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Stress related hair loss.

Stress has been identified as a cause of hair loss in both men and women. Stress related hair loss is often temporary and may not be noticed until the stressful period has passed. This is because of how stress affects the hair growth pattern, which is explained below.

Hair follicles grow in cycles, which are broken down into three phases, the Anagen or growth phase, the Catagen or transitional phase and the Telogen or resting phase.

In a health hair cycle, the majority of hair grows during the Anagen phase. This can last between two and six years, and hair grows approximately 10cm a year. The Catagen phase lasts about one or two weeks and during this phase the hair follicle shrinks to about 1/6 of the normal length and the lower part is destroyed. Finally during the Telogen phase, which lasts around 5-6 weeks, the hair does not grow but stays attached to the follicle. Approximately 10-15 % of all hairs are in this phase at once.

At the end of the Telogen phase the hair follicle re-enters phase one and a new hair begins to form. If the old hair has not already fallen or been brushed out, the new one pushes it out and the process begins again.

When a person is under stress, their body can produce chemicals, which cause the hair follicles to enter the Telogen phase. This means that for the following few months, the hair continues to fall as usual but no new growth takes place. This results in a thinner looking head of hair and eventual hair loss.

Once the stressful period has passed, the hair will usually re-enter the Anagen phase, where new growth occurs. However sometimes the individual will find the hair loss itself extremely stressful, particularly in cases of women’s hair loss. This new stress, can lead to the production of more chemicals that further disrupt the hair cycle.

Whilst stress related hair loss can be caused by extreme periods of trauma, such as the break-up of a primary relationship, or the death of a loved one, it can also be caused by chronic low level stress. Whatever the type of stress you are under, it will help if you learn more about the causes of it and practise techniques to manage it.

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What is stress?
Stress is the term used to describe the physical and emotional strain on the body caused by a person’s response to pressures from the outside world. A certain amount of stress is positive and helps a person feel motivated and stimulated by life. However when a person is under too much pressure, whether that is because of too many demands on their time or because of internal worries, it can lead to a decline in physical health, problems in their relationships and a reduced enjoyment of life.

Stress causes a range of physical, mental and emotional symptoms and these vary from person to person. Some examples include headaches, tense muscles, frequent minor illnesses, stomach upsets and IBS, panic attacks, palpitations, sleeping problems, irritability, tearfulness, withdrawal from socialising, sleep problems and tiredness.

Stress can be caused by external and internal factors. External factors can include things such as money worries, problems at work or difficulties with neighbours. Sometimes these stressors can be eliminated by making life changes. However often a person cannot for example move or change jobs immediately, so relief must be sought through stress management techniques, whilst plans for the future are made.

Internal stressors come from the way a person perceives a situation. These can be harder to change and control as they are often deeply ingrained. Examples of internal stressors include worries over not being good enough, body and appearance issues and feeling frustrated by life. These are best dealt with through personal development techniques and working with a trained counsellor.

There are many things you can do to manage your stress better.

Make time each day to relax and do something you enjoy. This will give you time to unwind and take a break from your problems.
Take regular gentle exercise. This helps to relieve stress and release pent up emotions.
Talk through problems with a friend or a trained counsellor. This can help you find solutions to the things that are worrying you.
Learn meditation or listen to relaxation CDs. These will give your tired mind a rest and may help you feel more positive.

Do you have Hair Loss Problems, read our Hair Loss Help

The Effect of Brushing on Hair.

Has no therapeutic value whatsoever. Hair, although the strongest natural fibre in the world will, like any other material eventually wear out. The more you brush your hair, the greater the damage you will cause to the outer layer (cuticle) and very greatly increase the risk of fracturing or splitting the hair shaft, particularly if the hair is long.

Brushing the hair gently into place after carefully combing out tangles is not likely to cause noticeable damage to the hair, particularly if a good bristle brush is used and may help to give greater volume to the hairstyle. Sharp brushes must never be used. It is better to avoid brushing the scalp because the oil glands are just beneath the surface of the scalp and brushing will only make the hair oily. Grandma’s idea of a hundred brush strokes daily is fine if you want to have lank, oily, broken hair. Regrettably this type of information dates back to Victorian times when people washed their hair only three or four times a year on average. In those days half the population had head lice and about one in five had ringworm. Brushing with wire brushes set in vulcanised rubber helped to allay the chronic itching. Victorian women always wore their hair up as it was not fit to be seen worn any other way.

Do you have Hair Loss Problems, read our Hair Loss Help

Man Wins Hair Loss Court Case

Generally hair loss is seen as an unfortunate part of growing old, something that can be ignored or panicked over, but a natural part of the aging process. However a Korean soldier has won a court case after he claimed that his hair loss was caused by extreme stress related to his duties.

The military worker first found circular balding in February 2007 and went to a military hospital for treatment However he then discovered that hair was falling out in other parts of his body, such as his eyebrows, armpits and body.

Despite being discharged from the army in November, he said that his hairloss did not improve and then sought legal advice, eventually suing the government.

The court heard that the 27-year-old man was put in charge of the postal exchanges of a land force squadron in September 2006. He described how he was overseeing three postal exchanges and working night and day.

The court found that he was in ‘good condition’ before he was given this responsibility and ruled that it was apparent that an excessive workload caused the hair loss.The Ministry of Patriot and Veteran Affairs were ordered to acknowledge him as a ‘man of national merit’ and pay him a monthly amount to compensate for the hair loss.

Do you have Hair Loss Problems, read our Hair Loss Help

Hair Loss Alopecia in Cats

Hair loss, aka ‘Alopecia’ is a common problem for cats. Hair loss in cats can stem from many causes, causing it to be sometimes difficult to diagnose and treat. It may be surprising to learn some of the causes related to hair loss in cats. For example, in older cats diagnosed with cancer, alopecia is common. Nervous disorders (e.g., over-grooming) can also cause cats to lose their hair. Hormonal imbalances, specifically too much thyroid or increased levels of steroids in the body, may lead to hair loss. Some cats experience skin allergies, which can also cause hair loss to occur.

Do you have Hair Loss Problems, read our Hair Loss Help

Diffuse Hair Loss.

Diffuse hair loss is the gradual thinning of hair from all parts of the scalp. The thinning is usually fairly even and without definite bald patches. In nearly every case it is shown to be a disturbance of the normal growth cycle of the hair with a large number of hairs entering the telogen phase (cessation of growth) at the same time. The replacement of old hairs by new ones (anagen) may be delayed so that the hair becomes sparse all over the scalp sometimes to the degree in which the scalp can be seen through the hair.

Unlike male balding the hair around the ears and at the nape of the neck are equally affected. The problem is more common among women than men and usually follows the event which caused the disturbance in the growth cycle often occurring about three months after the causative event.

In most cases the hair may be expected to re-grow unless the hair fall is being affected by a continuing cause.

Whilst there are many causes, and these must be carefully examined and eliminated, the most common factors are:

Following pregnancy
Hormone imbalance
Drugs and radiation
Nutritional disorders
Physical stresses

A number of other factors may be held responsible…

Emotional stress
Accident or surgery
Fevers
Sepsis and septic foci
Iron deficiency anaemia
Depression
Traumatic hair loss

Emotional Stress
Whether acute or chronic can cause diffuse hair fall. Treatment lies in treating or coming to terms with the causes of the stress whilst at the same time using local measures to stimulate the growth of new anagen hairs by massage and regular treatment.

Accident or Surgery
Any form of traumatic injury to the body will also cause a temporary interruption of the normal growth cycle, giving variable degrees of hair loss not necessarily related to the degree of injury. Surgery and the accompanying anaesthetics, possible loss of blood and the medications including antibiotics which may be needed to assist and promote healing may cause similar effects. Following complete healing of wounds, treatment is advised.

Fevers
Although far less common than they used to be any form of fever, and this may include the more severe forms of influenza or pneumonia which are capable of causing a degree of hair loss. A rise in body temperature above 39° C will cause telogen hair loss within two and a half months of the onset of fever. The hair loss is only partial and is related to the maximum temperature and the length of time the temperature stays above 39° C. Re-growth of hair follows recovery from the illness and can usually be seen within two months from the onset of hair fall. As all of the hair does not always recover by itself, Treatment needs to be given following the illness.

Sepsis and Septic Foci
Occasionally chronic localised inflammation or infection may also cause diffuse hair loss. Bladder or urinary infections, impacted or infected wisdom teeth, gum inflammation or tooth abscess may be to blame as can chronic eye disorders such as blepharitis or conjunctivitis. Abscess occurring in any other part of the body will have the same effect.

Treatment involves finding the cause and having the appropriate treatment required. Once the focus of inflammation or infection has been found and treated, the hair will gradually try to improve within a few months. Local treatment is recommended to help speed up the instigation of new growth.

Iron Deficiency Anaemia
Occurs mostly in women. If diagnosed by a Doctor after a simple serum or blood test, iron supplementation will normally improve the hair growth within a few months.

In anaemia the hair also becomes dry and brittle and breaks off more easily, the fingernails may flake off in layers and usually there is a general feeling of tiredness and weakness often accompanied by low blood pressure.

Treatment of the anaemia solves all of these problems especially from the point of view of the poor hair growth and weakness of the fingernails.

Depression and Depressive Illness
For those unfortunate individuals who suffer from chronic depression, hair fall is a common occurrence. Some Psychiatrists look for this as evidence of a depressive state. Whilst depression can to some degree be controlled but rarely cured.

Traumatic Hair Loss
Although not a true form of diffuse hair loss, this problem may be the result of over enthusiastic hairdressing particularly colouring, straightening or perming. This may easily be confused with diffuse hair loss and has been mentioned for this reason.

Another form of apparent diffuse hair loss is that which is self inflicted and this is covered under Hair Oulling or Trichotillomania.

Diffuse hair loss without obvious scalp disease requires painstaking examination and questioning. A general medical examination by a Doctor to eliminate many of the possible causes may be advisable. Trichological Treatment is normally essential.

Do you have Hair Loss Problems, read our Hair Loss Help