It’s common to experience hair loss at some point in your life. Factors such as age, genetics, and hormones all play a role in hair loss. But what about stress? Could stress be the real cause of your hair loss?
Let’s find out.
Stress and Hair Loss
It’s possible that stress can be a contributing factor to hair loss in certain cases. When we experience high levels of stress, our bodies start releasing hormones such as cortisol. This hormone has been linked to the disruption of the follicle cycle, resulting in an increase in shedding and thinning hair. The effects of high levels of cortisol from prolonged periods of stress may lead to pattern baldness or alopecia areata (patchy baldness).
Nutrition + Stress = Hair Loss
Not only does stress affect your body on its own, but it can also have an effect when combined with nutrition deficiencies. Nutritional deficiencies such as vitamin B12 and iron can make you more susceptible to losing your hair due to stress. Vitamin B12 helps create healthy red blood cells which carry oxygen throughout the body, including to your scalp where it helps nourish and strengthen the hair follicles.
Iron helps transport oxygen-rich blood to all parts of the body, including your scalp which needs oxygen for healthy hair growth. If you’re not getting enough vitamins and minerals from your diet, it could worsen any damage caused by chronic stress on top of potentially causing other health issues.
Treating Stress-Related Hair Loss
If you suspect that your hair loss may be caused by stress or a nutritional deficiency there are steps you can take to help restore your full head of hair:
• Get regular exercise – Exercise releases endorphins which act as a natural mood booster and help reduce anxiety levels;
• Eat nutritious foods – A balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals will provide essential nutrients for optimal scalp health;
• Practice relaxation techniques – Take time out each day for yourself with activities like yoga or meditation;
• Try supplements – Certain supplements like biotin have been found to help stimulate healthier hair growth;
• Visit a doctor – Visit a doctor if you suspect that you may have an underlying medical condition such as thyroid disease or alopecia areata that could be causing your excessive shedding or thinning. One option that a hair transplant doctor can help you with us the FUE transplant system.
Follicular unit extraction (FUE) is one of the latest innovations in hair transplants and requires the skill of experienced doctors and clinicians.
FUE removes hair from the scalp utilizing a small needle equipped with suction to remove each follicle. No incisions are necessary, making FUE a good option for anyone experiencing balding or thinning on sensitive areas of the scalp. The procedure leaves tiny holes in the graft area that heal within several days, potentially leaving some marks or scars on the skin. However, the doctor can utilize tools to minimize these holes’ appearance further.
• Consider medications – Medications like minoxidil have been shown to help slow down excessive shedding caused by genetic male pattern baldness;
• Investigate treatments – If necessary explore surgical options like platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy or stem cell treatments available for treating chronic cases of alopecia areata or male pattern baldness.
Final Thoughts
Determining whether or not stress is causing your hair loss can sometimes be difficult since there are many factors involved—genetics, age, hormones, etc.—and it’s hard to pinpoint one single cause for something so complex.
However, if you feel like chronic stress is playing a role in accelerating any existing signs of thinning or shedding then taking steps towards reducing and managing those stresses is important both for restoring healthy locks on top as well as overall wellbeing.
Men experiencing excessive amounts of shedding should visit their doctor right away so they can get proper diagnosis and treatment plan catered specifically to them before any further problems arise.