Could living a stressful life cause you to lose hair? Yes, stress could be the underlying cause!
Stress-related hair loss is often temporary, so it’s unlikely your hair will be lost forever, but it’s still important to speak to a doctor about it, especially if it’s bothering you.
Why Does Stress Cause Hair Loss?
Though we think of stress as a psychological issue, it can affect your body. If you’ve ever experienced a period of significant stress, you’ll know it can cause a long list of symptoms, including problems sleeping, muscle tension, headaches, and heartburn.
Stress symptoms are linked to the body’s “fight, flight or freeze” response. This is a survival response to stressful or potentially dangerous situations. Our body releases stress hormones which help us through these situations.
If the stress is ongoing or “chronic, ” we might have excess stress hormones circulating through our bodies. This can have a negative effect on your body, and it can also cause hair loss.
Signs of Stress-Related Hair Loss
Here are a few signs your hair loss might be related to stress!
Shedding
Have you been shedding hair like crazy lately? Under extreme stress, there’s such a thing as “telogen effluvium,” the medical term for hair loss caused by that sort of stress. How do you know if you have a severe case? Consider this: does it seem like you’re shedding hair at twice the normal rate? Has this massive shedding lasted two weeks or more? If so, you might have telogen effluvium. Now, if hair falls out in small, coin-sized patches, you might have alopecia areata, which worsens with stress.
Delayed Growth
Stress might affect your hair if it seems like it takes forever to grow your hair half an inch. Poor nutrition– eating a steady diet of junk food, for instance– can slow hair growth. People often eat poorly because they’re stressed out. Think about it: if you’re stressed, would you rather eat a pint of ice cream or broccoli? Exactly! Poor nutrition causes your body to go into survival mode, taking the body’s attention away from hair growth.
Pulling Your Hair Out
There’s a rare disorder called trichotillomania, where a person feels compelled to pull out their hair due to anxiety. A dermatologist or psychiatrist can work with you to help manage this disorder.
If you are experiencing hair loss that doesn’t start to grow back after a few months of “less-stressful living,” NM Hair Replacement Studio can help!
Contact us at (718)267-2516 for a free consultation and learn about our hair loss solutions!
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