Why Stress can Cause Hair Loss and what you can do

Stress is an inevitable part of life, but it can affect each of us differently. For some people, stress can cause hair loss. While both men and women can experience hair loss at any point over their lifetime, there is some evidence that it can be attributed to high-stress levels. Several types of hair loss can be linked to high stress levels, including: 

Telogen effluvium (TE)

TE occurs when the number of hair follicles on the scalp suddenly changes. If a change happens during the telogen (resting period) of hair growth, it can affect the health of your hair negatively, which will cause thinning or shedding of the hair. 

The shedding will not occur uniformly over your head and might be limited to certain areas, which could cause patches of hair to fall out. In clinical observations, patches tend to appear in the center. In most cases, patients with TE do not report losing all of their scalp hair. Extreme cases of TE have shown patients reporting thinning hair on their eyebrows and genital area, too. 

TE can occur in both men and women of all ages. Dermatologists report that TE is the second most common type of hair loss. However, TE is fully reversible and doesn’t cause any permanent damage to hair follicles. Once the root cause of your TE is addressed, hair will naturally grow back again in a few short months. 

Alopecia areata (AA)

AA is an autoimmune disease that develops when your body’s immune system attacks the hair follicles. Although AA can occur because of various factors, high-stress levels is one of them. Alopecia areata will cause your hair to fall out in patches or across your scalp. In severe cases, hair loss can occur throughout the entire body. 

During the hair loss period, a cycle of hair loss and regrowth can repeat itself several times. Alopecia areata can affect both men and women of any age. Although there’s no cure for AA, it can be treated with certain prescription medications. 

Is Hair Loss Caused by Stress Permanent?

Patients experiencing hair loss attributed to stress have a much higher chance of reversing the condition. Most people will experience hair regrowth once their high stress levels have been managed. 

Diet and Nutrition

A balanced diet can help with managing hair loss. Healthy meals that give your body the nutrition it needs can help encourage hair growth and may even prevent it from recurring. While all essential vitamins are crucial to the healthy functioning of our bodies, certain vitamins are necessary for healthy hair growth:

• Vitamin B – This vitamin improves our body’s metabolism and gives us healthy skin and hair. Foods that contain Vitamin B include dark leafy greens (kale), beans, nuts, and avocados.
• Vitamin C – It’s one of the building blocks for creating collagen in the body. Collagen is found in the skin’s connective tissues, which are also found in hair follicles. Some foods that contain high amounts of Vitamin C include citrus fruits, broccoli, bell peppers, and strawberries.
• Vitamin E – Vitamin E is packed with antioxidants that help your body maintain a healthy scalp. Foods rich in Vitamin E include sunflower seeds, spinach, olive oil, broccoli and shrimp. 

Besides ensuring that you receive the right vitamins and nutrients, keeping yourself well-hydrated is another essential part of maintaining good scalp health. Every cell in our whole body needs proper hydration to function at its optimum. That’s why keeping yourself well-hydrated throughout the day is essential, especially in Bangkok’s heat. Doctors recommend a daily fluid intake of 15 cups for men and 11 cups for women, and although that fluid can come from any beverage, you should aim to drink at least 8 cups of water per day. 

Visit Bangkok Hair Clinic

If you are experiencing stress-related hair loss, visit Bangkok Hair Clinic for a consultation to find out how you can manage your condition. We have a team of experienced doctors and nurses ready to help you.