How does stress relate to hair loss?
Not only can your stress be related to some of the hair loss you may be experiencing, but there are also several definitions of this loss. The type of loss you may experience can be dependant on the type of stress you are undergoing.
There are stages of growth your hair goes through: it is either growing or it’s resting. Most often, your hair is in a growth phase, each follicle growing bit by bit. During telogen, the hair is resting and typically loosens enough to fall out of your scalp.
What is Alopecia Areata?
Alopecia areata is the most severe condition of hair loss. Alopecia is an autoimmune disease that specifically attacks hair follicles. This causes hair loss in patches, all over the scalp, or even the entire body.
Alopecia has its roots in genetics, but may not be totally as a result of the passing of genes. It may also be caused by environmental factors, including stress.
What is Trichotillomania?
Trichotillomania is related to OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder). How this manifests is in the intentional pulling of hair, from anywhere on the body, out. As a matter of psychosis, it’s often induced by a variety of things: boredom, loneliness, and even stress.
The tools for dealing with stress are not always easy for people to come by. In some cases, people have the support they need to identify and implement healthy ways of combatting stress – in some cases, less savory ways like trichotillomania end up occurring.
What is Telogen Effluvium?
Telogen effluvium is the most common form of hair loss directly linked to stress itself. If your stress levels are significantly high or stay at a higher than your average rough day for long durations, you’re at risk for telogen effluvium.
Telogen effluvium occurs by forcing follicles that may not have been ready into the resting phase. The sudden push of these follicles are stressful to the scalp and can cause sudden hair loss, resulting in coming out through simple everyday tasks like showering.
Is the hair loss related to stress permanent?
In most cases, with any of the above conditions, stress-induced hair loss need not be permanent. While hair loss is more difficult to combat in severe conditions like Alopecia, some things can be done to bring back your locks.
Reduce Stress
We know that reducing stress as an answer is not as simple as it sounds. There are many useful tools to help pinpoint how stress can be reduced in effective and simple ways.
Taking up a mind healthy exercise like yoga is a great jumping-off point to reducing all manners of stress – and is a great workout! Starting any level of exercise routine will fit the bill as well, raising those important endorphins.
Breathing exercises, listening to soothing and uplifting music, reading inspirational quotes and meditating are all activities that you can easily work into your everyday routine. Most of these can be done while you are doing day to day things like driving, working, or shopping.
Eating better will boost your immune system, lower cortisol, and allow your body to go back to processing basic routines like the hair life cycle easier.
How Fast Will Hair Grow Back?
The rate at which your hair can grow back depends on many different factors. People not under an overabundance of stress have their hair grow at different speeds. Age, ethnicity, and race also play a part in hair growth.
Regrowth may also depend on how long you have been undergoing your stress. If you have been subjected to stressors for a long time and are now starting to get them to manageable levels, you may expect the growth to be slow going at first.
The type of hair loss you may have sustained also can determine regrowth – how much and the speed of which your hair can grow back.
Alopecia and Trichotillomania patients may have to take specific medicines to help regrowth occur. Consulting with your doctor will be the first step if this is the case. Many believe regrowth impossible in these conditions. However, especially when caught early, regrowth is possible even in the most extreme conditions.
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