Hair Loss Prevention Reducing Stress Prevents Hair Loss
Reducing Stress Prevents Hair Loss
Written by Naomi Mannino Monday, 01 February 2010 00:00
You Can Prevent Hair Loss by Reducing the Stress in Your Life
Feeling stressed out may show up as hair loss (which may cause more stress), but only a qualified professional can help you find the perfect hair loss solution for you.
Stress can affect your hair the same way it affects other major organs, such as the heart. According to Dr. Howard Levy, assistant professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins, one of the most normal, reversible causes of thinning hair and hair loss for both men and women is common, everyday stress. Physical and mental traumas can cause hair loss and thinning -- many times three to six months after a traumatic event has occurred. And noticing that your hair is thinning or falling out can even add to the stress.
If you’re aware of some hair thinning and fall-out, it could be something common and treatable; there are many reasons for these conditions, which can be diagnosed and resolved by your doctor or the problem may simply resolve on its own over time. Try to identify if you have had a traumatic event during the past year, or if your life is just too busy, seek treatment and solutions from a hair loss professional and make some changes. The sooner you seek help, the sooner you can minimize or reverse the hair loss entirely,” says Dave Barker, owner and hair replacement specialist of IHRS, International Hair Restoration Systems, in Jacksonville, Fla.
Terri Johnston, owner and hair replacement specialist of The Inspiration Salon in Rockford, Ill., says, “I’ve definitely seen this in my day-to-day clients. One women had her hair fall out all around the front of her hairline because of mental and financial stress, in addition to having a new baby (another reversible reason for hair loss, in this case a hormonal one), but after her life settled down, it grew back again.”
Why am I suffering from hair loss?
Barker explains that some people are genetically predisposed to hair loss and thinning at a certain time in their life, and stress can accelerate the rate at which they lose their hair. Stress can be the initial cause, or it can cause the condition to occur earlier in the life of someone predisposed to pattern balding or thinning. “We tell the difference by looking for specific patterns, something only a trained professional can do,” he says, “so be sure to always consult with your doctor and then further with a hair loss specialist. Since hair loss or thinning is not a life-or-death situation, patients may feel like doctors are not sympathetic. If you notice that’s the case with your doctor, you should always take it a step further and find a qualified, experienced hair loss professional,” Barker adds,” because there is much that can be done about your hair thinning or loss.”
What will hair loss caused by stress look like?
Hair loss caused by stress will usually show up as a general thinning, but many times it can be more localized, explains Barker. “In fact, many times alopecia areata is attributed to stress as an initial trigger -- we still don’t know for sure why it happens -- but even when it recurs in a new area, it can be attributed to stress or a traumatic event in your life.”
What should I do to stop or prevent hair loss?
One thing you should definitely not do, agree both hair loss experts, is to diagnose and treat this problem yourself. Johnston says, “One client came to me after she had extensions put into her thinning hair and it started falling out more! She actually made her situation so much worse because the extra weight of the extensions and the way they were applied caused more stress to her already stressed hair follicles and weakened hair.” Barker adds that as soon as you are concerned about your hair loss, you should see a professional who can explain your options to you. And there are so many of them: prescription medications, laser hair therapy, wigs, hair restoration processes and transplants, non-surgical hair systems and skin grafting, correcting product regimens and more. Both experts advise being certain that a hair loss specialist or company offers multiple solutions, so they can recommend one that would be best for your particular hair type, budget and hair loss situation -- because a proper diagnosis and a proper solution are the keys to a greater chance of success.
More about contributing writer Naomi Mannino »
Keywords: Hair Loss Prevention
