedentary habits can lose their hair at a very young age. Despite these anomalies it stands to reason that if we properly nourish our bodies and get sufficient rest, that our overall health will increase, right down to our scalp.

Another factor to consider is the effectiveness of hair growth products on follicles that are under some form of stress. The effectiveness of any product we take, whether its medicine our Doctor has prescribed or a hair growth product will be impacted by the health of the body and it’s ability to properly utilize it. If day-to-day stress is contributing to poor nutrition, a vitamin deficiency or reduced energy as the result of poor sleep patterns, the response of hair follicles to the various hair regrowth products will be reduced.

Stress by itself is difficult to prove as being a direct cause of hair loss, however it’s logical to consider it as an important contributing factor. Take advantage of any opportunities you have to reduce stress in your life, the payoff will extend far beyond its connections to hair loss.