YOUR GUIDE TO UNDERSTANDING HAIR LOSS & STRESS!
The secret to good hair days starts with having good days that are stress-free.
So, let’s begin by addressing the core issue that is stress, something that is often looked over by girls and women when it comes to hair care.
These days it may seem like a common occurrence to many women across all stages of day-to-day life be it work or home. As per research, the stress in the female population is more than male (28% vs. 20%) which builds up to 5 years to up to 49%. This is more of a wake-up call for many women to make managing stress a priority.
However, there’s one more unwanted situation that tags along with stress and anxiety in your haircare journey. Yes, you guessed it right! HAIR FALL.
A] Can Stress Cause Hairfall?
An adult woman’s scalp has approximately 100,000 hair follicles out of which it's absolutely normal to lose between 50 to 100 hairs a day, but when coupled with stress, it can cause more aggressive hair loss for a female.
This is because each hair follicle is constantly cycling between growth and rest. Most of these hair follicles are in the growth phase (anagen) at any given time. Stress fastens the hair follicle transitions to telogen, or the resting phase, leading to excess hair fall.
This, however, can be managed. The hair loss due to stress and anxiety is temporary, the sooner you address the symptoms of hair loss, the more you are likely to prevent the irreversible damage it brings along.
But managing hair fall Problem due to stress is easier said than done, and that’s why we are here to help you! But let's start by understanding the types of stress related to hair loss
B] Three types of hair loss that can be
related to high levels of stress -
1. Telogen effluvium:
one of the less severe and most common forms of stress-induced hair loss. In telogen effluvium, a trigger like high levels of stress pushes large numbers of hair follicles into a resting telogen phase. Within a few months, affected hairs might fall out suddenly when combing or washing your hair, the hair stops growing and lies dormant, only to fall out 2 or 3 months later. In 6 to 9 months the scalp recovers and hair starts to grow back.2. Trichotillomania:
It is an irresistible physical urge to pull out hair from your scalp, Hair pulling can be a way of dealing with negative or uncomfortable feelings, such as stress, tension, loneliness, boredom, or frustration.3. Alopecia areata:
It is a condition, with many factors involved mostly severe stress. Where the body's immune system attacks the hair follicles — causing hair loss in patches, the hair also falls out within weeks (usually in patches) but can involve the entire scalp and even body hair.Stress and hair loss don't have to be permanent. If you get your stress under control, your hair might grow back.
C] Symptoms of stress-induced hair loss
Hair loss associated with telogen effluvium is mostly abrupt in nature, with a diffuse thinning pattern of hair loss across the scalp, for a temporary period. It can take 4-6 months before the shedding stops, and then grow back at the steady rate of ½ inch per month.
D] How to control hair fall due to stress?
1. Eat a Healthy Diet:
The recovery from hair fall due to stress starts with eating a balanced diet. Hair is made up of primary protein (keratin), so it’s no surprise that sufficient protein is vital to maintain and grow hair. Make sure you consume an adequate amount of protein (0.8 grams/kilogram/day) that includes lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein.2. Take A Supplement:
Stress-induced hair loss can be caused by certain nutritional deficiencies, including:- Vitamin D
- Zinc
- Vitamin B12
Taking 1 dose of multivitamins capsule enriched with the above vitamins and minerals can help nourish the scalp health and significantly reduce hair fall.
3. Make exercise a part of your routine:
Exercise like a mild 20 mins run, or Yoga routine has shown to improve your feel-good chemicals like oxytocin and endorphins which help in boosting blood circulation to your scalp. This helps in minimizing stress and thereby hair fall.4. Get Plenty of Sleep:
Never underestimate the power of a good sleep of solid 7 to 9 hours each night and engage in good sleep hygiene practices, such as going to bed and waking at the same time each day, sleeping in a cool, dark room, and blocking noise and keeping electronics out of the bedroom.5. Treat your hair with some shampoo and conditioner therapy:
After a long stressful day, treating yourself with a mild scalp shower massage that includes the 2in1 solution from the Pantene Advanced Hairfall Solution Range can work wonders for your hair and scalp. Enriched with Fermented Rice Water, it includes a fascinating combination of eight amino acids and vitamins and Pro-Vitamin.We hope that with these smart stress management techniques you can handle the stress that has an impact on hair loss. While most stress-induced hair loss is temporary, the sooner you address the symptoms of hair loss, the more likely you are to prevent irreversible damage. For more information on this, consult a medical professional today to begin your journey to less hair fall and more healthy hair.
Hair care problems are varied for different people, so your hair care products should also be so. Take a look at our diverse range of Pantene Shampoos and Pantene Conditioners and pick your choice!
