Is alopecia related to mental health?

Author: Miss Elaina Hettinger IV  |  Last update: Wednesday, April 19, 2023

Compared with the general population, increased prevalence rates of psychiatric disorders are associated with alopecia (Koo et al., 1994) suggesting that people with alopecia may be at higher risk for development of a major depressive episode, anxiety disorder, social phobia or paranoid disorder.

Is alopecia caused by mental health?

In short, while emotional pain doesn't cause alopecia; it is clear there are links to how our bodies respond. If you are experiencing these thoughts or any others related to coping with alopecia areata, know that how you feel about your condition is valid.

Can anxiety and depression cause alopecia?

Severe stress is one of several potential causes of alopecia areata, a state in which your body's immune system attacks hair follicles, inducing loss of hair. Hormonal imbalances, often linked with depression, are another potential source of thinning hair and hair loss.

Is alopecia caused by anxiety?

A variety of factors are thought to cause alopecia areata (al-o-PEE-she-uh ar-e-A-tuh), possibly including severe stress. With alopecia areata, the body's immune system attacks the hair follicles — causing hair loss.

Does depression cause alopecia?

Researchers have found that stressful events or depression are not a direct cause of alopecia areata. However, in some cases, people have reported that after experiencing high levels of stress or depression, they have experienced alopecia areata.

5 tips for your mental health and alopecia

What triggers alopecia?

Causes of Alopecia Areata

In alopecia areata, the immune system mistakenly attacks hair follicles, causing inflammation. Researchers do not fully understand what causes the immune attack on hair follicles, but they believe that both genetic and environmental (non-genetic) factors play a role.

What is the root cause of alopecia?

Hair loss (alopecia) can affect just your scalp or your entire body, and it can be temporary or permanent. It can be the result of heredity, hormonal changes, medical conditions or a normal part of aging. Anyone can lose hair on their head, but it's more common in men.

Can emotional stress cause alopecia?

Alopecia areata

This may be triggered by stress, and it can result in hair loss. Hair may be lost in round patches on the scalp, or across the entire scalp. In a more severe form of AA known as alopecia universalis, hair is lost from the entire body.

Does alopecia affect the brain?

Androgenic alopecia (AGA) is associated with significant cardiovascular risk factors that also have a negative impact on brain aging.

How do you mentally deal with alopecia?

Ways to cope with hair loss
  1. Join a support group. There are groups around the country where you can meet and socialise with other people with alopecia. ...
  2. Accept it. It's not easy, but try to come to terms with your hair loss. ...
  3. Talk about it. ...
  4. Cover up. ...
  5. Be patient. ...
  6. Avoid miracle cures.

What mood stabilizer causes alopecia?

Alopecia is a common side effect in patients managed on the mood stabilizers lithium, valproate, and carbamazepine. Clinicians may be reluctant to discontinue medications in patients suffering from hair loss if the mood stabilizer is otherwise efficacious.

Can alopecia go away?

There is no cure for AA. While treatments may promote hair growth, new patches of hair loss may continue to appear. The treatments are not a cure. Only the body, itself, can eventually turn off the condition.

Can you reverse stress alopecia?

Yes. Hair loss due to stress is usually reversible. Once you get your stress levels under control, you may be able to reverse stress alopecia. In about 6-9 months, your hair could grow back to its normal fullness without any treatment, especially in the case of telogen effluvium.

Who is most at risk for alopecia?

Alopecia risk factors
  • You have a family history of balding.
  • You're pregnant or were recently pregnant (hormonal changes can cause hair to fall out)
  • You take prescription medications (some medications cause hair loss as a side effect)
  • You have certain medical conditions, including diabetes or lupus.
  • You have poor nutrition.

Is alopecia caused by trauma?

Traumatic alopecia results from the forceful extraction of hair or the breaking of hair shafts by friction, pressure, traction, or other physical trauma. The usual causes are cosmetic practices and trichotillomania.

What is psychological alopecia?

Alopecia is a form of disfigurement that can affect a person's sense of self and identity. No randomised control trials have explored the effectiveness of psychological treatment for alopecia. Alopecia can be caused by traumatic events.

Can alopecia cause other problems?

People with alopecia areata have an increased risk of developing other autoimmune disorders, including vitiligo, systemic lupus erythematosus, atopic dermatitis, allergic asthma, and autoimmune thyroid diseases (such as Hashimoto thyroiditis and Graves disease).

Does alopecia affect your memory?

Alopecia areata (AA), an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss, including baldness, has been linked to a significantly increased risk for dementia, new research shows.

Is alopecia a disability or a condition?

Alopecia areata is not medically disabling; persons with alopecia areata are usually in excellent health. But emotionally, this disease can be challenging, especially for those with extensive hair loss.

How long does stress alopecia last?

The hair loss is temporary, and should return to its pre-effluvium density, although this process is generally slow. It can take months (but generally less than 6) before the shedding stops, and then months to years for lost hair to grow back at the sluggish rate of ~½ inch per month.

How long after stress does alopecia start?

Prolonged periods of stress can result in telogen effluvium. Hair loss typically occurs about 3 months after the stressful event.

What gets rid of alopecia?

There is currently no cure for alopecia areata, although there are some forms of treatment that can be suggested by doctors to help hair re-grow more quickly. The most common form of alopecia areata treatment is the use of corticosteroids, powerful anti-inflammatory drugs that can suppress the immune system.

What are the 3 types of alopecia?

Most people know alopecia to be a form of hair loss. However, what they don't always know is that there are three main types of the condition – alopecia areata, alopecia totalis and alopecia universalis.

Is alopecia very serious?

Alopecia areata isn't usually a serious medical condition, but it can cause a lot of anxiety and sadness. Support groups are out there to help you deal with the psychological effects of the condition. If you lose all your hair, it could grow back.

What foods to avoid if you have alopecia?

On the AIP elimination diet, you will avoid grains, legumes, nightshades (such as potatoes and peppers), dairy, eggs, coffee, alcohol, sugar, oil and food additives. After a few months, you can work the excluded foods back in one at a time to figure out which foods trigger an inflammatory reaction.

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