Hair loss can happen to both men and women during their lifetime. Often referred to as alopecia, hair loss can be caused by a variety of factors, including stress. Stress has a number of harmful effects on your health and physical appearance. Below you will find helpful information about stress and hair loss.

Stress and Hair Loss

Stress can affect your health in a variety of ways, including hair loss. This can be embarrassing and make you feel insecure about your appearance. Below are the three types of hair loss associated with stress.

Telogen Effluvium:

This type of hair loss often impacts the number of hair follicles that are actually growing. Telogen effluvium (“TE”) often impacts the center of your scalp and the hair loss is usually in patches. In extreme cases it can also impact other areas of your body. However, those impacted by TE don’t lose all of their hair and the condition is reversible. It’s important to understand the root cause of TE as it can impact how quickly your hair grows back. This condition can impact both men and women, and can happen at any age.

Alopecia Areata:

This type of hair loss can be triggered by stress and result in hair loss. Alopecia Areata (“AA”) is an autoimmune disease that develops when your immune system attacks your hair follicles. It can result in round bald patches, or it can affect your entire scalp depending on the severity. In extreme cases, AA can impact your entire body. This condition can impact both men and women, and it currently affects over 6 million Americans.

Trichotillomania:

This condition is also referred to as “hair pulling disorder” as it involves a person’s urge to pull out the hair from their scalp and body. It is a mental health condition that can be triggered by stress. The condition often impacts young people and can last a lifetime if left untreated.

The Hair Growth Cycle

Stress can cause hair loss, but it does not have to be permanent. If you notice significant hair loss, contact a hair restoration specialist. They can help provide you with treatment options to restore hair growth. For those impacted by stress and hair loss, there is hope that your hair can grow back. However, the rate of regrowth can vary from person to person. The hair growth cycle has four phases, including the anagen, catagen, telogen, and exogen phase. Each of your hair follicles is in a different phase of the cycle due to natural shedding and regrowth. The anagen phase lasts two to seven years; the catagen phase lasts two weeks; the telogen phase is a three-month resting phase; and the exogen phase occurs when the follicles shed and there is new growth. The average person has roughly 10,000 hairs that are constantly in one of the four hair growth phases.

Hair Restoration Treatments

For those with significant hair loss, a hair restoration in Seattle may be necessary. Neograft hair restoration is a modern technique that can drastically improve the look of your hair. It involves harvesting hair from places on your scalp that have a dense amount of hair, and then grafting it onto the areas impacted by hair loss. The treatment helps restore your hair with your own follicles without any major scarring or noticeable traces of the procedure. Your hair will look natural and it is a long-lasting treatment option that helps you grow thick and natural hair. If you are impacted by hair loss and are interested in an effective treatment option, contact the team at Cole Aesthetic Center. They offer a variety of treatments, including non-surgical options, in addition to plastic surgery in Seattle.