If you suffer from hair loss, a question you might be asking yourselves is “does stress cause hair loss?”
According to Dr. Daniel Hall-Flavin, from the Mayo Clinic, the answer is yes – stress and hair loss can be related.
It’s worth noting that not all hair loss is caused by high-stress levels, but there are three main types of stress hair loss that are. These are:
- Telogen Effluvium (TE).
Telogen effluvium is the second most common type of hair loss according to dermatologists, therefore may be something worth looking into. This type of stress hair loss is FULLY reversible, meaning that your hair follicles won’t be permanently damaged.
TE occurs when there’s a reduced number of hair follicles which grow hair. Those with TE typically don’t lose all their hair on their scalp, instead, suffer from patching. People may also find a considerable amount of hair after washing, brushing or even on their pillow in the morning.
Read more about this type of hair loss here.
- Trichotillomania (Hair Pulling Disorder).
Patients with trichotillomania will find themselves with an irresistible urge to pull out hair from either their scalp, eyebrows or other areas of your body. This form of stress hair loss is a type of impulse control disorder and can be a way means to deal with negative emotions or uncomfortable feelings, like stress, frustration, or loneliness.
Trichotillomania most often develops in preteens and can last a lifetime if you don’t take the necessary actions to treat it.
Find out more about the hair-pulling disorder here.
- Alopecia Areata.
Alopecia Areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease. It develops the body’s immune system attacks your hair follicles, hence causing hair loss. Although there is no cure for AA yet, prescribed treatments can significantly help those with this type of stress hair loss.
Non-scarring hair loss (does not cause scarring to the scalp) is a common cause of AA. AA can vary across patients. Some may find small patches of baldness on their scalp, some may find hair loss on their entire scalp, and in extreme cases, some may find hair loss across their entire body (Alopecia Universalis).
Read more about this condition here.
BUT DON’T WORRY IT CAN BE REVERSED!
If you find yourself suffering with hair loss due to stress, don’t lose hope as it can definitely grow back! The rate of regrowth will be different for everyone but stress induced hair loss doesn’t need to be permanent. Controlling your stress levels through exercise, meditation or even taking a break from work can be your answer to regaining back that luscious hair of yours.
It may take time to realise which stress management technique works best for you so don’t be afraid to try some new, unconventional ways like massaging your ears or surrounding yourself with calming colours and scents!
As well as managing your stress, there are a couple of other methods you could try to encourage hair growth and prevent further hair loss, the first being diet/nutrition.
Eating a balanced, nutritious diet of whole foods is necessary for your health and your hair. Make sure you take your daily vitamins (B, C and E) as these are suggested to be vital to healthy hair growth. Ensuring you get enough hydration is another essential element to maintain one’s health – always aim for at least 2 litres.
WHAT IF IT’S NOT WORKING?
If you’re not seeing any signs of improvement then there could be another underlying cause. These could be aging, medications, genetics, illness, to name a few.
At Juvida Clinics, we offer an array of hair transplant treatments to combat hair loss either from stress or other reasons such as illness or genetics. Consider our revolutionary ARTAS treatment for a clinically proven and permanent solution for your hair loss, FUE hair transplants for a safe and effective way to restore your hair without scarring, or our facial hair transplants for eyebrow and beard areas.
Remember to see your doctor if you are at any point concerned with your stress hair loss and/or stress hair loss treatment, as they will diagnose your hair loss and advise you with regards to the best treatment plan for your symptoms.
