Hair Loss And Its Link To Mental Health

16th February 2022

Hair loss can occur for a wide range of reasons, including your genetics, hormone levels, medical and skin conditions, your age, tight hairstyles, as well as your levels of stress and anxiety. Here we discuss hair loss and links to mental health.

Anxiety

Those that suffer from anxiety may have an increased chance of hair loss. This is because when we’re in a state of anxiety, it can drain our energy and resources, impacting our body’s efficiency during the hair’s growth phase. It can even force the hair into a resting cycle, meaning it isn’t producing new hairs to the same extent as it usually would.

In addition, anxiety can also lead to trichotillomania, which is a condition caused by a person unintentionally pulling out their hair. This behaviour can become habitual and over time lead to larger quantities of hair loss.

Depression

Those suffering from depression, including low mood and low self-esteem, may notice a reduction in the growth phase of their hair — which like anxiety, can result in hair loss or a change in the quality of your hair resulting in a lacklustre appearance.

Some anti-depressant medications can also have side effects that impact the body’s ability to replenish hair, so check with your doctor that the medication you’re given doesn’t cause hair loss.

Stress

Stress is the second most common cause of hair loss, but the good news is that it isn’t permanent.

Like with other mental health concerns, when our body is put through stress — mental or physical — the growth phase of the hair cycle can stop. This is because all fast-growing cells in our body are affected first when we have stress.

This results in hair follicles lying dormant, and it may take a few months after the period of stress has subsided before the cycle resumes as normal.

In most cases, hair loss caused by mental health issues can be treated and if the issue is attended to, it’s likely that normal hair growth will resume.

It’s important that you speak to your GP or to a professional in this area if you think you may be experiencing mental health-related hair loss, and to of course get the support you need for your mental wellbeing.

Here at Farjo, we’re available to discuss all your concerns and ensure that whatever is going on is treated, so that you can keep your hair growth as stable and healthy as possible.

Interested in booking a consultation? Visit our consultation page to find out more.