Anxiety is a form of stress that not only effects the way you feel, but also has an impact on your physical appearance and health. Researchers strongly suggest that stress is a major underlying cause of hair loss. Anxiety is a type of stress that comes in a variety of forms. Anxiety at low levels is a common part of daily life for everyone. For instance, you might feel anxious when you are running late for work or you might feel anxious about paying your rent this month. These levels of anxiety are normal. However, if you feel anxious to an elevated level then it can become a major cause of concern. If you are wondering can anxiety cause hair loss? So the answer is yes. Anxiety can cause your hair to fall out.
How does stress affect your hair?
When the mind is in a state of anxiety, the proteins from the lymph glands are converted to sugar for instant energy. Continued anxiety makes the body draw on further nutrients to compensate. This process releases free-radicals, which in turn necessitates an increased supply of ever-diminishing antioxidants to tackle the free-radicals.
Anxiety not only causes a reduction of the key nutrients required for the hair growth, stress and anxiety also causes increased muscle tension, particularly in the shoulders and neck, increased skin sebum production and an increase in hormones that must be processed by the liver. A good and regular blood supply is crucial for hair growth – the hair receives the nutrients it needs to grow from the bloodstream. However, increased muscle tension and a decreased availability of vitamin C can reduce the blood supply to the hair. This can lead to hair fall in many cases. Sebum can clog the pores in the scalp, which may hinder hair growth. This is why, anxiety can have an impact on hair growth, particularly if you are a smoker, or if you don’t opt for exercise regularly.
Types of hair loss due to anxiety
You may have heard that stress and anxiety can cause hair loss, and it’s true. Excessive physical or emotional stress, like that associated with injury, illness or surgery, can cause one of two types of hair loss:
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Any adverse chemical activity that occurs in the nervous systems can potentially send negative signals to hair follicles. The most widespread type of stress-induced hair loss is telogen effluvium. A condition that alters the normal hair growth pattern, pushing excessive number of hair into the resting and shedding phases of the cycle.
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In some cases extreme stress and anxiety may lead to a type of hair loss known as alopecia areata. This is an autoimmune condition that prompts the white blood cells to harm hair follicles, hampering the growth of hair. Within a few weeks the affected hair simply falls out. Alopecia areata may initially be confined to a small round spot on the scalp. As the condition worsens it can spread to the entire scalp.
Reversing the damage
There is a good news for anxiety sufferers, that not all anxiety related hair loss is permanent. If stress and anxiety are what caused your hair loss, then by getting rid of anxiety you can actually get your hair back.
The first and most important thing is to take active steps to reduce your anxiety levels. Since anxiety may be the root cause of your hair loss, reducing your anxiety levels may have a direct impact on your hair growth.
Eat more proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals after participating in heavy exercise to compensate for the use of nutrients. You need to increase your intake of key nutrients that help promote hair growth in order to recover from stress related hair loss.
No matter what the situation is or how demanding you life appears, make sure you indulge yourself in fun activities. Go for cycling, opt for meditation, yoga and swimming. Some fun time out of your busy schedule can do wonders in treating your hair loss condition.
