The human body is quite like the internet, a network of interconnected systems. This means that very few health-related things happen in isolation, often, things are always linked to multiple issues. When we have a lot of stress in the mind, several effects can trigger our physical well-being.
This concept holds true for hair as well, stress causes hair loss is a known fact now, stress management being suggested in hair-loss treatment plans is also common. Since the issue is complex let us today shed some light on all the special facts of this common concept.
The 4 Common Types of Hair Loss Due to Stress
Hair loss due to stress comes mostly in 4 types, and these are Telogen Effluvium (excessive hair shedding), Trichotillomania (hair-pulling), Alopecia Areata (hair loss in areas), and Androgenic Alopecia (overall hair thinning). Regardless of the type, it’s worth noting that stress does not trigger hair loss immediately, it always takes anywhere from 6-12 weeks for a stressful event to show its impact on hair loss, this is because of the natural growth cycle of your hair.
Stress & Telogen Effluvium (Excessive Hair Shedding)
This is a form of widespread hair loss on your scalp. It is triggered when an internal disturbance cuts short the hair growth cycle of the body. This leads to hairs moving from their anagen phase into their telogen (shedding) phases and eventually excessive daily hair fall.
The single most common cause of Telogen Effluvium is Stress. When we are stressed, we may skip meals or even eat more processed food than usual. Apart from this stress, internally impacts digestion and the body’s ability to absorb vital nutrients as well. Since hair is a non-essential tissue for the body, it’s always the first thing to suffer when the body is lacking essential nutrients.
Stress & Alopecia Areata (Hair Loss in Areas)
This is a condition that produces multiple spots of baldness randomly on the scalp. Usually circular and often the size of a coin.
Alopecia Areata is now a widely accepted autoimmune disorder, where the body sees some hair cells as foreign enemies and then starts attacking them. Why this response is triggered is still not understood properly however 90% of all cases of Alopecia Areata are stress-related.
Stress & Trichotillomania (Hair-Pulling)
This condition is also known as hair-pulling disorder. In this condition, a sudden urge to pull out the hair, either from the scalp or other parts of the body is seen. This condition is often extremely distressing for those who suffer from it. The causes for Trichotillomania are psychological and often very complex.
Stress is a major contributing factor in this condition along with anxiety, a traumatic experience of even depression.
Stress & Androgenic Alopecia (Overall Hair Thinning)
Hair thinning can be genetic in both men and women, or it can also come from sensitivity in the hair follicles to a certain form of testosterone called dihydrotestosterone or DHT. In the case of inherited follicle sensitivity, Androgenic Alopecia will trigger at some point after puberty as that is when this testosterone starts getting produced in the body. Once the sensitivity is triggered, the hair follicles start growing thinner over the years.
For this condition stress might not be the primary cause however, it can significantly intensify the effects of this genetic issue. One main reason for this is that stress increases the production of the stress hormone cortisol which increases the overall body levels of testosterone.
We’ve also talked a great deal about Hair Loss & Hair Thinning in one of our previous posts.
Treating Stress-Related Hair Loss at an Early Stage
In general, there is only 1 way to manage stress-related Hair Loss, and that is to manage stress levels. This can be extremely challenging in today’s busy times. However, a balanced state of mind is beneficial to all aspects of your health. We at Cult Aesthetics, include stress management as a part of all our hair-loss treatment plans.
Some activities that have a high success rate when it comes to dealing with stress are:
- Yoga
- Meditation
- Swimming/Jogging/Walking
- Pilates
To book a consultation with Dr. Gaurav by calling us on +91-9990449555. Also, in case you are planning to get a Hair Transplant, do check out our Blog for lots of information that could be beneficial to you in your Hair Transplant journey.