You’ve been stressed out of your mind for a while. And now your hair is falling out too! Isn’t that just adding insult to injury. Unfortunately, extreme stress and hair loss, also known as alopecia, often go hand in hand. As if the stress weren’t enough as it is. The thought of going bald is just too much to bear – and certainly won’t help relieve the stress.

The bad news is that the more paralyzing or long-standing the stress, the worse the hair loss will be. Like many people in this situation, you’re probably wondering what stress has to do with hair loss. Your next question will likely be, can the hair loss be stopped and reversed.

It’s important to understand the normal hair growth and loss cycle. Pulling out a handful of hair can be alarming, and although it could justify concern, it might simply be natural hair loss.

Each individual hair’s average lifespan is approximately 4.5 years. When it reaches full maturity, it will fall out and be replaced with new hair within about six months. If the hair loss is intermittent, occurring perhaps a few times a year, it probably is nothing to worry about. If it’s constant, and your hair has been getting noticeably thinner, it might be time to consider your stress levels.

The connection between stress and hair loss/alopecia

Think about what happens when you are under stress. Your body tenses and your body chemicals go out of balance, triggering a series of symptoms that can range from rapid heart rate to high blood pressure and sweating.

Consider, too, that when you are stressed, your skin tightens, your pores close, and blood flow to the skin is reduced in favor of more critical areas, such as muscles and the heart. This is a natural reaction your body takes to protect itself during life or death situations. This reaction can also cause your hair to go into a resting state. Since your hair is constantly falling out naturally as it reaches its maturity, over time you will notice thinning areas if you have this condition.

In most cases, the hair will grow back in about six to nine months. If the stress continues, however, the growing stage will remain hindered which can lead to more permanent hair loss.

Intense stress can cause alopecia areata, a different form of hair loss. This condition involves the body’s white blood cells attacking the hair follicles and preventing hair growth. Alopecia areata often causes bald patches that can take over the whole scalp and, occasionally, the entire body. Hair regrowth is not guaranteed, so medical intervention likely will be necessary.

The obvious solution to stress-related hair loss is to seek relief from stress. It might involve taking medication or simply finding solutions to whatever is causing the stress. Once the stress is removed, hair can re-grow normally.

And if you need some help with calming down, get Elisabeth Kuhn’s FREE stress tips report.  And check out her related article with inspirational stress relief quotes too.

For more information on how to hang on to your hair, check out Elisabeth’s holistic Hair, Health, and Beauty News as well.

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Tags: hair loss, stress, stress and hair loss, stress management, stress relief, stress tips, thinning hair