Is Hair Loss Related to Stress?
The visible part of hair is composed of dead cells filled with a
protein called keratin, and pigments called melanins. The hair however
is alive and has a growth cycle, death and then falls out.
It begins in the follicle, a layer of cells dividing at a rapid pace at
the base of the follicle. The matrix is driven by its contact with the
papilla, part of the dermis, which is sunk into the base of hair. At the
end of the growth phase, the hair first dies while remaining in place,
then finally falling out during its exogenous phase.
This hair loss is permanent and natural, it occurs when the hair cycle
is completed. We lose some fifty hairs per day, every day of our lives;
the length of each cycle naturally decreases with age.
This cycle can also be abnormally shortened; this is the origin of an
excessive fall that thins the hair. If this situation persists for only
a few months, the cycle can then regain its normal rhythm and the hair
grows again. The cause of a shorter cycle may be a physiological stress
such as, for example, pregnancy or a fever, this psychological stress is
also a factor in hair loss.
A more prolonged fall is a sign of persistent shortening the growth
phase of hair. Without treatment, this situation eventually gives way to
a hair becoming more and more thin. Stress in its many forms can be the
big deciding factor as to if hair thins quickly or slowly. Stress causes
an overproduction from your sebaceous gland; this will be noticeable at
first by the onset of an uncontrollable “waxy’ feel to the hair as the
glands over production spills out onto the hairs surface.
A major trauma or change in our lives or ongoing continuous stress can
have a devastating effect on hair numbers, you may still only suffer the
loss of 50 hairs a day but you may then only replace a handful of them.
Depending on the number being replaced you may go bald very slowly or in
a short period of time.
Being “stressed out” for a few days because of a relatively serious or
minor problem will probably have no effect or if it does your body will
recover quickly to fix the problem. But a harsh or prolonged stress
level can have a serious effect on the numbers of hairs on your head.
There is a seemingly simple answer, don’t be stressed, of course in real
life with work and money and a million other stress inducers it may be
almost impossible to stop being stressed. You should keep in mind that
is stress is causing hair loss it is probably hurting your body in other
potentially more serious ways.
If you can work on lowering your stress levels it will certainly help in
saving your hair. You may need to try lots of ides before you find a
stress reducer that works for you, exercise is always good at releasing
chemicals into the body to reduce stress. There are many other methods
such as mediation, and yoga, walking the dog, reading a book, meeting
new friends, the list is endless, and you may find that a combination
such as exercise, working less hours and improving your diet may be the
stress busting combination that you need.
Any lowering of stress levels is going to help improve any potential
hair loss situation even if it has not yet started. |
