Can Stress Really Cause Hair Loss?

A lovely woman recently commented on one of my videos asking whether losing 7kg and going through a stressful period could be causing her hair shedding.

She had already done many of the things I would normally suggest. Her thyroid had been checked. Her iron levels were good. Her zinc was fine. She exercises regularly and generally eats well.

The one thing she felt was still affecting her?

Stress.

And honestly, that caught my attention because I think many women are surprised to learn that stress alone can be enough to trigger increased hair shedding.

One of the most confusing things about stress related hair loss is that it often doesn't happen at the same time as the stressful event, theres a delay.

You might go through a difficult few months at work, care for a loved one, experience illness, have surgery, lose weight, navigate a relationship breakdown or simply carry a heavy mental load for an extended period. Then, two to four months later, you start noticing more hair in your brush, on your pillow or clogging the shower drain.

It feels like it came out of nowhere.

But often, your hair is responding to something your body experienced months earlier.

As hairdressers, we often suggest you talk to your doc about iron, hormones and nutrition because they are important. But what I have noticed over twenty years behind the chair is that hair is often a reflection of what's happening beneath the surface.

Sometimes people are doing everything right. Their blood tests look great. Their nutrition is good. They're taking care of themselves.

Yet they are carrying an enormous amount of emotional stress.

The body doesn't always distinguish between physical stress and emotional stress. Surgery is stress. Illness is stress. Grief is stress. Chronic worry is stress.

For many people, hair becomes the messenger.

If you've been experiencing increased shedding, my first piece of advice is not to panic.

Focus on the foundations: Adequate protein, good hydration, nourishing whole foods, good sleep, gentle sulphate free organic haircare, movement that supports rather than depletes you and practices that help regulate your nervous system like yoga, breath work, meditation, whatever works for your (or more accurately, whatever your most likely to be consistent with).

I could sit here and also add in a list of scalp products and vitamins but if these foundations are not right, the products are not going to make a big difference.

For me personally, things like walking, yoga, meditation and spending time in nature have often been just as important as any hair product. Im a big fan of supplementing and i also like to treat my scalp with serums and oils and massage. 

It can take months for the hair growth cycle to catch up after a stressful period.

But, if you are noticing significant thinning, a widening part line, bald patches, scalp symptoms, or shedding that continues long-term, I would encourage you to seek support from a healthcare professional, dermatologist or trichologist because thats when things are no longer simple and you may need additional support.

Most importantly, remember this:

Sometimes the hair is the messenger and it might be trying to tell you somethig.