Healthy and shinning radiant hairs are the indicators of your good health and feeling. But if you are under stressed conditions then you might observe hair loss and degradation 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 the number of hair falls every time you comb or shampoo them? Are you unable to find the exact cause of your hair loss? Till now you must have tried various things like changing of shampoo, hair oil, increased vitamin supplements, 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: It’s 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 could be defined as a state experienced by a person where he/she undergoes mental or emotional strain.
As defined above stress is the emotional or mental strain experienced by a person. The main factors causing stress are the 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:
There are various research studies which support the concept of stress causing 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 leads to telogen effluvium. The other factors resulting in telogen effluvium are child birth, sudden weight loss, mental shock or any other stressful event. Basically stress stops 70% of your hair in their growing phase (Anagen) and shifts them into the resting phase (Telogen). After about 3-2 months hair in the resting phase start falling. But within 6-9 months your hair grows back.
- Alopecia Areata: This type of hair loss is considerably more severe type. Chronic and intense stress triggers this type of hair loss. It is observed that during this condition your hair follicles are attacked by White Blood Cells (WBC), which arrests the hair growth. The hair starts falling out within 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 the hair loss due to stress is temporary and self corrective especially telogen effluvium. Telogen effluvium is not benefited by the various 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 that you are taking proper and balanced diet, plenty of vegetables, fruits and proteins. For treating Alopecia Areata you need to consult a dermatologist as soon as you observe a small patch on your scalp.
