Can Anxiety Cause Hair Loss

Reducing Anxiety And Stress

Accepting hair loss due to anxiety is a long and difficult battle, often a lifelong one if you have a generalized anxiety disorder. However, by finding ways to take care of yourself and tend to your stress levels, you can reduce and maintain your anxiety.

Developing a self-care routine is a great way to carve out time to take care of yourself and your body each day or week.

It can be as small as spending an extra minute in the morning putting on a daily moisturizer or some fun earrings.

Or it can be as eventful as an entire spa day every week to tend to your skin and hair care. Invite your friends and include brunch or shopping, too. Anything that improves your mood and makes your body feel good.

Mental Health Can Cause Hair Loss

Although there are four main factors in hair loss, there are certain aspects of your life that can have an impact on your hair. There are parts of your lifestyle that can be a factor in hair loss such as your diet, where you live, alcohol intake, stress and even how much you sleep.

As it can be quite hard to determine why your experiencing hair loss were going to take a look at different factors of mental health and see if they have anything to do with hair loss.

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Can Anxiety Cause Hair Loss

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 1 in 5 people experience mental illness each year. These numbers have all sorts of impacts on individuals and society, from higher chances of drug use to increased rates of homelessness. .

Of these disorders, anxiety is one of the most common, often occurring in addition to other disorders. In fact, in the United States, the rate of anxiety is almost equal to the rate of annual mental illness .

As such, it stands to reason that those with anxiety disorders often experience the above negative side effects. However, there are other effects of anxiety that we didnt list and that isnt commonly listed anywhere, period. One of these unusual side effects is an increased potential for hair loss.

Wait. Can anxiety cause hair loss?

The short answer is yes, it can but its not quite so simple.

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Losing Hair From Stress What You Should Know About Hair Loss And Chronic Stress

If youre finding more strands of hair than usual on your pillowcase and in the shower drain, you may be wondering if anxiety is to blame.

Youve probably heard about a possible link between stress and hair loss, but is there any truth to that claim? Whether youre feeling frazzled by work or are overwhelmed by emotional events such as divorce or a death in the family, its natural to feel concerned about how stress can affect your body. Heres what you should know about stress and hair loss.

How Stress And Anxiety Can Lead To Hair Loss

Stress can sometimes be a positive presence, motivating and creating the impetus to reach a target or a goal.

However, too much stress can lead to anxiety and this is a far less desirable emotion, causing not just psychological effects but also physical manifestations too.

One such symptom is hair loss we take a closer look at how stress and anxiety can lead to this.

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Simple Tips To Help Stop And Prevent Anxiety Attacks

The escalation of fear about having another anxiety attack is often the catalyst that brings on more attacks. Heres some recommendations to help calm sufferers and assist them in preventing anxiety attacks that lead to hair loss.

• Relax your body as much as you can.
• Calm yourself down. This will bring an end to the anxiety attack in time.
• Go for a walk. Leisure walking often will cut back the anxiety.
• In and of themselves, anxiety attacks arent harmful. They are merely strong reactions to chronic stress, fear and worry.
• Remember, these attacks always end. The faster you calm yourself, the quicker theyll end.
• Reduce stress, increase rest and give your body time to calm down.
• The more relaxed you are, the less likely of a repeat attack.
• Stop scaring yourself with worry. Worry is the number one cause of anxiety attacks.
• Keep your stress in a normal range to prevent more involuntary attacks.
• Reduce your sensitivity and reactivity to imagined dangers.

The Negative Effect Of Anxiety And Stress On Your Hair

Posted March 23, 2018

Contributed by: Jane Sandwood

Around 1 in every 5 American adults experience a serious mental health issue in any given year, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Of those affected by mental health concerns, about 9.8 million individuals have one or more major life activities hindered by their condition.

Mental health illness is often a very lonely road for those experiencing it and can result in a vicious circle as some of the effects of the condition, such as hair loss, can amplify feelings of desperation and unease. While it is often a lot easier said than done, it is vitally important to seek professional medical or holistic assistance for any mental health concerns so that they can be treated as soon as possible while minimizing the impact they have on an individuals everyday life. When it comes to attempting to prevent and ultimately treat conditions such as hair loss it is important to have a good understanding of the various conditions.

Alopecia areata is a condition that causes the hair to suddenly fall out in large clumps and affects approximately 6.8 million people in the USA. The condition occurs when the bodys immune system attacks the hair follicles with stress and anxiety having a known effect on the various functions of the body, including the immune system. Hair loss may be limited to the scalp but can occur throughout the body and may, unfortunately, be a permanent fixture.

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How To Prevent Hair Loss Due To Stress

There is no way to prevent cancer-related hair loss caused by chemotherapy, radiation, or cancer treatment. Its important to keep perspective. Remember that although hair loss is a side effect of chemotherapy, its vital to your health and recovery to work closely with your oncologist and medical team to choose the safest healing path. Fortunately, cancer-related hair loss is temporary, and there are things you can do to help you transition and adjust to your bodys natural reaction to cancer-related Alopecia.

The most effective way to minimize alopecia due to stress is to take a comprehensive and holistic approach.

Seek guidance from a medical professional. Seek counsel from a therapist or psychological support team. Identify stress triggers and eliminate the ones you can, and incorporate ways to better manage the one you can’t.

Anxiety/stress Conditions That Lead To Hair Loss

• Telogen effluvium This condition is a common cause of temporary hair loss. More hairs than normal prepare to fall out. Anxiety/stress can direct the follicles into a resting phase, and they dont produce new hair strands. Over time, hair falls out more easily, even if youre just washing, combing or brushing as you usually do. Also, this condition can be caused by poor nutrition and changes in hormone levels.
• Trichotillomania This condition becomes real as a person literally pulls out his hair when anxious, stressed or tense. This psychological condition materializes when a person deals with negative emotions by pulling out hair from his scalp, face and other parts of the body. Hair pulling can be a way of dealing with negative or uncomfortable feelings, such as stress, tension, loneliness, boredom or frustration. Its most commonly seen in teenage girls.
• Alopecia areata When your bodys immune system attacks your hair follicles, it can provoke your hair to fall out. It can cause the hair to thin or create bald spots as well. Hair can regrow over time, but possibly fall out again. Genetics may play a role, but there is no exact conclusion. It might be time to think about shaving your head.

Doctors say its highly likely that persons with mild hair loss caused by anxiety are suffering from telogen effluvium. If anxiety and stress are brought under control, then your hair can rebound.

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Yes Stress Can Cause Hair Losshere’s What You Need To Know

Getty Images / Dora Lazarevic / EyeEm

In This Article

Whether you’re dealing with thinning in certain parts, excessive shedding, or a little bit of both, losing your hair can be incredibly emotionally taxing. Adding insult to injury, there’s a lengthy laundry list of things that can cause hair loss. Everything from genetics to styling habits can play a role, and more than one factor is often to blame. That makes figuring out the root cause tricky, and once you understand what’s causing your hair loss, treatment usually requires a multi-prong approach.

But of all the various types of hair loss out there, stress-related hair loss is somewhat unique. Yes, it’s still a pain to deal with, but, unlike other types, it’s temporary. Ahead, experts explain how stress causes hair loss, how to tell if that’s what’s happening with you, and what you can do about it.

Meet the Expert

• Dhaval G. Bhanusali, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist and the founder of Hudson Dermatology & Laser Surgery in New York City.
• William Gaunitz, WTS, is a certified trichologist, hair loss expert, and the founder of Advanced Trichology.

Treatments For Hair Loss

Are there effective preventative measures that can be taken?

Treating hair loss in its early stages can help minimise overall hair loss and increase the treatments efficacy. There are a few ways to control hair loss, but what to do depends on the cause of why you are losing your hair.

Some hair loss conditions such as hair loss experienced after pregnancy are temporary and may resolve on their own. However if your hair loss is persistent you may want to schedule an appointment with your local dermatologist so as to diagnose if your hair loss is caused by conditions such as male pattern baldness, thyroid issues, scalp infections, nutrient deficiencies, stress or simply ageing.

I would recommend four main hair-loss prevention treatments to consider, all of which work to stimulate regrowth on dormant follicles.

1. Finasteride

Finasteride, also sold under the brand name Propecia®, is an FDA-approved prescription medication for hair loss prevention in men. Finasteride can be an effective way to prevent your hair from thinning because it prohibits the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone . DHT is a powerful hormone that is thought to cause hair follicles to miniaturise and eventually stop growing hair. To get this benefit of finasteride, you need to take it properly and consistently as prescribed by your doctor.

2. Minoxidil

4. LLLT or LED Light Therapy

Can hair grow back after it falls out?

Improve blood supply to the scalp

Promote hair strengthening

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Hair Loss Due To Stress Will It Grow Back

The good news is that hair loss induced by stress is mostly temporary, and the hair tends to grow back once the stress levels are under control. The correct treatment options, combined with relaxation techniques and a healthy, balanced diet, are the best way to address stress and get it under control. This will not only impact your overall well-being but will also help grow your hair back!

Choosing The Right Laser Therapy Cap For Your Needs

There are many benefits to choosing the right laser therapy cap for your needs. Unlike other treatments for hair thinning or loss, wearing a PBMT device like a Capillus®laser therapy cap for just six minutes per day has no known adverse side effects. It also does not use any invasive procedures or pharmaceuticals.

Choose from three different devices, including one of our most popular products, the CapillusUltra. As our most economical and convenient model, it provides 410 mW of laser energy to help you to grow healthier hair. If you have been pricing out different options, know that it also provides better scalp coverage than similarly priced comb or helmet gadgets.

When you need the right combination of power and affordability, upgrade to our mid-range device, the CapillusPlus. This laser therapy cap provides 1010 mW of laser energy, which is 2.5x more lasers than the CapillusUltra.

For 3.3x the scalp coverage and 1360 total MW of laser energy, select the CapillusPro. Our premier device provides professional-grade treatment. No matter which device you choose, you will enjoy discreet therapy in the comfort of your home, all under your hat.

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How To Stop Hair Thinning Hair Loss And Balding Caused By Anxiety

When hair thinning, hair loss, and balding are caused by any of the other factors mentioned in point 2, addressing the specific cause will alleviate hair thinning and loss symptoms.

When hair thinning, hair loss, and balding are caused by stress, including anxiety-caused stress, reducing anxious behavior and stress can alleviate hair related symptoms in time.

Containment is one of the most effective ways to reduce and eliminate anxious behavior. We explain containment in detail in chapter 6 in the Recovery Support area of our website.

Visit our 60 Natural Ways To Reduce Stress And Anxiety article for natural and practical ways to reduce stress.

Approximately one third of those who struggle with anxiety issues experience hair loss, thinning, and balding. It is a common anxiety symptom.

Unfortunately, there arent any quick solutions to stress- and anxiety-caused hair loss, thinning, and balding. But you can reverse it when you deal with your stress and anxiety issues.

Play the clip below for Jim Folk’s commentary about the hair loss anxiety symptoms. Jim Folk is the president of anxietycentre.com.

A little more than one third of anxious people experience hair loss due to their anxiety and the stress it causes. Jim Folk experienced hair loss during his 12 year struggle with anxiety disorder.

Therefore, its best to deal with your anxiety issues so that your body can recover and eliminate the hair loss symptom.

Will Hair Loss From Anxiety Grow Back

You have a good chance of getting it all back. While losing hair can be intimidating and scary for us, know that it can be temporary.

There are types of hair loss that are permanent when the issue is not addressed but likely, the anxiety and stress you are working through will only throw your hair cycles off for several months.

Keep in mind hairrelease phase and new growth phase are approximately every three months +, so while we may be anxious to get our hair back, try to avoid unnecessary stress through the process while your body heals and regulates itself again.

You may start to see yournormal hair back after the underlying issue are addressed and you areincluding healthy measures into your daily routine. This process may take anywhere from 6 – 9 months +.

• Protein can be found in most all of your hair products, but not all hair types need protein. In fact,…

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What Are The Myths About Hair Loss

Myths about hair loss are widespread. Nothing in the following list is true:

• Youre losing hair because you shampoo it too much, or because youve colored it or gotten a perm.
• Dandruff causes permanent hair loss in women.
• Stress causes permanent hair loss in women.
• If you shave your head, your hair will grow back twice as thick.
• If you stand on your head youll increase circulation, stimulating hair growth.
• If you brush your hair 100 strokes a day that will make your hair healthier.
• Hats and wigs cause hair loss in women.
• Hair loss only affects intellectual women.

Take A Deep Breath It’ll Be Good For Your Hair

Emma doesn’t have a lot of hair. She’s lived with alopecia on and off for 21 years, since her mom’s passing at age 10. The stress of this event triggered her first bald spot. She shares, “I’ve also battled with ongoing anxiety and depression throughout my adult life, which have been triggers in my own hair loss – as is the case for many.”

Emma now runs a blog called Lady Alopecia, from which she provides resources for other people dealing with this little recognized autoimmune disorder. Because unfortunately, Emma is far from alone in her experience of stress-triggered hair loss: “my hair loss itself is triggered by a range of things but stress and hormone imbalance are often cited as the biggest reason. These things trigger an immune response to whatever internal or external stress you’re under – whether it’s chronic anxiety that you’re internalising, difficulty sleeping or a sudden external stress, like a break-up, job loss or bereavement. Particularly in the wake of COVID, more and more people are discovering hair loss – due to the social anxiety that’s hard to escape.”

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What Are The Types Of Hair Loss

There are three: anagen effluvium, telogen effluvium and FPHL.

• Anagen effluvium: This is caused by medications that poison a growing hair follicle .
• Telogen effluvium: This is caused by an increased number of hair follicles reaching the telogen phase, which is the stage where hair falls out.
• Androgenetic alopecia/female pattern alopecia/female pattern hair loss /baldness: This type is the most common. Hair thins over the top of the head and on the sides.