About Hair Loss Be Caused by Stress

Hair loss is a frustrating and embarrassing condition. While it is most commonly hereditary and can occur naturally as a person ages, it can also be caused by physical or mental stress. Stress-related hair loss comes in two types, and both will generally resolve themselves when you remove the cause. In the meantime, however, you will have to deal with bald patches or even significant hair loss, depending on the seriousness of your condition.

Types

• According to the Mayo Clinic, the most commonly encountered stress-related hair loss is called telogen effluvium, which is caused by physical stress or intense emotional stress. Mental stress can also cause another type of hair loss, known as alopecia areata.

Physiology

• With telogen effluvium, bunches of growing hair go into a rest phase and fall out a few months later. With alopecia areata, a person's hair follicles are attacked by their own white blood cells, stopping growth and causing them to fall out within a few weeks.

Effects

• Initially, stress-related hair loss is usually limited to small, circular patches on a person's head. However, in extreme cases, the Mayo Clinic warns that it can spread over the entire scalp. It can even affect body hair.

Treatment

• Stress-related hair loss usually resolves itself on its own, as the hair will grow back when the stressful situation ends. If it doesn't, you must treat it with stress management techniques or by visiting a doctor or counselor.

Prevention

• Stress-related hair loss can be prevented by managing stress so it doesn't reach an extreme. This can be done through using stress management techniques like relaxation, meditation, writing in a journal, or talking to a counselor.