If you are here for the single word answer, then the answer is “Yes”. Stress does play a role in hair loss.
Every day, the human head loses almost 100 hairs approximately. Losing hair is a natural process if it is in the limit because at the same time hair follicle is also producing the same amount of new hairs.
Hair loss is very common in men and women of all ages. Hair loss can affect you as early as in the 20s or it might ever not in one’s entire life.
There are many kinds of hair loss, some of them are permanent in which genetics play their role while others are temporary.
One of the most common temporary hair loss is due to stress. Stress also plays its role in stopping the hair growth alongside with other functionalities in the one’s body. Other factors in temporary hair loss include illness, pregnancy, cancer treatment, etc.
In general cases, hair loss starts round about three months after the person start taking the stress of any event or period.
Before getting in more dept, let’s discuss stress in general.
What is stress?
Stress is a condition of reaction to a shocking event(s). Events like one loss their loved one, or they gone through a certain shock, or going through the family problem, or divorce, accident or medical instability.
When the person goes in shock or feels threatened, a body goes through a chemical reaction that makes one act in a way to prevent injury. This chemical process is known as “fight or flight”. This is also known as the stress response.
During stress, the body’s heartbeat rises, muscles get tighten, blood pressure rises and breathing also gets speedy. This is how you try to save yourself
Stress is not the same for all people. Some people can handle shocking conditions with calmness and full control, while some carry the stress on their selves.
Sometimes stress is not bad after all, it can help you to complete your tasks on time, it can help you to achieve your goals and it can also prevent you from getting hurt.
Types of stress hair loss
Stress leads towards a number of physical changes in the body and hair loss also stand among them. These three type of hair fall which can be the cause of stress and anxiety.
- Alopecia Areata: it is a condition in which hair is lost in the form of patches. Bald spots are generated; they are normally of coin size. If they are not treated on time they might cause the whole head to get bald.
- Telogen Effluvium: In this condition, the ratio of falling hair is more than the produced one. In other words, we witness more hair fall than the other normal days.
- Trichotillomania: A habitual condition caused by the stress where the patient pulls out hairs unintentionally without realizing it.
How stress causes hair loss?
A stressful event always leads towards mental instability. Stressful events such as divorce, death, accident, or family problems can have really powerful effects on one’s entire body.
A stressed person will feel many changes in the body, and hair loss is also one of them.
The type of hair loss such as telogen effluvium, which starts in the time of psychological trauma. It takes a large number of hair follicles in the resting phase from the active phase. Hair follicle stops producing hair cells, which stops hair growth.
While staying in stress for a long time, the person starts feeling insecure. Which mentally make its body to get in “fight or flight” mode.
Long-lasting stress also creates stress hormone, which attacks everything which came in their way. It also attacks hair follicles and makes them to get in the resting phase.
How long hair loss will last after a stressful period?
Normally, it can last for three to six months as the stressful period ends. After that, the hair follicle will be in some position to restart the hair growing process. However, the hair follicle can take up to 18 months to fully recover.
Cure for stress alopecia
Unfortunately, there isn’t any specific cure for stress alopecia. Don’t worry about that, it’s not permanent. The moment when you or your loved one will get through the stressful period and they will get mentally stable, the hair will start to grow back.
The hair follicle will restart performing their functionalities and within three to six months, the patient will start having regular hair growth.
However, it will be suggested to do
- Yoga
- Exercises
- Morning walk
- Spend time with your close ones
- Sleep well
- Eat well
to overcome the stress. Otherwise, visit a psychiatrist.
