We all experience intense periods of stress from time to time. Whether you’re suffering through a busy time at work, financial struggles, or the inherent chaos of the holiday season, stress can be debilitating.
And while everyone knows the psychological troubles of stress, its physical repercussions are often much less talked about. Prolonged periods of stress can result in severe harm to your body—including your hair!
Telogen effluvium is one of the most common types of stress-related hair loss. Some of the symptoms of telogen effluvium include:
● Hair thinning
● Hair falling out in clumps
● Uneven hair loss (only certain parts of your scalp)
You’re more likely to notice these symptoms while styling your hair, or when removing an excessive amount of hair from your shower drain. If you think you may have telogen effluvium, don’t panic! In most cases, you and your hair will make a full recovery. Read on to learn some of the risk factors for stress-related hair loss, and how to treat it!
Hair Loss Risk Factors
The stress of almost any physical or emotional trauma can result in hair loss: pregnancy, illness, surgery, extreme dieting, or jetlag can negatively affect your body’s natural hair growth processes. Even starting or stopping certain medications can have similar effects! And for sudden, short periods of intense stress (like childbirth), you may not experience the full damage of that stress until a few months after you give birth.
Embrace Self-Care
The best treatment for telogen effluvium is simple (but often hard to do): take care of yourself! Keep track of your diet and make sure you’re eating a healthy mix of proteins, fruits, and vegetables, and take vitamins for hair growth if you need to.
Take up yoga, meditation, or any exercise programs to help you relax. To help your hair recover, use gentle products and limit your use of heating tools as much as possible. And wherever possible, work with your family and friends to see if they can help relieve whatever is causing your stress!
Keep On Socializing!
Hair loss often leads to a lack of confidence. We worry what people will notice or think, or become hypercritical of our own appearance. If you’re having these fears, remember that most of the time, telogen effluvium is temporary. Once treated, your normal hair growth cycle will most likely return. In the meantime, look through our collection of wigs for hair loss to find a hair topper in your shade and style to supplement your natural hair!
And remember: this can happen to anyone! We all experience stress from time to time—just make sure to keep seeing your family and friends. You’ll only feel more isolated and stressed by choosing to go through this difficult time alone.
Talk To Your Doctor
Don’t rush to self-diagnose: make sure to immediately schedule an appointment with your doctor if you’re experiencing sudden hair loss.
Even if you did or are experiencing intense stress, your hair loss may be a symptom of a different, more serious medical condition. And if your doctor determines that you do have telogen effluvium, they can give you advice specific to your unique situation!
Have you ever experienced hair loss because due to stress? We want to hear your story! Let us know in the comments below.
