Standing in the shower shampooing, you notice clumps of hair washing down the drain. At first, you're confused and worried, but a visit to the dermatologist reveals that the very feeling you are likely experiencing as a result of your suddenly-thinning scalp could also be its cause: stress.
That's right, stress may make you want to pull out your hair, but extreme stress may cut out the middle man.
Usually, it's not mild job or life stress that triggers hair loss, more likely it is extremely serious stress to the body that causes hair to stop growing and fall out. These types of stress can be initiated by some types of medications, diabetes, thyroid disorders and even extreme emotional stress, but also can be caused by commonplace life events like childbirth, miscarriage and surgery.
"The biggest cause of all is pregnancy," says Dr. Michelle Pelle, assistant professor in the division of dermatology at the University of California, San Diego.
In fact, it is estimated that up to 45 percent of new mothers experience some degree of hair loss from the stress of having a baby. Since this type of hair loss is caused by such common triggers, many may suffer from it without realizing its cause. Most of the time, hair will grow back within six months, but sometimes this kind of hair loss can be the start of a more long-term problem.
How Stress Causes Hair Loss
Hair grows in repeating cycles. The active growth phase lasts around two years and is followed by a resting phase that s...
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