Stress-Related Hair Loss: How It Occurs and How It’s Treated

One of the major reasons for your hair loss could be because of stress. Yes, stress is a major contributor of hair loss for most people. Actually, stress and hair loss are closely related. If the current statistics are anything to go by, there is reason to get worried and start to work on your stress levels. This is because it has been proven that intensive and excessive emotional and/or physical stress can lead to baldness, if no measures are taken of course.

When going through a stressful situation in life, you will start to notice hair thinning which, if not taken good care of early enough, can lead to eventual hair loss. So what causes hair thinning in the first place?

When you are under pressure, the cells, tissues, and systems of the body will start to undergo changes in an effort to cope with the pressure or in mere reaction to it. As an aftermath of emotional, physical or psychological stress, the hair follicles are prematurely pushed into their resting stages — that is, they become dormant and cease to grow hair.

Telogen effluvium is the scientific name of stress-induced hair loss. In this category, hair will not grow and the process of natural hair growth will remain dormant for a period of between 3 and 6 months. Long after the stressful event is over, natural hair growth may resume its course in a period between 6 and 9 months. Should the stress persist, it can lead to hair thinning and eventually permanent hair loss.

Although hair is never lost permanently — at least for the first few months of loss — with continued neglect of the underlying cause of the stress and without external support such as taking hair growth vitamins and using natural hair products, it will only be a matter of time before the situation becomes permanent. Of course, the continuous fallout of hair is a clear indication that your health is waning, and that your body cannot be able to withstand pressure.

Stress can be brought about by a number of issues such as emotional pressure at work or at home because of strained relationships, diseases, etc. Regardless of the cause of your stress, it is important to keep in mind that the problem will persist until the day you will treat or get rid of the root cause of the problem. Meditation, exercises, a good and balanced diet, changing your working environment, and yoga can help. Understanding the root cause of your stress will therefore be the first step to healing as you will be able to find a permanent treatment for your hair loss problem.