Is Hair Loss Related to Stress? Everything You Need to Know

Is Hair Loss Related to Stress? Everything You Need to Know

Have you ever heard of Telogen Effluvium?

It is a common type of hair loss that results when a person experiences severe stress and anxiety. Generally, you will start spotting more strands of hair on the pillowcase as well as on the bathroom floor. An adult human head has approximately 100,000 hair follicles (the number may vary in some cases). These hair follicles are constantly going through cycles of growth and rest. The three stages of growth and loss are:

  • Anagen (growth)

It’s the most active phase of the hair growth cycle. In the lower part of the hair, the cells quickly divide. When new hair is formed, it pushes the hair from the follicle and lengthens the hair shafts. You would be surprised to know that a hair can grow for four years in the Anagen stage. Also, eighty to ninety percent of all the hair on your scalp is in the Angen phase at any given time.

  • Catagen (resting)

It’s called the transitional phase of the hair growth cycle, where the lower part of the follicle falls back and the hair stops growing. Around 5% of the entire hair in our head is at the catagen stage at any given time.

  • Telogen (shedding)

It refers to the period of your hair’s development cycle when it is at rest. The hair follicle is dormant, and there is a white keratin bulb at the root (club hair). The keratin bulb retains the hair in the follicle until it sheds, at which point the hair development cycle begins anew. At any given time, around 5% of all hairs are in the Telogen stage.

When the hair is in the Telogen stage, the at this time Telogen Effluvium impacts the hair. Because of stress or anxiety, 70% of the hair that are in the Anagen stage goes directly to the Telogen stage, which leads to hair loss.

Acute Telogen Effluvium Vs. Chronic Telogen Effluvium

The duration of acute telogen effluvium is up to six months, and the hair loss generally happens two or three months after a stressful event. Acute telogen effluvium actually goes away in 95% of cases.

On the other hand, chronic telogen effluvium lasts more than six months. A person experiencing chronic telogen effluvium will experience severe loss of hair in the initial stages, and it affects the entire scalp. However, it won’t lead to total baldness.

Is Telogen Effluvium Common?

One of the most prevalent reasons for fast hair loss is telogen effluvium. It’s also one of the most prevalent reasons for hair loss in women.

Does Telogen Effluvium Affect Your Body?

Telogen effluvium results in hairs reaching the resting stage prematurely during the growth cycle. Most healthy people shed up to 100 strands of hair every day. You may lose up to 300 strands of hair per day if you have telogen effluvium.

It can affect the hair on the entire scalp. But generally, its impact is observed more on the top of the head than the back or sides. Although it may not cause complete baldness or affect your hairline, it can also affect other regions of the body. For instance, your eyebrows and body hair. In many cases, hair thinning can imitate female or male pattern hair loss. Heavy and rapid loss of hair is observed in telogen effluvium. However, male or female pattern hair loss takes place over along period ofg time. Although it won’t impact you physically, it can impact psychologically. You could experience emotional stress and anxiety.

Top Symptoms of Telogen Effluvium

The common symptoms of telogen effluvium are:

  • Increased hair loss
  • Thinning hair on the scalp
  • Dry hair falls out easily

It should be noted that if someone has telogen effluvium, their scalp must be healthy. There should be no symptoms of rash, burning, itching, or pain.

Things That Trigger Telogen Effluvium

  • Psychological stress.
  • Severe infections.
  • High fever.
  • Major surgery.
  • Fad diets that lack enough protein
  • Medicines like calcium channel blockers, depression medicines, retinoids, beta-blockers, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

How Is Telogen Effluvium Diagnosed?

In most situations, your doctor may identify telogen effluvium without doing any tests. If they feel a disorder or sickness is causing telogen effluvium, they may offer additional testing, such as blood tests or a scalp biopsy.

What Treatments Are Recommended for Telogen Effluvium?

It is essential to establish the source of telogen effluvium since one of the primary reasons is a stress on your body. Most instances of telogen effluvium tend to go away without treatment in six to eight months if the underlying cause is addressed.

The treatments for Telogen Effluvium are:

  • Medications

The common over-the-counter medications that are recommended are usually meant to increase hair growth. However, make sure to consult a doctor because many of these medicines have side-effects and are not good for pregnant women or women who are breastfeeding their babies.

  • Multivitamins or Supplements

Iron-containing multivitamins or iron supplements aid in hair growth. Biotin pills also aid in the growth of strong, healthy hair.

Top Tips to Reduce Risk Of Developing Telogen Effluvium

  • Eat more protein, particularly if you are a vegan or vegetarian.
  • Take vitamins to maintain healthy hair.
  • Look for ways to handle stress and anxiety.
  • Get enough sleep.
  • Fast weight loss can lead to telogen effluvium. Avoid restrictive diets.

What Are the Differences Between Telogen Effluvium And Androgenic Alopecia?

Telogen effluvium is characterised by fast hair loss over a brief period of time. It normally takes place a few months after your body has had a physically or emotionally taxing experience. It may also be brought on by unexpected hormonal changes. Telogen effluvium hair loss is often very temporary, and once the stressor has passed, your hair will frequently grow back naturally.

On the other hand, Androgenic alopecia is referred to as male and female pattern baldness and is more slow-growing compared to telogen effluvium. The best treatment for Androgenic alopecia is hair transplantation.

A Note From Twachaa by Saraswat Clinic

Telogen effluvium leads to temporary hair loss in our bodies. However, it mostly affects the scalp. Make sure to consult our doctors to determine if your hair loss is due to stress or male pattern baldness. Whether its hair fall due to stress or male pattern baldness, you can visit our clinic, which is the best hair transplant clinic in Faridabad. Hence, if you’re facing any symptoms of severe hair loss and looking for a solution, call us at +91-8447420400 (Faridabad) to book an appointment. 

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