Have you been experiencing hair loss due to stress? If you want your hair to grow back to its full glory again, firstly you need to stop stressing right away!
Yes, your hair sheds off excessively when your physical, emotional, and mental health gets compromised due to stress. [1] Here are different ways of controlling it and everything to need to know about hair loss caused by stress.
Highlights:
Can Stress Cause Hair Loss?
According to Ayurveda, your hair is the by-product of ‘Asthi dhatu’ (bone-tissue). And, your hair condition is directly affected by the health status of your bones.
The human stress responses are designed to increase the chances of survival when threatened. But in today's stressful lifestyle, your nervous system releases the cortisol hormones even when you freak out about meeting your work deadlines.
As a result, your bodily resources are reallocated to make more energy available to the brain and large muscle groups, while immune and digestive functions are sidelined.
In this scenario, the activity of cells that disassemble and break-down bone tissue (osteoclasts) increases. This affects your body’s capacity to maintain bone health [2], in turn affecting your hair growth.
According to a survey conducted in 2018, 9 out of 10 people in India are undergoing stress-related problems.
How Long After Stress Does Hair Fall Out?
Usually, you may notice your hair falling out in excess after 3- 4 months from the point or period of a stressful event. This can continue for several months if you don't adopt therapeutic remedies.
How Do You Know If Your Hair Is Falling Out Due To Stress?
When you are undergoing stress-related hair fall, you may shed off more than 100 strands in a day. Hair thinning or diffusive hair loss and small bald patches on the scalp are the most common signs to identify if you have stress-related hair loss.
Also, you can trace back to check if any stressful events had occurred about 3-4 months ago to understand the underlying cause of your hair loss.
Different Types Of Stress-Related Hair Loss
1. Telogen Effluvium
In telogen effluvium, a majority of your hair follicles enter the resting phase due to stress. After 3-4 months in the resting phase, the affected hair sheds out diffusively while you are washing or combing.
2. Trichotillomania
In trichotillomania, the affected person feels a constant need to pull their hair. The condition is caused due to stress or a shocking event [3].
3. Alopecia Areata
Stress could be one of the predominant reasons that can trigger autoimmune responses leading to hair loss, alopecia areata.
How To Reduce Hair Fall Due To Stress?
1. Ayurvedic Ways To Manage Stress And Hair Loss
According to Ayurveda, the amount of negative stress in your body depends on the status of vital energies: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha in your body.
1. Increased Vata levels may cause anxiety, isolation, fear, insomnia, etc.
2. Increased Pitta levels may cause anger, irritability, frustration along with diarrhea, hypertension, and sweating.
3. Increased Kapha may manifest in the form of lack of motivation, tiredness, comfort eating, etc.
From your stress symptoms, you need to understand the current status of your doshas, based on which you can adopt the right Ayurvedic stress management practices. Eventually, this will automatically reverse your stress-related hair loss.
A. Warm Oil Scalp Massage
Massaging your scalp with warm Ayurvedic oils not only promotes hair growth by nourishing your hair follicles, but also calms your nervous system by enhancing healthy blood circulation. Ayurvedic oils with your dosha-specific herbs balance the vitiated doshas while rejuvenating the scalp tissues.
Below are some highly powerful Ayurvedic herbs you can seek in hair oils. They are well known for their stress-relieving properties:
1. Brahmi (Bacopa Monnieri)
It balances tridoshas. Brahmi decreases the cortisol levels and thus, counteracts the effects of stress in your body. It is also very effective in improving your concentration power while it imparts a soothing effect on your nervous system.
2. Bhringaraj (Eclipta Alba)
3. It balances tridoshas. It energizes your brain by enhancing the supply of oxygen. It calms your mind exceptionally and helps you in detoxification.
3. Jatamansi (Indian Spikenard)
It balances tridoshas, especially Vata. It is a natural anti-stress and anti-fatigue herb that can keep your mind and body free of toxin blockages. It enhances your brain functionality and boosts your sense of stability.
4. Ashwagandha (Withania Somnifera)
It balances tridoshas, especially Kapha and Vata. It is a natural adaptogen [4] which helps your body combat stressful situations. It enhances your endurance power while it can treat your insomnia.
5. Vacha (Sweet Flag)
It balances Kapha and Vata doshas. Vacha helps in relieving various mental disorders with its calmative properties. It can induce better sleep and improve your memory power.
B. Effective Stress Relieving Ayurvedic Therapies
1. Swedana
Herbal steam therapy to loosen the toxin build-up in your body.
2. Abhyanga
Warm oil full body massage for complete rejuvenation.
3. Pizhichil
Oil bathing for muscular toning.
4. Shirodhara
Pouring medicated oils on the forehead in a rhythmic flow for de-stressing your nerves.
5. Shirovasti
Medicated oils are retained on your scalp using a leather elongated cap. This helps in the rejuvenation of your nerves.
6. Thalam
Herbal decoctions are applied in the crown region of your head which imparts relaxation to your nerves.
7. Thalapothichil
Application of medicated paste on your scalp to nourish your nervous tissues.
8. Njavarakizhi
Full body massage with a pouch containing medicinal rice gruel. This relieves stress from your body.
9. Elakizhi
Massaging specific areas of your body with warm porches containing medicinal herbs.
Based on your Ayurvedic dosha imbalance, age, medical condition, and history, Ayurvedic practitioners will decide the type of treatment, herbs to be used, and the duration of treatment suitable for you.
C. Ayurvedic Lifestyle
1. Adequate sleep recharges your body as well as mind. You need to have a quality sleep of at least 6-8 hours every day while you maintain an appropriate sleep cycle.
2. Laugh heartily whenever you can. It makes you feel light and reduces your anxiety. Laughing decreases cortisol levels and releases endorphins, which help your body deal with stress effectively.
3. Slow down your lifestyle a bit. Reduce your number of activities in a day while you take necessary breaks in between the tasks. This makes you feel calmer and keeps you more balanced.
4. Exercising regularly is one of the most effective ways to relieve physical and mental stress. You can also start doing yoga as it is considered to be an ideal stress management therapy. Yoga helps greatly in reducing anxiety, stress, and depression.
5. Meditation is the best tool for your mental harmony. You can restore your inner peace and emotional well-being through 15-30 minutes of meditation every day.
2. Vitamins And Supplements For Stress Control
A. Rhodiola Rosea
It is a natural adaptogen that can stimulate the stress response system of your body to enhance your in-built stress resistance. It works well to deal with chronic fatigue and anxiety disorders. A daily dose of 400 mg of rhodiola extract for a week could bring in a lot of improvement in your stress management.
B. Melatonin
Melatonin is a natural hormone in your body that is responsible for the circadian rhythm or sleep-wake cycle of your body. Ingesting melatonin supplements promote sound sleep at night and wakefulness during the morning, in turn, relieving you from stress.
A daily dose from 0.3-10 mg of melatonin is recommended to reset your circadian cycle. It’s best to start with a low dose and work up to a higher dose if required.
C. Glycine
Glycine is an amino acid that is helpful in protein synthesis in your body. Glycine enhances your sleep quality at night through its soothing effect on your brain and lowering your core body temperature. It also helps in improving your concentration and alertness. A dose of 3 gms of glycine is recommended before bedtime.
D. L-Theanine
L-theanine, an amino acid found in tea leaves, promotes relaxation and controls stress without a sedative effect. It is very helpful in reducing anxiety and enhancing your memory and attention. A daily dose of 200–600 mg of L-theanine is safe.
E. B Complex Vitamins
The collection of eight B vitamins [5] is known as B complex. It is known to reduce stress levels and improve mood by maintaining healthy levels of homocysteine in your body.
Important Note
Consult your doctor or Ayurvedic consultant before administering any of the drugs or practices mentioned in this article for stress-related hair loss.
Is Stress Related Hair Loss Permanent? Does Hair Loss Due To Stress Grow Back?
In general, hair fall due to stress is temporary and your hair starts to grow back normally a few months after your stress levels are reduced. However, the rate of regrowth differs from person to person depending upon the hair care routine and lifestyle.
Important Note
If you do not see your hair growth within a few months after you start adopting stress management practices, you are recommended to consult your doctor immediately as it may indicate some other underlying health conditions.
The Last Word
To reverse your stress-related hair loss, you need to incorporate a stress-controlled lifestyle and healthy diet besides Ayurvedic therapeutic practices with soothing herbs. Ayurveda is indeed the way of life that brings balance to your tridoshas, rather than just a healing science.
At Vedix, we craft a customized Ayurvedic hair care regimen for you by understanding your unique hair needs through dosha evaluation.
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