Over the last 2 years I have dealt with more hair loss and shedding issues in the salon than in my first 25 years behind the chair combined. Although the stressful time we experienced during those years was undoubtedly a key factor, it was also due to the fact that my guests/friends and I are growing older. While many of us hate to admit we are aging, it’s better than the alternative, right?  Hair loss is more commonly acknowledged these days, but many of you have never heard of or don’t completely understand the hair follicle life cycle. Understanding how our hair grows and factors that affect our hair growth cycle helps us know how best to address the inevitable changes we face.

Hair follicles go through three phases of growth before they shed and start a new cycle. The first phase is called the anagen phase, the active growth phase which takes approximately 2-5 years to complete. The second phase is the catagen or transitional phase, lasting around 3 weeks. The final phase is the telogen phase, the shedding phase, when the hairs are pushed out of the follicle. Many factors can affect the timing of this cycle, or force you into an early anagen phase.

Commonly known factors that can speed up the life cycle of your much treasured hair:

Stress

Stress, stress, stress, the word I have grown to despise. Try as we may, stress is almost impossible to avoid, making it the central focus for many “how to avoid and reduce” conversations in our lives. Stress is one of the leading causes of hair shedding in the last few years.  Imagine that. Bluntly speaking, stress makes your hair fall out!  It causes the release of cortisol beginning a very difficult cycle to stop. Cortisol release leads to hair thinning which then leads to more stress…can you relate? 
 

Hereditary Hair loss

We are genetically predisposed to a certain hair growth and loss cycle. If you have a family history of hair loss you are more likely to follow suit with conditions such as receding hairline in women. For men it’s more commonly bald spots.

Nutritional deficiencies

A sudden onset of hair shedding may be a result of a range of nutritional deficiencies, the most common being iron, omega fatty acids, protein, zinc, folic acid, biotin, vitamin D and antioxidants. While these are all very likely culprits, I recommend reaching out to your doctor for a full bloodwork screening before adding supplements to your daily routine. These deficiencies have been linked to prematurely kicking our hair follicle into the telogen phase, leading to hair loss.

Extreme diets

From personal experience I know this to be 100% true. Crash diets are the absolute worst way to lose weight and are an almost 100% guarantee of shedding extreme amounts of hair. Extreme diets rob our bodies of essential nutrients that not only keep our hair and scalp healthy, but will also cause a wide variety of problems beyond hair loss down the road. If you are a crash diet fan, please think twice before jumping on that bandwagon again. Your hair and body will thank you. 

Illness

Illness has been in the forefront of our minds over the last few years and has proven to be responsible for many of our hair shedding struggles.  Illness may lead to high fever and inflammation causing stress on our body; anemia or low iron levels; the need for surgery resulting in stress; added medications; and overall trauma to our bodies. The good news is illness induced hair loss is usually temporary and resolves with a full head of hair upon recovery. 

Medications

As mentioned above, medications can interrupt the hair cycle. High blood pressure medication, chemotherapy drugs (which are used for more illnesses than cancer, such as rheumatoid arthritis), and blood thinners are likely to cause a quick almost overnight onset of extreme hair shedding. 

Scalp infections

I recently had a client who lost 80% of her hair due to an abundance of psoriasis on her scalp. Her only remedy was to meet with her dermatologist to start a series of injections, which I assume were steroid based. She is making a full recovery. Other scalp conditions leading to hair loss issues are fungal and bacterial infections and, of course, dandruff. I have found from my time behind the chair that dermatitis and psoriasis flare ups can sometimes be triggered by stress and dietary intolerances to foods such as dairy, wheat, and eggs. 

Hormonal Imbalance  

High testosterone levels, high cortisol levels, and high or low thyroid levels cause hair loss. It’s important to have annual physicals including a complete blood work panel. Pregnancy is particularly nurturing to hair, resulting in an extension of the anagen phase for many hair follicles, expanding the growth phase, and preventing hair shedding as well. About 3-5 months postpartum, however, that extra hair will begin to shed. While most women will experience a full recovery from the thinning, the process may be slow. Menopause also causes hair thinning, but unlike postpartum hair loss, hair loss in menopause is irreversible unless hormone replacement therapy is introduced. Estrogen  is key to the amount of time hair spends in the growth phase. As estrogen levels decline, the hair naturally thins. In addition, the decline in estrogen leads to an increase in testosterone and other hormones causing hair to become dry and brittle as well. I recommend a clinical evaluation to determine the best therapeutic strategy to address hormonal induced hair loss.

If you find yourself a victim of hair loss, you’re not alone!

Hair thinning is a natural part of aging. There are, however, many other factors that can result in loss of or thinning hair as well. Stress, heredity, nutritional deficiency, extreme dieting, illness, medications, scalp infections, and hormonal imbalance are all possible causes. While some of those factors may be out of your control, there are some simple things you can do to protect your precious hair. Take your vitamins. Eat right. Make time for daily exercise, fresh air, and quiet time to control stress. Properly hydrate. Find a practitioner you love and trust for regular health checkups and annual blood work. Take care of your body and your mind. You have all heard that beauty is skin deep, but truth be told, it is actually much deeper. Be your most beautiful self by taking care of your body from the inside out.