Do Stress and Anxiety Affect Hair Loss?

“Healthy mind might be the secret of healthier hair.”~ Dermalife

With the present pandemic scenario, lockdowns, and working from home, an increasing number of people are experiencing stress and anxiety. This not only gave rise to a lot of health issues but also to concerns like increased hair loss. Hair loss is not uncommon as our life is becoming more hectic and burdened with stress and worry.  For a majority of people, hair is a very prominent part of their face and personality. It’s a way of self-expression. Losing a few hair strands every day is fairly typical and natural. The scalp loses old hair, allowing new hair to grow. However, if you see a large amount of hair loss regularly, it is cause for concern.

According to research, there is a substantial link between hair loss and experiencing a particularly stressful experience. Hair loss and baldness are delicate topics that can make a person feel quite self-conscious. However, with new scientific discoveries being made every day, there are several therapeutic options available for addressing stress and anxiety-affected hair loss. Before deciding on the best method and treatment plan, it is critical to understand how hair fall occurs, how stress and hair loss are related, and the underlying causes.

Table of Content

Feel free to skip ahead if one topic catches your eyes – 

1. Common causes of Hairloss
2. Can stress make your hair fall out
3. How Do you know if your hair is falling out due to stress?
4. Types of Stress-related Hair Loss
5. Will the Hair Loss Due To Stress Grow Back?
6. Treatment For Stress-related Hair Loss

Takeaway

Common causes of Hairloss

Hair loss is a very frequent condition that affects both men and women. It might be upsetting to notice unexpected hair loss and thinning hair without understanding the cause. So, what are some of the most prevalent reasons for hair loss?

• Age: One of the most common reasons for hair loss is ageing. Hair follicles deteriorate with age and lose the ability to grow new hair. There is an overall thinning of hair with age since there is no new hair growth and more and more hair are lost naturally.
• Genetics: Another element that plays a crucial part in hair loss is genetics. Androgenic alopecia, a condition that affects both men and women equally, causes genetic hair loss. The main hair follicle, which is responsible for hair growth, shrinks under these conditions. Natural hair loss occurs, but no new hair growth takes place, resulting in thinning hair and bald patches.

Androgenic alopecia is hereditary since the gene for it can be inherited from one’s parents.

• Hormonal imbalances: Hormonal imbalances are a key contributor to hair loss. Excessive hair loss is caused by hormonal changes in a female after pregnancy. PCOS is an abbreviation for a polycistronic ovarian syndrome which is another condition that causes significant hair loss due to hormonal imbalances between estrogen and testosterone.

Other hormonal abnormalities, such as hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism, cause significant hair loss due to thyroid hormone imbalance.

• Tight hairstyles: The continual pressure and friction caused by excessively tight hairstyles might result in hair loss. The pull damages the hair follicles and might result in permanent hair loss. This type of hair loss is also known as traction alopecia.
• Scalp infection: Another significant cause of hair loss is a bacterial or fungal infection of the scalp. The infection damages hair follicles and causes scalp irritation.
• Lupus and myasthenia gravis are two autoimmune diseases that can cause an inflammatory reaction in the body. This causes hair loss.

Anxiety and Stress: Stress and hair loss are often strongly linked. One of the most prevalent reasons for hair loss is everyday stress. And anxiety affects hair loss by aggravating the condition. People who have experienced very stressful situations such as the death of a loved one, surgery, medical conditions, or depression have reported hair fall and thinning of hair higher than normal.

Can stress make your hair fall out

When it comes to losing more hair than usual, stress plays a significant role. But can stress make your hair fall out?

Yes, it definitely can. 

The answer can be found in the body’s natural response to stress, which is the release of the stress hormone cortisol. This cortisol has a direct influence on the normal hair cycle and this is the main reason behind stress-induced hair loss. The growth cycle of a typical scalp hair is divided into four stages:

• Anagen is often referred to as the growth phase. It has a lifespan of 2 to 7 years. During this stage, hair follicles are actively developing. And the majority of new hair growth is in the anagen phase.
• The second phase is Catagen. During this stage, the hair follicles in the scalp stop dividing and developing. This is also referred to as the transition stage. At this point, there is no new hair growth.
• The following stage is telogen, which is positioned just next to catagen. This is often referred to as the resting stage. During this time, new hair begins to grow in the follicles but old hairs do not fall out. These hairs remain on the scalp until new hair develops.
• Exogen: The exogen is the final stage of the hair cycle. This is known as the hair loss phase because the separated hair is shed during this period.

So, how does anxiety affect hair loss and hair cycle?

A high amount of the stress hormone corticosterone inhibits hair regeneration from the follicle after the hair has been lost. So, under stressful or anxious situations, the telogen hair will shed as usual, but no new hair will develop. And hair follicles move too quickly from the active growth phase, anagen, to the resting phase, telogen. As a result, there is even greater hair fall. This causes significant hair loss across the scalp.

But how exactly can you lose hair from stress?

Here are some of the ways cortisol influences hair regrowth:

• It immediately affects the hair follicles and inhibits new development.
• The stress hormone disrupts other hormones that are required for hair renewal.

How do you know if your Hair is Falling out due to stress?

You may notice some hair fall as you go about your day and style or comb your hair. It is usual to lose a few strands of hair while combing or washing the hair. It is normal to lose 80 to 100 strands of hair every day. And this should not be the reason for concern. The hair growth cycle is normally quite balanced, and the everyday hair loss is telogen hair that enters the exogen stage and is shed to create a way for new hair.

However, if the frequency rises, and you begin to notice odd hair loss and an increasing number of lost hair strands, this should not be overlooked.

Stress and anxiety disrupt the hair cycle, causing more hair to enter the telogen phase.

When you see greater hair fall, evaluate whether you’ve been stressed or anxious in the past month. 

People generally disregard stress as a cause of hair loss since it does not appear to be directly related. However, there are a few indications of stress-induced hair loss that you should be aware of if you are losing hair from stress

• Excessive hair loss is typical following a severe physical or mental event.
• The volume of hair is gradually and uniformly decreasing. The hair seems thin, and the scalp skin is visible.
• Hair loss is exacerbated by combing and washing the hair. You may notice more hair strands on your pillow or the floor after combing.

Any symptoms should not be disregarded because a proper and timely diagnosis will be beneficial in reversing the side effects of stress.

Types of Stress-related Hair Loss

Stress-induced hair loss is divided medically into three different categories.

• The first category is Telogen effluvium. This is a condition in which a large number of hair follicles reach the telogen phase too soon. Telogen is the resting phase of hair that has been removed from the follicles. A large number of hairs begin to fall even when performing typical activities such as combing or washing the hair because they are just resting on the scalp and are not connected to the follicles.
• Another kind of anxiety affecting hair loss is Trichotillomania. This is a psychological disorder that causes people to pluck their hair from their scalp or off their bodies. Trichotillomania is a severe disorder brought on by extreme stress and anxiety. People who are suffering from depression or other mental health issues are more likely to develop this condition. Unnecessary and vigorous hair plucking causes hair loss and damage to the hair follicles.

Alopecia Areata: Another frequent condition caused by stress and anxiety is stress alopecia. Hair falls out in patches and bunches in this stress-induced alopecia. Due to severe patterned hair loss, random bald patches begin to develop around various parts of the scalp. In alopecia areata, stress and anxiety are the leading causes of the development of this condition.

Will the Hair Loss due to Stress Grow Back?

One of the most common concerns that people have when they have severe hair loss is whether or not their hair will grow back. Stress-induced hair loss is one such condition that can be controlled and reversed in its early stages with correct diagnosis and treatment. As previously stated, stress causes an increase in the number of hair follicles to enter the telogen phase, resulting in hair loss. On the bright side, the hair loss is only temporary, and after the stressful circumstance has passed, the hair cycle is restored and regular hair growth resumes. But It is impossible to predict whether the regrowth will be immediate or gradual. As long as the hair follicles are healthy and not affected, the hair growth will take place but when hair follicles themselves are damaged, then the growth is restricted.

Following a proper diagnosis by the doctor, the correct treatment can be decided. A dermatologist makes a diagnosis before recommending a treatment plan by performing the different tests.

Treatment For Stress Related Hair Loss

For stress-induced hair loss, there are numerous treatment options available. These include both medical and non-medical treatments.

The non-medical approach is more concerned with stress management. The following are some of the most popular stress-reduction strategies for the treatment of anxiety affected hair loss:

• Exercising regularly is a fantastic method to get several health advantages while also maintaining the health of your hair. Regular exercise offers various advantages, such as lowering stress, controlling corticosterone levels, and encouraging healthy hair development.
• Rest and a good night’s sleep are also essential for stress management and healthy hair.
• Diet and nutrition: Hair loss can also be caused by a lack of essential minerals and nutrients in the diet. Eating a well-balanced and healthy diet is critical to maintaining excellent hair health and reducing loss hair from the stress.
• Talking to a therapist: Speaking with a therapist may assist you in understanding and managing your stress and anxiety. This is a positive step for general mental wellness.
• Meditation, yoga, and breathing exercises are wonderful techniques to reduce stress and improve the health of your body, mind, and hair.

The following medical therapies are available for stress-induced hair loss:

• Hair Loss Treatments:
  • This includes medicines such as minoxidil, which is a prescription used to treat hair loss. Minoxidil is available in the form of It is available in two concentrations: 2% and 5% topical solution. Following application, the growth phase of the hair cycle is accelerated. After a few months, the effects of minoxidil become apparent.
  • Ketoconazole is an anti-inflammatory drug that can help with a range of skin issues such as inflammation. This helps to maintain a healthy scalp and encourages hair development.

Other treatments include:

• Supplements: Hair loss can also develop as a consequence of a lack of vital minerals and vitamins in the diet. Supplements including vitamin D, biotin, zinc, and amino acids promote hair development.
• Light therapy: A laser device is used in combination with low-level light therapy in this form of treatment. This promotes hair regrowth.
• Platelet-rich plasma is a novel treatment that employs activated human plasma. This includes platelets, which encourage the development of new hair.
• Hair Transplantation Surgery:  In certain cases, the hair follicles are permanently damaged with no chances of future hair growth. Hair transplant surgery is one of the most popular techniques used in such cases. Once considerable hair loss has occurred, the procedure is performed in the later stages of hair loss. During the operation, hair follicles from the healthy portion of the scalp are extracted and surgically transplanted to the bald area.

TakeAway

The dermatologists at Dermalife realize how frustrating dealing with hair loss can be. But don’t worry, you’re not alone! Dermalife offers a variety of hair loss treatment packages and options at a very affordable cost. The clinic is well renowned as one of the best clinics for hair loss treatment in Delhi, thanks to the experts and cutting-edge facilities available at the clinic. All your hair-related problems would be treated with great care and competence at Dermalife.  

Consult an expert right away!