Have you been excessively losing hair, that is, more than 100 strands per day? Stress could be one of the factors for your locks falling out. According to a preliminary finding from a new research, it turns out that stress and bad habits such as smoking, drinking and even tanning could contribute to hair loss, especially in women.
Two new studies found that women’s hair follicles are particularly vulnerable to the wear and tear of a stressful lifestyle. One study found that women who had suffered the stress of a divorce or death of a spouse were at the highest risk of losing their hair at the midline, meaning a widening of the parting in the middle of the scalp.
Though hair loss in men and women take different patterns — diffuse hair thinning for women, and a receding hairline and thinning crown for men — the reasons for such condition can be similar. Though in men the problem is, more often than not, genetic, even smoking, alcohol consumption, daily stress, and sun exposure can cause balding, according to the research.
While you can take preventative measures such as wearing a hat in the sun, quitting smoking, and reducing your alcohol consumption, researchers say that adopting healthier lifestyle choices could possibly help your hair grow back. Also, applying a daily hair care regimen can make a difference in the growth and upkeep of healthy hair.
‘Part of it is to manage what you can’, shares one dermatologist. ‘The sooner you address it, the better your chances of having recovery’.
Prior research has also linked stem cells to balding, finding that some stem cells in the scalp are incapable of developing into the type of cells that make hair follicles. The discovery could give hope to men and women with hair loss, said the researchers.
