The internal state of the body directly affects the beauty and condition of the hair. If a woman is under constant stress, her body literally clamps down, shuts down important metabolic processes, sets itself up for survival, not for a full life. This is why the treatment of hair loss needs to be approached comprehensively.

The consequences of stress

Cortisol, prolactin and adrenocorticotropic hormone are stress hormones that have a significant impact on the condition of the hair and the body in general. Being under the influence of various stressors, a person may get used to them, and even perceive them as normal.

Changes in the condition of the hair under the influence of stress hormones:

• The scalp is not getting enough nutrition. Problems up to and including dandruff can occur.
• Trichodnia develops – it is painful sensations in the scalp (discomfort, tingling and burning).
• Sebaceous glands are disturbed, excessively oily or dry skin occurs. This condition of the skin can lead to seborrheic dermatitis.
• Hair growth is suppressed.
• Hair in the telogen phase (dormant hair follicles) begins to fall out.
• Due to impaired blood circulation, capillaries do not receive oxygen, hair follicles are left without nutrition. The hair growth phase is reduced.
• If in the short term these processes can save your life, the prolonged influence of stress overloads the body and seriously depletes it. There is no need to talk about the beauty of the hair.

Types of stress

One-time stress affects mainly the follicle. When chronic stress is present, hair loss is caused by the body’s depletion. Often, hair loss is uniform. Rarely, hair loss occurs locally – this is focal alopecia. Its exact causes are unknown, but autoimmune disease is often of a stressor nature.

Chronic stress

At the moment of stress, the human body throws its energies into preparing to fight, to survive:

• First, adrenaline enters the bloodstream. As a result, the person becomes irritable, can’t concentrate, fidgets, and gets tired quickly.
• The work of the adrenal glands and thyroid gland intensifies. The work of the hormonal system is disturbed, which leads to problems throughout the body, including metabolism.
• Resource-saving mode is activated, new cells are not produced. The forces are left only for maintenance of the current state, for survival.
• The heart beats faster, cholesterol and glucose enter the blood.
• When the body is in this state for a long period of time, the hair follicles are deprived of nutrition. As a result, total cell atrophy occurs. This is a complete loss of the follicles’ ability to reproduce new hair, and the inability to keep existing hair alive. During this period, a woman actively loses her hair.

Trichologists distinguish several factors that often provoke hair loss:

Cancellation of oral contraceptives. The body has become accustomed to the artificial intake of estrogen in the body and has not had time to recover.

Poisoning with heavy metals, toxic poisoning, consequences of infections.

One-time stress

Even a single shock can provoke hair loss, up to and including alopecia. Such a condition can become chronic.

One-time stress increases blood pressure, straining the muscle walls of the vessels that connect the hair follicle to the scalp. The result is a spasm, hair roots are squeezed and traumatized. As a result, some hairs fall out, while others become thin and weakened. This is the most common cause of hair loss.

Against stress, hair follicles can go to sleep, giving a cortisol response. As a result, hair growth gradually decreases, and after a while the hair falls out all over the head. Treatment is possible only if stressors are eliminated.

People who sleep well, eat well and get plenty of rest are less prone to hair loss than others. Their body has the strength and resources to feed the follicles, metabolic processes, etc. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor the regime of the day, diet and rest in all circumstances.

Important! To reduce the consequences, provoked by stress, you need to take vitamins. B vitamins are especially useful. Women need to drink iron regularly to rule out iron deficiency anemia – more than 60% of people suffer from it

Trichotillomania

Trichotillomania is a mental disorder that is an urges control disorder. It is the repetitive uncontrolled pulling of hair, making its loss visible to others. The disorder affects children and adults.

This disorder is associated with pulling out hair on the head and other parts of the body where there is hair. It is not controlled by the person’s consciousness and can occur while watching TV, talking on the phone, in a state of thoughtfulness, when experiencing stress, etc. As a rule, the disorder is denied by the patient himself, but it brings suffering to the person.

There is also trichophagy, which is the eating of plucked hairs. The main cause of this behavior is a mental disorder. The person is unable to control himself, or it is given to him with great difficulty. If trichophagy is not treated, there will be problems with the gastrointestinal tract, which may well lead to death.

A step-by-step plan for treating hair after severe stress

Before proceeding with a treatment plan, the stressor must be eliminated or limited as much as possible. A woman should be in a state of rest. Only then can we talk about treatment.

Hair treatment plan:

1. Conduct an internal examination of the body for skin diseases, hormonal malfunctions, etc. The first to visit the trichologist, who conducts a general examination and sends to specialists in the narrow profile.
2. Sedatives. Sedatives of plant origin will help to relax, calm down, adjust sleep and improve overall health. Valerian, tincture of motherwort, tea with mint, lemon balm or chamomile help.
3. For fast hair restoration a complex approach is recommended. So, in addition to external and internal influences, it is necessary to look for suitable cosmetic products.
4. Massage. When a person is under stress for a long period of time, the muscles of the back, neck and shoulders are severely tightened. As a result, the person looks stiff and cannot enjoy the feeling of a relaxed body. A relaxing massage of the neck, head and the whole body will help to get rid of stress.
5. Giving up curling irons and hair dryers. If the hair is already weakened, the hot tools will contribute to its breakage and fall out. In order not to traumatize your hair, exclude exposure to hot air and tools.
6. Regular Rest. Incorporate small relaxing rituals into your daily routine. This can be reading a book, a walk in the park, a jog or a bubble bath. It’s also important to organize your weekend leisure time at least once a week.
7. Folk remedies. If you use folk methods of hair restoration as an addition to the main treatment, the effect will be many times better. This can be masks that stimulate hair growth, head massage, rinses with strengthening decoctions, etc.
8. Vitamins and trace elements. In addition to the vitamin complex in the diet should include foods that are beneficial to the hair. These are boiled eggs, greens, avocados, fatty sea fish, nuts and red meat.
9. Shampoo, mask and conditioner. Pick a hair care line aimed at restoring the density and health of your hair.

Tips for taming stress

All people are dependent on daily routines, hormones, the environment, etc. You should not burden yourself with impossible duties and deprive yourself of sleep. In order for the body to recover, you need to take care of your body:

• Daily walks in the fresh air. Even a 20-minute walk can help relieve stress. Plus, oxygen activates brain activity.
• A healthy sleep of 8 hours. It is recommended to go to bed not later than 23:00-24:00. It is at this time that the body recovers most productively. Even a small lack of sleep provokes negative thoughts, irritability and rapid fatigue.
• No to diets. At least for some time refuse from diets, if you followed them. Restrictions also cause stress. Try to vary your menu as much as possible, including meat, fish, herbs, vegetables, and your favorite fruits. Cook your favorite foods and eat them with pleasure.
• Interact more with people. Being under the influence of stress, people may refuse contact with friends and loved ones. A visit to your favorite movie theater, a creative workshop in the company of friends will definitely lift your spirits.
• Physical activity. During sport, the body emits the same happiness hormones as when eating delicious food. But sports have a huge advantage: it gets rid of negative emotions, relieves stress, and serves as an excellent emotional release. Try group exercise. Choose the activities you desire.
• Relax as much as possible. Create a spa atmosphere with your own hands: try a candlelight bath, light scented sticks in the evening, buy bath foam, salt, aroma oils. Stay in silence more often, alone with yourself for maximum relaxation.