Does Stress Affect Your Hair Health? See What Experts Say

Stress can cause various hair problems like hair loss, thinning, and breakage.

Impact Of Stress On Hair Health

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Stress is something we all experience in our daily lives, and it can affect our hair more than we realize. Stress has long been implicated as one of the causal factors involved in hair loss. Dr. Aleena, who is a board-certified surgeon and aesthetic physician, specializing in hair restoration and non-surgical treatments explained that stress can cause various hair problems like hair loss, thinning, and breakage. This happens because stress messes up the normal hair growth cycle, making hair follicles take a break and stop making new hairs. As a result, our hair becomes thinner and falls out more.

Why Stress Affects Our Hair?

Talking about this, Dr. Aleena said, "To understand why stress affects our hair, we need to know that when we are stressed, our body goes through changes. It releases hormones, like cortisol which can mess with our body systems. They can put our hair follicles into a kind of sleep mode, which disrupts the usual process of hair growth. This leads to thinner hair and more hair falling out."

"But stress does not stop there. It can also make our scalp act up. One common issue is dandruff. Stress can make our scalp produce too much oil, leading to more skin cells flaking off, which can create dandruff. The itching and discomfort on the scalp might also cause us to scratch our heads more, which can harm our hair," she added.

In addition, Ayush Manocha who is the Founder at Bellalocks, and Director at Ayush Manocha Unisex Salon said, "Stress causes lifestyle problems, bad eating habits, and decreased appetite, all of which exacerbate the texture of the hair and increase its susceptibility to breakage.  In the absence of any medical issues, more than 100 strands falling in a day could be a sign of stress. Therefore, it is highly advised to control stress by physical activity, meditation, and self-care in order to maintain perfect, beautiful hair and general health."

Tips To Manage Stress:

Incorporating stress management techniques into our daily routines can not only promote hair health but also overall well-being. Understanding the connection between stress and hair problems is the first step in addressing these issues. By making a conscious effort to reduce stress through mindfulness and self-care, we can enjoy the benefits of healthier, fuller hair.

According to Dr. Vidushi Jain, who is a Dermatologist at Dermalinks, Ghaziabad, "Insights into the negative impact of stress on hair growth and the integration of stress-coping strategies into the management of hair loss disorders as well as the development of new pharmacotherapeutic strategies might lead to enhanced therapeutic modalities with the alleviation of clinical symptoms as well as the concomitant psychological implications."

Lastly, Dr Aleena suggested some simple ways to reduce stress. She said, "First, we can try relaxation techniques like deep breathing, meditation, or mindfulness to reduce stress. Getting enough sleep is important too because being tired can make stress worse. Lastly, eating a balanced diet with all the necessary nutrients can help keep our hair healthy and prevent more damage."