Your Hair and Stress: 10 Relaxation Techniques to Prevent Hair Loss

• April 9, 2024
• Crown Clinic

Last updated on March 22, 2024

Have you ever noticed an increase in hair shedding after a period of intense stress? You’re not alone. The link between stress and hair loss is well-established, and chronic stress is one of the known causes of hair loss. That is because stress hormones like cortisol can negatively impact your overall health, including the health of your hair follicles. Incorporating relaxation techniques into your daily routine can significantly improve hair health, promote a sense of well-being, and help prevent hair loss. This is a useful option if you want to try to stop hair loss naturally.

Understanding Stress-Induced Hair Loss

Stress can disrupt the natural hair growth cycle, leading to hair loss. During this cycle, hair follicles go through three phases: anagen (growth), catagen (transition), and telogen (resting/shedding). Chronic stress includes consistently high levels of cortisol, which disrupts sleep, weakens your immune system, and raises blood pressure. This can push a larger number of hair follicles prematurely into the telogen phase, resulting in increased shedding and excessive hair loss.

There are three main types of stress-related hair loss

Telogen effluvium

• This is the most common type of stress-induced excessive hair loss. It typically presents as diffuse thinning all over the scalp, with increased shedding noticeable 2-3 months after a stressful event.

Alopecia areata

• Alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease causing patchy hair loss, may be triggered by stress. While not the sole cause, managing stress can potentially lessen flare-ups.

Trichotillomania

• This is a less common condition characterised by compulsive hair pulling, often triggered by stress or anxiety.

Alopecia areata, telogen effluvium, and trichotillomania can all cause stress-related hair loss. It is essential to get a proper diagnosis to treat the underlying condition and develop a hair regrowth treatment plan.

Can relaxation techniques and reducing stress help with female pattern hair loss or male pattern hair loss?

While relaxation techniques and stress management can benefit overall scalp health and potentially slow down hair loss progression, they are unlikely to reverse established female or male pattern hair loss (androgenetic alopecia). That is because these hereditary hair loss conditions are primarily driven by genetics and hormonal factors rather than stress.

However, incorporating stress-reduction methods can still be valuable if you have androgenetic alopecia! Reducing stress can improve overall well-being and potentially create a more favourable environment for existing hair follicles to thrive, helping to prevent further hair loss. Reducing stress and creating a healthy environment for hair growth is especially important if you invest in a hair transplant procedure or medications and treatment to promote hair growth.

Signs of stress-related hair loss may include:

• Increased hair fall during brushing or showering
• General thinning of hair across the scalp
• Patches of baldness (less common with telogen effluvium)

Relaxation techniques like massage, meditation, and yoga help reduce cortisol levels in your body, which is essential to treating stress-related hair loss.

The Importance of Relaxation Techniques for Hair Health

By incorporating relaxation techniques into your lifestyle, you can effectively manage stress levels and promote healthy hair follicles. These techniques can be helpful to stimulate hair growth and even reverse hair loss in some types of hair loss, as well as improving your overall well-being. Here are 10 techniques you can explore.

1. Deep Breathing Exercises

Deep breathing helps activate the body’s relaxation response, lowering the levels of cortisol in your body and helping to slow hair loss by restoring a natural hair growth cycle.

• Step-by-step guide to diaphragmatic breathing:
  • Sit comfortably with your back straight and shoulders relaxed.
  • Place one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach.
  • Breathe in slowly through your nose, feeling your stomach expand outwards.
  • Exhale slowly through pursed lips, feeling your stomach contract inwards.
  • Repeat for 5-10 minutes.

2. Meditation and Mindfulness

Meditation helps cultivate present-moment awareness and reduce stress reactivity. There are many mindfulness techniques you can explore, such as guided meditations or focusing on your breath.
3. Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)
PMR involves systematically tensing and relaxing different muscle groups throughout the body. This helps release physical tension associated with stress.

4. Yoga for Stress Reduction

Yoga combines physical postures, breathing exercises, and meditation for a holistic approach to stress management. Specific poses and sequences can promote relaxation and improved circulation.

5. Massage and Scalp Care

Scalp massages can promote relaxation and improve blood flow to the scalp, potentially benefiting hair growth. You can incorporate self-massage techniques using gentle pressure with your fingertips.

6. Aromatherapy and Essential Oils

Certain essential oils, such as lavender and chamomile, have calming properties. Diffusing these oils can create a relaxing atmosphere. You can also use them in scalp massages, although it is always important to use a high quality product designed for increasing hair follicle growth and nourishing your scalp to prevent scalp irritation.

7. Art and Creativity as Stress Relievers

Engaging in creative pursuits like painting, writing, or music can be a powerful way to channel stress into positive energy and promote relaxation.

8. Regular Exercise and Outdoor Activities

Exercise releases endorphins, which have mood-boosting and stress-reducing effects. Spending time outdoors in nature can also significantly improve your mood and reduce stress levels for hair follicle health.

9. Laughter Therapy

Laughter offers numerous health benefits, including stress reduction! Find ways to incorporate humour into your daily life, enjoy your favourite comedians guilt-free, or explore activities like laughter yoga.

10. Social Connections and Support

Strong social connections can provide invaluable support during stressful times. Building a supportive network of family and friends allows you to share your experiences and receive emotional support.

Speak to a doctor for a wide range of treatments for stress-related hair loss, hereditary hair loss, and more.

Why Choose Crown Clinic for Your Hair Loss Treatment in Sydney

At Crown Clinic in Sydney, we understand the causes of hair loss as well as the psychological effects, and we work on addressing them with care and expertise.

We specialise in Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) hair transplant procedures, a leading-edge technique in hair restoration, as well as growth Factor Therapy, hair loss medications and DHT blockers. We understand the challenges of thinning hair, and our dedicated team, led by our experienced hair transplant doctors, offers personalised care focused on delivering results.

Contact us for more information on hair transplant financing options or hair regrowth treatment costs and begin your journey to hair restoration with Crown Clinic Sydney.

FAQS

Can stress cause permanent hair loss?

While stress-induced telogen effluvium typically results in temporary hair loss, chronic stress can potentially contribute to permanent hair loss, especially if combined with genetic predisposition for androgenetic alopecia (male pattern baldness or female pattern baldness).

How long does it take for hair to recover from stress-related loss?

Hair grows slowly even when it is healthy. Once stress levels are reduced, hair follicles can return to the growth phase, and it may take 3-6 months to see noticeable improvement in hair density. A hair transplant, medications, or hair regrowth treatments can help improve results for hair regrowth.

Are there specific foods or supplements that can help with stress-related hair loss?

A balanced diet rich in essential nutrients promotes healthy hair growth. Consider consulting a doctor or dermatologist for personalised advice on dietary supplements that might address any nutritional deficiencies linked to hair loss.

What are some signs that my hair loss might not be stress-related?

If you experience sudden patchy baldness, excessive itching or scaling of the scalp, or hair loss in specific areas like the eyebrows, these could be signs of underlying medical conditions. It’s best to consult a dermatologist for diagnosis.

This information is not intended to be used for diagnosis or treatment. It is aimed at presenting a perspective only and is not a substitute for a prescription. Anyone experiencing a medical condition should consult their doctor.