There are many people who experience stress at some point in their life. It’s not problematic if it’s only short-lived; some people even find it motivating.
However, it can also be debilitating if it’s chronic. It has both physical and psychological manifestations.
Stress hair loss is one of its physical manifestations, and there are several ways it can occur.
What Is Stress?
According to Yale Medicine, chronic stress is “feeling pressurized and overwhelmed” for a long time (several weeks). A 2018 YouGov poll found the following causes of stress among Brits:
- Health (their own or that of a loved one)
- Debt
- Comparing themselves to others
- Pressure to succeed
- Housing concerns
- Body image
- Replying to messages immediately
Stress has physical, psychological, and behavioural effects on the individual suffering from it.
Experienced for a very long time, it can cause exhaustion, resulting in burnout. It can also cause depression and anxiety. The following may be the symptoms of chronic stress:
- Aches and pains
- Heart palpitations
- Headache
- Difficulty sleeping
- Upset stomach
- Difficulty concentrating
- Teeth grinding/jaw clenching
- Low libido
- Irritability
- Changes in appetite (eating more or less)
- More drinking alcohol and smoking
- Feeling lonely and sad
Stress results in the activation of the sympathetic nervous system in the body, which is responsible for the “fight or flight” response. It causes internal changes through the release of hormones from the adrenal glands.
Can Stress Cause Hair Loss?
Although the link between stress and hair loss had long been speculated, it was only confirmed by researchers at Harvard University in their study “Corticosterone inhibits GAS6 to govern hair follicle stem-cell quiescence,” published in the journal Nature in 2021.
In it, the researchers began by removing adrenal glands from the bodies of mice. These glands are responsible for the production of stress hormones: corticosterone in mice and cortisol in humans. Their removal resulted in an accelerated hair growth rate, even as the mice aged.
Normally with ageing, the duration of the resting phase increases and the growing (anagen) phase decreases. However, the opposite of it happened after the glands were removed.
That led to the conclusion that the mere presence of stress hormones, even at normal levels, affects hair growth. However, when hormonal imbalance occurs because of stress, the follicles find it difficult to enter the anagen phase.
What happens is that stress hormones prevent the release of a molecule – GAS6 – from the dermal papilla.
This molecule is responsible for activating hair follicle stem cells, allowing growth to take place. Because it’s not released when a person is stressed, hair loss occurs.
Can Stress Cause Grey Hair?
Researchers at Harvard also confirmed that stress could cause grey hair in a study published in Nature in 2020. They found that the neurotransmitter noradrenaline, also known as norepinephrine, was mainly responsible for this.
The nerves from the sympathetic nervous system extend to hair follicles. Stress results in the activation and depletion of melanocyte stem cells (producing melanin, the pigment that gives colour to hair).
This is what results in premature greying, and according to the researchers, this kind of damage is permanent. That means you cannot reverse greying hair.
Which Types of Hair Loss Does Stress Cause?
Hair loss through stress can occur in one or more of the following ways:
Telogen Effluvium
Normally most of our hair is in the anagen phase of growth, while only 6-8% of them are in the resting phase.
However, in the event of chronic stress, most of the hair shifts from the anagen to the resting phase, which lasts for 3 months.
For this reason, telogen effluvium occurs months after the stressful event that triggered it. After these 3 months have passed, most people notice sudden, diffuse, and excessive hair loss.
The American Academy of Dermatology considers the loss of 50-100 hair normal. In telogen effluvium, however, you can end up losing as many as 300 hair strands in one day. This kind of hair loss can occur due to the following emotional stressors:
- Death of a loved one
- Family problems
- Divorce
- Workplace issues (heavy workload, job insecurity, long hours, etc.)
More recently, many people experienced telogen effluvium because of COVID-19.
Having the virus, fear of contracting one, or the effect it could have/had on their job caused quite a lot of anxiety, resulting in COVID hair loss.
Trichotillomania
Hair loss when stressed can also occur due to a hair-plucking disorder known as trichotillomania.
The person may have an irresistible urge to puck the hair from different parts of their body, including the scalp, face and body.
While pulling their hair out, the person may not even realise that they’re at it.
For them, it’s a way of dealing with stress itself. Other factors can trigger trichotillomania as well.
Alopecia Areata
Although it isn’t exactly understood what causes alopecia areata, it is widely believed to be an autoimmune disorder.
The immune cells start attacking the healthy hair follicles, and it is thought that extreme stress can trigger this.
According to Alopecia UK, stress hormones can activate some dormant immune cells that target the hair follicles.
Stress can set them up as a target for the immune cells.
In addition, the inflammation from alopecia areata can result in an increase in the production of stress hormones, which can further exacerbate hair loss.
People with alopecia areata report experiencing a very stressful event just before developing the condition, while others report experiencing chronic stress.
Hormonal Imbalance
Stress causes the adrenal glands in the body to release the hormones adrenalin and cortisol. They help prepare the body for fight or flight.
Adrenalin increases your heart rate and blood pressure, expands air passages, and makes you less sensitive to pain, among other things. Cortisol, on the other hand, increases blood sugar.
When you’re exposed to these and other stress hormones for a long time, it can lead to many health problems, such as high blood pressure, anxiety, depression, etc.
A review published in the Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism concluded that stress response can lead to endocrine disorders such as Graves’ disease, gonadal dysfunction, psychosexual dwarfism, and obesity.
Therefore, stress can cause hormonal imbalance, and that can, in turn, also cause hair loss.
Symptoms Of Hair Loss Due To Stress
Symptoms of hair loss due to stress can vary depending on the type of hair loss you’re experiencing.
If you’re experiencing telogen effluvium, you’ll have increased diffuse shedding around 3 months after the stressful event.
Trichotillomania can leave irregular-shaped bald patches. And alopecia areata can form circular bald patches on the scalp, face, and body.
Overall, you’ll notice more hair fall, and the density of your hair will decrease.
Hair loss can also be accompanied by other symptoms.
For instance, in the case of hormonal imbalance, you can experience weight changes, higher cholesterol, and changes in heart rate, among other things.
What Does Hair Loss From Stress Look Like?
The appearance of stress-related hair loss depends on the type of hair loss. It can be diffuse or patchy.
Here’s how hair loss due to trichotillomania (left) and alopecia areata (right) looks like:
And here’s how hair loss due to stress-related telogen effluvium can look like:
Is Hair Loss Due to Stress Permanent?
Fortunately, loss of hair due to stress is not permanent. In the case of telogen effluvium, your hair should start to grow back after 3-6 months. During this time, you have to remain patient as the hair will follow the natural growth cycle.
Trichotillomania should also not cause permanent hair loss. However, if it’s done for a very long time, you can expect irreversible damage to occur. Alopecia areata also usually results in temporary loss of hair.
How to Regain Hair Loss From Stress?
There are different ways to cope with hair loss due to stress and anxiety. These are as follows:
Have A Balanced Diet
It’s important that you have a wholesome diet. That means you need to consume whole grains, lean proteins, fruits and vegetables.
According to one study published in Psychosomatic Medicine, dieting can increase the level of stress hormones in the body. Additionally, the act of monitoring calories also made the participants feel stressed.
You can end up experiencing telogen effluvium if you’re not dieting in a healthy way. Crash diets are especially more dangerous and can cause stress hair loss.
Exercise
There are different ways in which exercise can help you in managing stress.
Not only can it increase your resilience to it but also improve your mood, release “feel–good” hormones and keep you healthy.
Therefore, it’s a good idea to exercise in order to counter stress hair loss.
Get A Good Night’s Rest
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), those sleeping fewer than 8 hours per night are more likely to experience stress.
It should also be noted that sleeplessness can be a result of stress. Therefore, the person can get stuck in a vicious cycle.
Different strategies are recommended for dealing with sleep difficulties.
It’s best not to use phones and tablets when lying down to sleep because the blue light can affect the internal clock.
You can also consider taking a warm, relaxing bath. In addition, you should avoid caffeinated beverages; you should drink herbal tea instead.
Scalp Massages
A study published in the Journal of Physical Therapy and Science found that 15-20 minutes of scalp massage improved female office workers’ blood pressure, heart rate, and stress levels.
Scalp massages are very relaxing and can help with hair loss and stress.
Medication & Therapy
To stimulate hair growth, your doctor may recommend the use of minoxidil. You will have to apply it 2-3 times a day.
It has some side effects, though. In the case of alopecia areata, the treatment may include this along with the use of corticosteroid (cream to the bald spots or injection).
Other than that, you can also consider getting PRP injections to stimulate growth. They can help promote healing through growth factors. In addition, they can increase density by improving blood supply to the scalp.
Vitamins For Hair Loss Due To Stress
One review published in Advances in Nutrition concluded that stress can deplete vitamins and minerals in the body. Therefore, stress-related nutritional deficiency may also cause hair loss.
In that case, taking vitamins can help. However, you should only take any supplements after consulting a medical professional (and getting a diagnosis of vitamin deficiency).
High doses of vitamins can be toxic, so you need to be very careful about their intake.
How To Stop Hair Loss From Stress?
To stop stress-induced hair loss, you need to find ways to manage your stress levels. For that, you can consider doing:
- Deep breathing
- Meditation
- Yoga
- Tai Chi
- Music
- Art Therapy
- Reading
You are also recommended to talk to a professional. In the case of trichotillomania, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is considered quite effective.
Other than that, if you feel like you’re losing control over a situation, you can try breaking down bigger tasks into smaller ones and planning ahead.
Stress Hair Loss Female
The likelihood of a woman losing her hair increases if she is experiencing something stressful. And it can also start a vicious cycle where hair loss stress causes more stress.
A woman’s hair has long been considered a sign of femininity, youth, and beauty. Losing it can feel like losing a part of yourself, which can change how you see yourself. Stress hair loss in women can also have an impact on self-esteem.
Research also shows that women tend to be more stressed than men. So, stress and female hair loss are more likely to occur.
Stress Hair Loss Male
Many men don’t like to talk about stress. Their stress response is also different from women because they don’t release as much oxytocin.
Still, hair loss can be a significantly stressful experience for them as well. It can also push them into a vicious cycle of stress hair loss.
They can also develop a negative body image as a result and feel less confident, even depressed.
Best Treatment For Hair Loss Due To Stress?
Managing stress is very important in treating stress-induced hair loss.
Many people turn to vitamin supplements when they’re experiencing hair loss. But they’re unlikely to help you if you don’t have a nutritional deficiency.
You should consult your doctor for any medications that you need. And healthy lifestyle changes can also help.
In addition, you should make sure to be gentle with your hair, and wear hairstyles that don’t tug on the roots.
Concluding Remarks
Almost everyone experiences stress. It can cause physical, mental and behavioural changes in the person if it’s chronic. One consequence of it is stress hair loss, which can occur due to different reasons.
Stress can impact the immune system resulting in alopecia areata, or it can make the hair enter the resting phase prematurely, resulting in telogen effluvium. Stress can also lead to behaviours such as plucking one’s hair out.
Fortunately, alopecia stress hair loss is rarely permanent. Depending on the kind of stress hair loss you’re experiencing, you may need a different intervention.
Reviewed and Approved by Trichologist Yaprak Yazan
FAQ
Is my hair loss hormonal or stress?
Hair loss can be both hormonal and stress-related (although not always). Only a board-certified medical professional can give you a confirmed diagnosis. Usually, a blood test is done to check for hormone imbalance.
How much does stress affect hair loss?
Stress can cause significant hair loss through telogen effluvium, alopecia areata, trichotillomania and/or hormonal imbalance. It can also affect your overall health.
