Hair Loss: Stress, Age or even (yes) COVID

What causes hair loss?

Every time you look in the mirror at your hair it feels like a scalp interrogation.

You start counting the hairs you find on your clothes and keeping a tally.

Clumps of hair in your shower or brush? Worried and feeling at a loss? Let's talk about it.

Hair loss happens to so many of us, men and women alike. Luckily, there are so many ways we can address this issue and fix it. We’re going to get into the causes today and we have another blog (What to Do if Your Hair Starts Thinning) that talks about how to repair thinning hair.

First, can we just nerd out a little bit about the science of hair growth?

It’s normal to lose hair. We shed between 25-100 strands a day and that’s just a part of the natural phases of hair growth. The three stages of hair growth are called anagen, catagen and telogen. During the anagen phase hair is actively growing and this can last between 2-6 years! In the catagen phase hair growth stops and it gets ready for the last phase. About 3% of our hairs are going through catagen at any given point. And finally, we have telogen when the hair is resting, which lasts for around 100 days.

Another wild little tidbit is that we are born with all the hair follicles we are going to have for the rest of our lives! Somewhere around a hundred thousand on our scalp!

So, whether your hair is causing you stress or not, we still think it’s pretty amazing what the human body can do.

Now, let’s get into the causes of hair loss.

The first thing you’ll want to do is try and figure out what’s causing the thinning hair. Here’s the thing, our bodies are complex and add to that our lifestyle, our diet and exercise, genetic factors, age, hair care rituals, even the products we are using on our hair and bodies. Sometimes there will be an easy trigger that we can point to and say: “There it is, let’s fix it.” But many times, it’s going to be a combination of many different factors and solutions that will help your hair loss.

Hair care and hair style

One of the easiest places to look for hair loss is how you wear your hair and what kind of products you are using. Those tight buns, ponytails, and braids aren’t doing your hair any favors. They cut off blood flow and pull on the roots.

You can also take a look at what kind of products you’re using. Some may be causing a buildup and not allowing natural oils and hair follicles to do their jobs properly. Talk with us about what products you’re using and what your hair care routine should look like. A lot of times we can spot an issue that causes hair loss and give you solutions with products that we carry in our store (both in salon and online).

Medical conditions

There are a number of medical conditions that can cause hair loss. Some are less conditions and more lifestyle phases like Androgenetic Alopecia, which is male or female pattern baldness, pregnancy and menopause. Other conditions could be medically-related like certain medications or birth control pills, as well as thyroid problems and even COVID can cause hair loss. There are also autoimmune conditions like Alopecia Areata and others. For these issues, you’ll want to see a doctor, a dermatologist or a trichologist.

Lifestyle factors

Our diet and exercise can play a part in hair loss, either by vitamins and minerals we are lacking in our diet or because our lifestyle causes severe stress. We need the right balance of protein, healthy fats and vitamins and minerals – specifically B-12 and B-7, Vitamin D, Omegas 3 and 6, zinc and iron – to keep our hair healthy. And a lack of exercise and other factors of our lifestyle that cause stress aren’t helping with hair loss.

While hair loss can be scary and just plain awful, remember that once you identify the issue, there are a number of ways to get help. From prescription solutions and over-the-counter products, to diet, exercise and lifestyle changes, you don’t need to despair about your hair. It can take time, but we can help you bring your hair back to its healthy, lustrous look that you’re used to.

Book an appointment today and let’s get to the root of your hair loss.