Stress and hair loss

[guyfromsydney]

I have a huge interest in pychology, the mind etc etc, all that type of thing.

 

Has anyone on here suffered a very stressful situation, which resulted in dramatic and rapid hair loss?

 

If so, what did you do to over come that?

 

I know that DHT creates hair loss? does stress increase the amount of DHT in the body?

Or is stress related hairloss completely different?

 

 

I was also wondering if, meditation can reduce hair loss? Does anyone know of any studies conducted on this topic?

[guyfromsydney]

I have a huge interest in pychology, the mind etc etc, all that type of thing.

 

Has anyone on here suffered a very stressful situation, which resulted in dramatic and rapid hair loss?

 

If so, what did you do to over come that?

 

I know that DHT creates hair loss? does stress increase the amount of DHT in the body?

Or is stress related hairloss completely different?

 

 

I was also wondering if, meditation can reduce hair loss? Does anyone know of any studies conducted on this topic?

[MrJobi]

Stress can cause a host of complication for the human body

 

Panic attacks

muscle tension

sleeplessness

Hairloss too ( although rare)

and much more

 

I think most people look for any answer when they start losing hair and may blame it on stress ( as I did). There are many stressed out people with a full head of hair so I would say it's apple and oranges. I do not think stress increses DHT either

[Bill - Seemiller]

Normal daily stress does not cause genetic hair loss.

 

However, traumatic stress can cause rapid hair shedding or temporary hair loss conditions such as telogen effluvium or diffuse alopecia.

 

There has been some debate whether or not increased stress and other health factors may expedite genetic hair loss - but know that it will never cause it.

 

Bill

[Female_Hair_loss]

I think sustained stress--either for months or years or because of a large traumatic event can cause hair loss. Prisoners of war or victims of abuse have shown to have hair loss. The lost hair comes back if the stress is alleviated, but if someone also has a genetic predisposition to AGA, then the loss is diffuse and seemingly permament.

 

I do think that stress can actually kill people (increase risk of heart attack, etc.)--so stress causing hair loss, or at least exacerbating the loss, doesn't seem too far fetched.

[PLEASE GROW PLEASE]

I have a co-worker that lost her husband of 20 years in an accident 2 years ago She ate like a bird for 6 months, and cried all the time .Her hair thinned out like a diffuse nw6 .She only had strands.She started taking good care of herself about 5 months ago and Im not kidding you ALL her hair grew back. I told Janna [smg} about her and she said that traumatic stress causes hairloss in women.

[Bill - Seemiller]

Female_Hair_Loss (FHL) and Please Grow Please (PGP) are correct.

 

But let readers not confuse diffuse alopecia type hair loss with androgenetic alopecia.

 

Genetic hair loss is not caused by stress though as FHL said - traumatic or extreme stress can further aggravate and possibly espedite genetic hair loss for those who are geneticly disposed to DHT. But for those who aren't genetically disposed - diffuse alopecia is typically (though not always) temporary and is reversed when the stress dissipates.

 

There are also many other things that can cause diffuse alopecia including hormonal imbalances, thyroid disorders, reactions to medications such as anticoagulants, etc.

 

Bill

[Female_Hair_loss]

but if someone also has a genetic predisposition to AGA, then the loss is diffuse and seemingly permament.

 

But let readers not confuse diffuse alopecia type hair loss with androgenetic alopecia.

Genetic hair loss is not caused by stress though as FHL said - traumatic or extreme stress can further aggravate and possibly espedite genetic hair loss

 

Bill, I think you and I are making the same points .

 

I do think that we are only beginning to study and understand the effects of stress and lifestyle on our bodies holistically, so I think it is worthwhile to evaluate studies on the effects of stress on weight, diabetes, heart, mental disorders, and other illnesses. I think we should take those into account.

 

PGP, I too have seen significant diffuse hair loss in a couple of my female friends, and one of them never regained her hair, while the other grew all of her hair back. It made me wonder if the one whose hair never really came back had a genetic predisposition to HL. I know that she has PCOS, and PCOS increases androgens. What I find frustrating is how mainstream doctors do not even try to connect the dots. As a woman, I feel like I spend most of my time just reading a multitude of books from various angles, and then synthesize the information on my own.

 

So, from what I have in several naturopathic/homeopathic/regular medical texts is that stress DOES raise androgen levels in the body, predominantly because it prepares the body for the fight or flight response.

 

Anyway, while AGA is obviously genetic and NOT OUR FAULT (I am all too familiar with the feeling of guilt and shame b/c of my hair loss), I FINALLY have a found medical doctor who actually suggested weekly meditation and yoga and other biofeedback techniques that even my thyroid doctor two years ago laughed off.

 

(My two cents--more like a dollar)

[Bill - Seemiller]

FHL,

 

Bill, I think you and I are making the same points .

 

Indeed we are . I was just clarifying for our members/readers just in case. You are right on!

 

Bill

[guyfromsydney]

Bill, do you think that transplanted hairs are less susceptible to stress related hairloss?

 

Im talking about serious stress, as in a stress disorder.

[MrJobi]

I think the transplanted hairs are just as subject to extremem stress related events..

Obviously, P.O.W.'s, death of a husband , etc. are serious events which can cause a host of bodily breakdowns. We cannot compare normal hairloss with this

[guyfromsydney]

But some people suggest that stress merely accelerates hairloss, particularly for those already generically susceptible to this condition.

 

So for that reason I would think they may be partly protected?

 

People who lose hair from stress dont they usually only lose it inline with the normal mpb ?

Does anyone know anything about this?

 

Do they usually still have the normal safe area at the back of their heads?

 

 

Bill, what do you think?

 

Sorry for always bothering you Bill, i do appreciate all your time, effort and opinions.

[Bill - Seemiller]

guyfromsydney,

 

Most of your answers can be found in the above posts from Female_hair_loss and myself

 

Stress related hair loss (typically diffuse alopecia) is characterized by loss of hair all over the scalp. Therefore the safe zone is not safe with diffuse alopecia.

 

The good news is - that once the condition is treated that is causing diffuse alopecia, in many cases, the hair comes back on it's own.

 

Bill