Stress and
Stress is well known to cause hair loss. However, this hair loss is unlikely to be permanent and will grow back. The hair should start to grow back roughly 6 months after the stress has resolved. It is important to distinguish between physical and emotional stress when it comes to hair loss.
Telogen effluvium is a common type of hair loss that affects people after they experience severe stress or a change to their body. Symptoms include thinning hair, usually around the top of your head. Treatment exists to reverse hair loss, but hair will typically grow back in three to six months without treatment.
No Visible Pattern. With stress-related shedding, hair falls out evenly all over your scalp instead of in a defined pattern. You'll likely notice more hairs than usual coming out while shampooing, combing, or on your pillow, clothing, and bathroom floor.
Effective treatments for some types of hair loss are available. You might be able to reverse hair loss, or at least slow it. With some conditions, such as patchy hair loss (alopecia areata), hair may regrow without treatment within a year. Treatments for hair loss include medications and surgery.
Severe and prolonged hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism can cause loss of hair. The loss is diffuse and involves the entire scalp rather than discrete areas. The hair appears uniformly sparse.
If the triggering event is temporary—for example, if you recover from an illness or stop taking the medication causing the hair loss—your hair may grow back after six months. Telogen effluvium is considered chronic if hair loss lasts longer than six months.
Androgenic alopecia is known to cause psychological distress. In fact, studies have linked male pattern baldness to depression and anxiety. (3) Unfortunately, these negative effects on your mental health can exacerbate hair loss, causing telogen effluvium and speeding up the progression to baldness.
Without treatment, hair loss may remain the same or worsen. With treatment, it's possible to see some regrowth in 6 weeks. However, it takes months for full regrowth. After hair regrows, it's possible to have more episodes of hair loss.
In Chronic Telogen Effluvium, hair loss can last for years, although as with Telogen Effluvium, people will not go bald. Chronic Telogen Effluvium usually stabilises after a few years.
Hair loss can result in excessive, rapid shredding or bald patches on the scalp. Once the stress is removed, it may take up to six months or more for the hair to grow back.
A visible scalp through your hair can be a sign that it's thinning (but not always). The factors that contribute to thinning hair (and thus a visible scalp) include stress, diet, vitamin deficiency and ageing.
Stress and hair loss don't have to be permanent. And if you get your stress under control, your hair might grow back. If you notice sudden or patchy hair loss or more than usual hair loss when combing or washing your hair, talk to your doctor.
Hair Loss in Your 30s and Beyond
By the time you turn 30, you have a 25% chance of displaying some balding. By age 50, 50% of men have at least some noticeable hair loss. By age 60, about two-thirds are either bald or have a balding pattern.
Despite its popularity in the media and amongst consumers, biotin has no proven efficacy in hair and nail growth of healthy individuals. Only 1 study has shown decreased levels of biotin in healthy individuals, though this data was confounded by multiple factors, including patient history.
Where might a person itch with thyroid problems? Itching can occur anywhere on the body, but often occurs in crevices such as the armpits, elbows, and groin.
Low iron levels can lead to hair loss. Iron deficiency can trigger a condition called telogen effluvium, which increases hair shedding and limits hair growth. Iron deficiency hair loss can be reversed if you get your iron levels back to normal. Oral iron supplements can help replenish your body's iron stores.
A common symptom of an underactive thyroid is weight gain, often around the abdomen. However, the American Thyroid Association states that the weight gain may not necessarily be due to the build up of fat, but the accumulation of salt and water.