Stress and Hair Loss
Cases of alopecia or hair loss have been drawing much attention of today’s populace. In many of these cases, hair loss is blamed on the ever ravaging DHT coupled with the ageing process. Others of which that are momentary in nature, unless otherwise is autoimmune, are attributed to varying medical conditions and destructive lifestyles and habits. Just as these were proven, another damaging agent to impact hair loss is stress. Stress though is far more self-limiting than any other causes of hair loss; and this is occasionally labelled as Telogen Effluvium (stress-induced alopecia).
Stress is defined as “a demand upon physical or mental energy,” according to the Oxford dictionary. Basically stress can either be of individual’s benefit or worse, detriment — it depends! But in far more circumstances, stress as we face it always, always comes negatively, at our expense and even feel that stress makes us face the peril of our existence. Such notions are making us live on a higher demand, making ourselves more incapable of coping with it, depriving us with relief. What we are forgetting is that stress is an everyday occurrence that involves most people at any time in their life.
In correlation with hair loss, basically it is that you do to yourself under extreme stress or the aftermath of stress that impacts much hair loss, not directly the stress or whatever crisis there is. Physiologically, hair grows in three basic repeating cycles — the growth, shedding and resting phases. The growth stage roughly lasts for two years after which the hair normally sheds off, then hair follicles rest about a couple of months or three before starting the cycle again; and this goes on and on in a normal, healthy person. However, when ones’ body are subjected under strenuous activities and extreme stress, as much as 70 percent of hair can over hastily goes to telogen or resting phase, where hair falls out unnoticeable. Such conditions to cause this are medical and iatrogenic of origin; diabetes mellitus and thyroid disorders and varied medications are, respectively. The body’s normal process and equilibrium are severely altered, furthermore induced by some selective medications.
In women, special circumstances as pregnancy, of which accounts 45% in figures, childbirth, miscarriage and even surgery (during the labour process and others) are seen to influence hair loss in lots of ways. The abrupt fluctuations of hormones and the body’s mechanism directed positively or negatively in the attempt to bring back the body’s balance are causing that extreme internal stress. So much for the physical agents, one to be highly devastating is emotional stress. Intrinsically in any stressful circumstances — internally or externally that may or may not be triggered by groundless fears, succumbing to defense mechanism will come our forte. In devastating feelings of powerlessness, a person becomes avoidant, dissociated, and incorporates more of the mechanism of denial. He/she then tends to slack up, eat much of the less healthy options, isolate oneself and all the likes; placing oneself in utmost danger. With the loss of vitamins and body nourishment out of the damaging habit hair follicle is far more pushed to telogen or the resting phase.
It surely does not sound as easy as it is, but one should cope up with the stress before it transforms to a far more ill health than just simple hair thinning. Relief comes only after six weeks or so for alopecia, but is not quite promising. One should religiously learn to de-stress, take a moment of your day to relax. If possible, cut down on caffeine and nicotine (for smokers) intake, instead change it with the healthier options — eat your vegetables, double your usual intake of foods, grab some vitamin supplements and stay away from pollutants.
Stress is defining people on the outs. For people in healthy, joyful and serene lives, a well-nourished, volumized and lustrous hair is readily reflected, and hair thinning and hair loss are seen on individuals that are depressed and in struggle for adaptation.
Inevitably stress presents itself to all of us. The best way is to acknowledge it with positivity and get down and depressed. As a matter of fact, one should get inspiration from stress, we need it to become more efficient, proficient, ambitious and productive; though many are battling on this and even a rare number is enlisted believers. Without stress, life will be a bore. So, true indeed, in becoming a well-rounded person, one should have that ability to deal with stress when it threatens to overwhelm us.
