If you have a stressful job, it may keep you up at night or cause you to spend too much time away from your family and friends. Some people might feel as though there are days they want to pull their hair out, but do not do that! Job stress, and for that matter – all stress, can cause hair loss! You need to hang on to whatever hair you have and take steps to improve your hair growth.
Chronic stress causes many problems for the body, including weakened immunity, digestive difficulties, anxiety, insomnia, weight gain, fatigue, depression, and hormonal imbalance. Stress has also been shown to increase the risk of death. The effects stress can have on hair can last for quite some time.
Hair growth is a three-stage process:
- Stage 1: Anagen (growth)
Anagen is the time of hair growth when the new follicle forms and the cells rapidly divide to form the hair fiber. The growing hair shaft pushes the hair up and out of the follicle and through the scalp. The anagen phase of a single hair is approximately 4 years, with most of your hair in anagen at a time.
- Stage 2: Catagen (growth stops)
Eventually, every hair enters the catagen phase, where it is at rest. Growth stops, and the follicle regresses by about one-sixth of its diameter. Catagen lasts for a few weeks while a club hair is formed. Stress during this phase of hair growth can cause many club hairs to fall out.
- Stage 3: Telogen (resting/shedding)
No additional growth occurs once the hair is in this phase, affecting about 10% to 15% of hair at a time. Telogen lasts for about 100 days, with 50 to 100 hairs shed per day. It takes about 3 months before the follicle begins the anagen phase again.
Common Symptoms of Stress-Related Hair Loss
Physical and emotional stress can take a toll on hair growth. When the body is under stress, it diverts its focus to areas that need the most attention and away from less important functions, such as hair growth. Chronic stress with continued shedding can significantly thin the hair before regrowth is noticed because it takes at least three months for the follicle to begin the anagen phase after the loss of the club hair.
While we usually lose up to 100 hairs daily, increased hair loss can be stressful, further exacerbating the situation. Below are some of the most common signs you will notice if you have stress-related hair loss:
- Extra hairs on your pillowcase and bedding – you may also notice more hair on your clothing or when you run your fingers through your hair.
- More stray hair in your shower drain catch – checking your shower drain is an excellent way to keep track of your hair loss.
- More stray hair on your brush hair – if you have hair loss concerns, clean your comb and brush after each use to check for how much hair they hold.
- Less density and a thin look to your hair – the mirror or photographs can help you see if there is thinning or bald spots.
- Dry hairs – dryer hair may also fall out more quickly.
Telogen Effluvium and Trichotillomania: Differences of Hair Loss Conditions
Stress can cause many different problems for the body, and hair loss is not just one condition. There are a few different types of stress-related hair loss conditions that could occur, and we break them down below to help you decipher your concern.
- Telogen Effluvium:
Severe stress or bodily changes triggers hair thinning around the top of the head. Telogen effluvium is a temporary condition influenced by stressors that affect hair in the telogen phase. When a significant stress event occurs, up to 70% of anagen-stage hair prematurely enters telogen, resulting in rapid hair loss.
Hair loss does not occur immediately, as the shedding often takes about two to three months before appearing. Most people experience a natural recovery from acute telogen effluvium except in cases of chronic telogen effluvium, which can last longer than six months. Hair may fall out in handfuls in the early stages.
Telogen effluvium is more common in women (it can still occur in men) and may cause shedding up to 300 hairs daily. Factors that may trigger telogen effluvium include:
- Psychological stress (including work, family, and emotional issues)
- Childbirth
- High fever
- Major surgery
- Severe infections
- Discontinuation of birth control pills, which can lead to hormonal changes
- Hormonal imbalance
- Fad diets (lack of protein and proper nutrition)
- Hyper- or hypothyroidism
- Some medications
- Following a hair transplant (more common in men)
- Trichotillomania:
Unlike telogen effluvium, which throws the hair into a cycle of early shedding, trichotillomania occurs when you have an irresistible urge to pull your hair out. Hair pulling can be from the scalp, eyebrows, or any other areas, and it is a way some people deal with uncomfortable or negative feelings. Boredom, stress, loneliness, frustration, tension, and anxiety can cause trichotillomania.
- Alopecia areata:
In alopecia areata, the immune system attacks the body, such as the hair follicles. Severe stress can lead the immune system to attack, causing hair loss. Sudden job loss, death, divorce, or a traumatic situation can trigger this condition, resulting in rapid bald patches occurring anywhere on the scalp.
- Androgenic alopecia:
Typically called male pattern baldness, androgenic alopecia can also affect women, even though men are most likely to experience the early stages of this condition, often beginning in their 30s. Unlike telogen effluvium, the hair does not regrow in androgenic alopecia. Instead, hair follicles gradually shrink, causing hair to grow thinner and shorter, eventually ceasing their growth.
Signs of androgenic alopecia include receding hairline and thinning hair. Age, hormones, and genetics play a role in developing male pattern baldness. There are 7 stages of androgenic alopecia, as follows:
- Stage 1: Little to no hairline recession or hair loss
- Stage 2: Slight loss of hair by the temples
- Stage 3: Deeper recession around the temples; hairline may have a “U” or “M” shape
- Stage 4: Hair loss at the crown (top of head) and deeper hairline recession
- Stage 5: Hairline recession and bald spot on the crown connect
- Stage 6: Hair between crown and temples is gone or thinning
- Stage 7: The top of the head has no hair, and only a thin band of hair is left around the side of the head
Because stress is involved in hair loss, telogen effluvium can trigger androgenic alopecia in people with a genetic predisposition. The simultaneous effect can make hair loss significantly more dramatic.
Differences Between Telogen Effluvium and Hair Loss from Male Pattern Baldness
Rapid hair shedding over a short time is indicative of telogen effluvium. It occurs a few months after dealing with a stressful situation. Sudden hormone changes, such as those associated with giving birth or surgical removal of the ovaries (oophorectomy), often together with a hysterectomy, can trigger telogen effluvium. The temporary hair loss reverses naturally after about six months once the stress dissipates.
More gradual hair loss is associated with androgenic alopecia or male or female pattern baldness. There is often no known cause for the development of this condition, and hair loss becomes permanent without treatment or medications. It is crucial to contact a doctor if androgenic alopecia is the concern.
Androgenic alopecia runs in families and can come from both your mother’s and father’s sides. Men have twice the chance of developing male pattern baldness if their fathers are bald. Androgenic alopecia affects 2/3 of individuals assigned male at birth, with odds increasing with age.
How to Treat Stress-Induced Hair Loss
The type of treatment for stress-induced hair loss depends on which type causes the problem. If a chronic stress-related issue, such as ongoing job stress, is present, it may be necessary to initiate some changes to decrease the stress. Remember treating telogen effluvium is different from other types of hair loss. However, because stress can contribute to other types of hair loss, the recommendations below may provide significant benefits.
The following list can help you take steps to reverse your hair loss and encourage new hair growth:
- Medications
Several medications are available to help improve hair growth, including over-the-counter scalp preparations such as minoxidil. However, this can cause some side effects and should not be used by pregnant or nursing women. Some treatments may require ongoing use as stopping them can cause hair loss to return. Getting the help of a healthcare provider is crucial before beginning any treatment.
Multivitamins, extra iron, zinc, and biotin supplements may help. Focus on increasing intake of vitamins A, B, C, D, and E.
Hormones such as human growth hormone (HGH) and testosterone can influence hair thinning and loss. Men and women deficient in either of these hormones may experience significant changes in hair growth. Stress is also a factor in low hormone levels. You may want to learn more about HGH hair loss in males, especially if job-related stress is causing you problems. Find out about the benefits of HGH for stimulating hair growth.
- Lifestyle changes
If job stress or any other stress factor influences your life, the first change is to reduce that stress. For some people, that may mean changing jobs, while for others, it may be asking for help or delegating responsibilities to other people.
Finding coping mechanisms for stress, such as deep breathing, yoga, meditation, massage, and other relaxation forms, can help. Do not turn to alcohol, drugs, or smoking.
Get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night to maximize hormone production and decrease stress. You will feel significantly better when you are well-rested.
- Nutrition
Protein is crucial for hair growth. Focus on getting between 40 and 60 grams daily. A Mediterranean diet high in heart-healthy fats, protein, vegetables, and fruit can help minimize hair loss and support new hair growth.
Avoid restrictive and extreme diets that eliminate beneficial foods. Rapid weight loss can increase hair loss by triggering telogen effluvium.
- Change hairstyle
Styling your hair differently to cover the thinning patches or wearing a wig, hairpiece, or hair weave may help you feel better about your appearance until the hair regrowth is complete.
- Mental help
It is crucial to seek help when stress gets the better of you. Because stress is a factor in all forms of hair loss, a mental healthcare provider may be able to help you cope with the stressful factors in your life.
- Support from family and friends
Letting your family and friends know what is going on can help remove some of the pressure you may feel. If others offer to help take some of the stressors off your load, let them. They can also help bolster your self-image, which can take a hit when dealing with hair thinning and loss.
Conclusion
Job stress can impact many areas of our lives – and well-being. As with any stress, it is crucial to improve how you feel by finding ways to reduce the stress. If an emotionally or psychologically triggering event occurs, you may want help from a mental health provider. When stress stems from work, finding ways to mitigate it is essential, even if it means making career or job changes. Job stress can lead to early death.
It is important to remember to contact your healthcare provider before taking new vitamins, medications, or supplements. Contact your doctor as soon as you notice any unusual hair loss because getting early help can make a difference in the future appearance of your hair.