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Does an Anxiety Attack Cause Your Hair to Shed?

Anxiety attacks cause many problems. Usually, the attacks are immediate. Symptoms such as sweating, trembling, chest pain, nausea and shortness of breath all occur within a few minutes, according to Anxiety Disorders Association of America. With severe anxiety attacks, you may experience long-term symptoms like hair loss.

  1. Features

    • Severe stress and anxiety may cause a condition called telogen effluvium. Telogen effluvium occurs when a stressor, in this case anxiety, forces hair follicles to shift into a resting phase (telogen), according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Hair sheds during the resting phase.

    Time Frame

    • Hair shedding after an anxiety attack is not immediate. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, it may take from a few weeks to a few months to notice hair shedding after severe emotional stress. The hair shedding process typically slows within six to eight months, according to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology (AOCD).

    Treatment

    • Fortunately, telogen effluvium is not a permanent condition. Hair shedding due to stress usually doesn't require treatment, according to the AOCD.

    Warning

    • Hair shedding may be a sign of other conditions. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, a healthcare professional should be contacted if any pain is associated with hair loss; if a person also experienced weight gain; or if hair loss occurs in a weird pattern.

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