Have there been more hairs on your pillow lately? Are you shocked by your drain after every shower? And do you have to pull hair from your brush every week? There is a good chance that you will experience hair loss at some point in your life. Although there are many causes for a thinner head of hair, stress is perhaps the most well-known. But what exactly does that mean? A dermatologist opens the book on hair loss due to stress, also known as telogen effluvium.
Causes of hair loss
“Normally you lose fifty to a hundred hairs a day,” says Petra Dikrama, dermatologist Erasmus MC in Dikrama Clinics. ‘Sometimes the amount of hair loss increases. This could have several causes. Hair loss is partly part of aging. That’s why a grandmother has less hair than a teenager. In men, this form of hair loss is called androgenetic alopecia. In women we call this female pattern hairloss. Sometimes this can also occur at a younger age. That is genetically determined.’
Telogeen effluvium
“Another form of hair loss is called telogen effluvium,” Dikrama explains. ‘Hair follicles go through different phases. There is a growth phase, which contains most of the hair. Then you have a stable phase and a failure phase. With telogen effluvium there are more hairs in this last phase. This form of hair loss also has several causes.’
Illness, pregnancy & nutrition
‘If you have recently been very ill due to corona, for example, you may experience a lot of hair loss in the following weeks. Another infamous time for hair loss is after pregnancy. Deficiencies in your blood due to an unbalanced diet or a lot of blood loss during menstruation can also be a cause. Furthermore, there are also some medications that affect the phases of the hair follicles. Chemotherapy is a well-known one, but the pill can also cause hair loss.
Can you lose hair due to stress?
‘When you experience stress, your body goes into a kind of fighting position,’ says Dikrama. ‘It focuses much less on recovery, fertility, and thus also the production of hair. That’s all less important. When a tiger comes at you, your body has other priorities. A number of hormones, including cortisol, increase under the influence of stress, which reduces hair growth.’ As a result, stress can also cause telogen effluvium.
Curious about what other dermatological problems can arise due to tension? This is the influence of stress on your skin.
Can hair loss due to stress grow back?
‘If telogen effluvium is caused by stress and there are no other causes or hair diseases, then all hair can grow back,’ says Dikrama. ‘In that case you don’t have to worry.’ In practice, that is easier said than done.
‘Once you focus on hair loss, you don’t see anything else. Everything you pay attention to grows. You will start to see hairs everywhere and may even think that you are going bald. Give yourself time. It’s a matter of letting go and trusting. Don’t count all your hair.’
Need help letting go and relaxing? These are 5 tips to reduce your stress.
How long does hair loss due to stress last?
“That depends,” says Dikrama. ‘Is the cause gone or is it still present? Once the cause has been removed, hairs start to grow again. But hair only grows at about one centimeter per month. If a hair of twenty or thirty centimeters has fallen, full recovery can take years. But it grows back.’
What should you do about hair loss due to stress?
“Your hair is happiest when it remains in its natural state as much as possible,” Dikrama explains. ‘Therefore try to prevent damage caused by heated hairstyling tools and tight hairstyles. It is also important to take sufficient building materials. For example, if you are vegan, B12 is important. Vitamin D is also recommended for many people. If you have heavy periods, it might also be a good idea to add more iron to your diet.’
Has your hair loss lasted longer than six months, does hair loss run in your family or do you suffer a lot from the loss? Please contact your doctor. Sometimes treatments are possible. However, don’t forget that hair loss is also a natural part of the hair growth cycle and important milestones such as childbirth. Therefore, don’t put too much pressure on your hair and appreciate the beauty of your natural locks.
Already follow your Women’s Health Facebook, Instagram in TikTok?
2023-12-27 21:14:06
#Suffering #hair #loss #Find #stress
