Healthy and shining radiant hair is an indicator of your good health and feeling. But if you are under stress, you might notice hair loss and deterioration in your hair health. Various research studies have shown that stress and hair loss are correlated. Hair loss due to stress can be of 2 types: TELOGEN EFFLUVIUM or ALOPECIA AREATA. Read more…
Are you worried about how many hairs you lose when you comb or shampoo? Are you unable to find the exact cause of your hair loss? Till now, you must have tried various things, like changing shampoo and hair oil, increasing vitamin intake, etc. But no positive result??? Have you ever thought that the work pressure, tension or stress can be the main reason behind your uncontrolled hair loss?
What is Stress: Its Causes and Side Effects
Do you remember grannies and oldies at home telling you that: ” Don’t stress a lot, as it may affect your health? HAIR LOSS is one of the major side effects of stress on your health. Presently, stress has become an integral part of every human being. Stress is a state in which a person experiences mental or emotional strain.
As defined above, stress is the emotional or mental strain a person experiences. The main factors causing stress are work pressure, overload, expectations, competition, passion to be the best, etc. If you are stressed, the common symptoms or changes you will observe in yourself are:
- Troubled sleeping
- Reduced concentration
- Tension
- Irritability
- Difficulty in breathing
- Frequent sweating in palms
- Raised heart beat
- Enhanced feeling of being tired
Stress affects your immune system badly and weakens it. Stress can be the probable cause for:
- Frequent cold
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Allergies
- Insomnia
- Eating disorder
- Hair loss
- Hypertension
- Heart ailments
Hair Loss Due to Stress
Various research studies support the concept that stress causes hair loss. Depending upon the severity of stress, it can lead to two types of hair loss.
- Telogen Effluvium: This type of hair loss due to stress is more common. Stress caused by physical injury, illness, or surgery can lead to telogen effluvium. The other factors resulting in telogen effluvium are childbirth, sudden weight loss, mental shock or any other stressful event. Basically, stress stops 70% of your hair in its growing phase (Anagen) and shifts it into the resting phase (Telogen). After about 2-3 months, hair in the resting phase starts to fall out. But within 6-9 months, your hair grows back.
- Alopecia Areata: This type of hair loss is considerably more severe. Chronic and intense stress triggers this type of hair loss. It is observed that, under this condition, your hair follicles are attacked by White Blood Cells (WBCs), which arrest hair growth. The hair starts falling out within a few weeks. It is also seen that hair loss starts as a small, round patch but gradually spreads to the whole scalp. There are chances that your hair might grow back but treatment is necessary.
Treatment for Stress Causing Hair Loss:
Basically, hair loss due to stress is temporary and self-correcting, especially in telogen effluvium. Telogen effluvium does not respond to hair loss treatment options. To control your hair loss, you need to handle your hair with extra care. You need to avoid over- and vigorous brushing or combing of your hair.
Any kind of gentle scalp massage is beneficial in this condition. Make sure you are taking a proper, balanced diet, with plenty of vegetables, fruits, and protein. To treat Alopecia Areata, consult a dermatologist as soon as you notice a small patch on your scalp.
