What could possibly be more stressful than hair loss? Finding out that your hair loss may be actually caused by stress.
While there are a myriad of causes of hair loss among men and women - from genes to illnesses, chemical pollutants to hormone imbalances and nutritional deficiencies - recent studies have increasingly shown that stress may be an even more common factor than thought of before.
It's pretty common knowledge that worry and anxiety are among the reasons for premature graying hair or, as literary imagery puts it, "hair turning white overnight". Lesser known is that lifestyle stresses - often, emotional and psychological stress as much as physical stress - are also behind the awful sight of hair strands washing out in clumps under the shower or being drawn from the roots and tangling all over combs and hair brushes.
Stress induced hair loss is more common among women than men. The condition is known Telogen Effluvium and occurs when the hair follicles temporarily cease to grow or go into what is considered a "resting phase". When a hair follicle stops growing, usually for a period of about three months, the strand will loosen from the scalp and fall off. The reason more women than men are prone to telogen effluvium or stress-induced hair loss is simply because more women than men are subject to physical as well as emotional stresses in a normal lifetime - including but not limited to pregnancy and childbirth.
The good news is that this type of hair loss is temporary. Often though, it may not be immediately traceable to stress since the hair loss happens quite sometime after the stressful event or situation - sometimes even weeks or months after the issue has been resolved. The important thing to remember - and this should at least bring some relief - is that telogen effluvium very seldom, if at all, results in extreme hair loss. The condition usually remedies itself without major intervention and normal hair growth begins once the problem is resolved.
The bad news though - and understandably - is that, unless properly understood, the hair loss itself may lead to even more stress and begin a cycle of distress and an even more aggravating situation of hair fall.
Obviously, the worst thing to do in such a situation is to be even more stressed out over the condition. Conversely, the most logical approach is to understand the source of the problem and work from there. Knowing that the hair loss is a temporary condition, as earlier mentioned, is already one big cause for relief and an immediate stress-buster.
As you wait out "the return of the fallen" - give your body and spirit a boost. Eat healthy and happy foods, rich in minerals and nutrients that are known to be good for the hair, such as vitamin-B, iron and antioxidants.
Author Resource:
Richard likes to write about various interesting topics and has been doing so for years. His latest website is http://zebrablanket.org which provides information on what to look for in a zebra blanket .
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