Rapid Hair Loss

Stress is something that affects our bodies in different ways, and can even cause considerable changes to our hair and scalp. The stress affects your body´s sebaceous glands, which are what produce the oil in your hair, the result is that it become dry and brittle. If the stress is serious enough, it could progress to sudden hair loss, which is noticeable when you begin losing clumps of hair.

The reason this happens is that your hair follicles stop growing new hair and move into a resting phase. Healthy people have about 10% of their hair follicles in a resting phase at any given moment, but when you experience severe stress, this can increase quickly to 30%. This is known as telogen effluvium, and it results in rapid hair loss. Telogen effluvium is the second most common cause of hair loss, after androgenetic alopecia (also known as male pattern baldness).

Any severe stress to your body can cause hair loss as a result of telogen effluvium. Some of these include:

Medical conditions such as high fever, a severe infection, iron deficiency, or thyroid disease. To stop losing hair due to telogen effluvium, the medical condition must be treated.

A sudden change in hormone levels. This can be brought about by many things, though the most common are pregnancy, menopause, or a change in birth control pills. In this case, there is no true cure other than time, and the hair loss could continue for 6 months to two years after the hormone levels return to normal.

Any kind of major surgery. Again, there is no cure other than time, but expect your hair to start growing normally within a few months.

A stressful event or a stressful string of events. Some examples are car accidents, the death of a loved one, and high stress jobs. The only way to treat this form of hair loss is to successfully deal with the stress, which could involve therapy, medication, or a change in lifestyle.

Rapid hair loss is only one of the many side effects that results from severe stress, which is why it is so important to learn how to manage stress. Just because your hair stops falling out does not necessarily mean your body is no longer under stress. It is a good idea to speak to your doctor to ensure you take the correct steps to treat the stress, and to ensure you that once you are no longer experiencing it, your body goes back to normal.

Other possible side effects of stress include:

• Sore Stomach

• Lack of hunger

• Headaches

• High blood pressure

• High heart rate

• Acid reflux

If you’re having problems dealing with stress and can’t seem to grow back lost hair, there are other temporary solutions you can take until you’ve managed to deal with stress.  For example, women losing hair because of high stress can get real human hair extensions, which if done correctly, can help to hide thinning hair.  Check with your stylists for a consultation.

Other options would be a wig or using hair products that help your hair to look more full. These may seem unnecessary, however, if you are losing your hair, this will exacerbate your stress, and make it harder to deal with.

Of course, these are only temporary solutions, to be used until you solve your problems with stress.

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Traction alopecia is a form of hair loss caused by the sustained tension of hair. In general, this affects the hair follicles, and eventually damages them to a point where they can no longer grow hair. The result is gradual hair loss, and if serious enough, can eventually proceed to rapid hair loss, or losing clumps of hair at a time.

There are three main causes of traction alopecia. The most common is known as telogen conversion, which is when a large amount of a person’s hair follicles enter the resting phase instead of the growing phase. This is usually caused by a hair style used over and over that pulls too hard on the person´s hair.

A second possible cause is known as trichotillomania, which is when a person compulsively pulls out their hair. It is a mental disorder, and the root cause of this disorder is still unknown. The constant relentless tension applied to the person’s hair damages the hair follicles, and the hair start to fall out.
The last cause of traction alopecia is from overprocessing, which is the overuse of chemical products in one´s hair. This causes damage to the hair and scalp, causing to traction alopecia.

All three types of traction alopecia hair loss can be reversed if the symptoms are caught in time. If not, the scalp and hair follicles will eventually be damaged beyond repair, and no treatment will be available.

Anyone can experience this form of hair loss; however, there are certain types of people that are more likely to experience it, based on the way they live. For example Sikh men often style their hair and beards in a certain way that pulls on the hair, which can perpetuate traction alopecia.

It is also more common in African Americans, because they often either straighten their hair or pull it into tight braids. Also, women in general are more prone to traction alopecia, because of the hairstyles they tend to wear.

Traction alopecia is not always easy to diagnose, which is why many people don´t notice the problem right away. Some of the possible causes or signs are patchy areas of hair loss and hair may fall out rapidly and in clumps. The person may also have any itchy scalp, or suffer from dandruff. Furthermore, a visible inspection of the scalp could reveal areas that are scaly or oozing pus.
Although traction alopecia is not a form of rapid hair loss that everyone hears about, it is common enough to be a recognized problem. Most importantly, it is crucial to notice the symptoms early, in order to reverse the hair loss before it is too late.

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Hair loss, chemotherapy…for many people, the two seem to always go together. What is Chemotherapy and why does it cause hair loss? It is a treatment for cancer that aggressively kills cancer cells. Unfortunately, this treatment involves the use of very strong drugs that also kill healthy cells, including the cells in hair follicles. This can lead to rapid hair loss, first causing the thinning of hair and eventually complete baldness.

Chemo hair loss can occur on any part of your body that grows hair – head, arms, face, legs, and pubic areas, and for most people can be very difficult to deal with emotionally. Unfortunately, there is no way to prevent this form of hair loss; however, keep in my mind that chemo and hair loss are not synonymous. The therapy and its side effects vary from case to case, so you should check with your doctor so you know what to expect. You may not lose any hair at all.

Below is a list of the most common questions people have about hair loss from chemo.

At what point will hair loss begin?
The hair loss usually begins somewhere between 7 and 21 days after starting the treatment.

How will the hair loss happen?
The person’s scalp may feel tingly or painful. The hair loss can happen gradually, or in severe cases, the person may experience rapid hair loss.

When will hair start to regrow?
Hair regrowth can sometimes start near the end of treatment, or shortly after finishing the treatment.

How long does it take to regrow all of one’s hair?
It usually takes about 3 to 12 months.

Will the hair be the same once it grows back?
Sometimes people will notice that their hair has changed color slightly, or could even have a slightly different texture when it grows back. This is normal, and not a cause for alarm, although it is always a good idea to check with a doctor.

Although there is no cure for hair loss due to chemotherapy, there are some things you can do to prevent losing your hair even faster. Proper care is important, and you should use a mild shampoo and be gentle with your hair. Do not use any strong or chemical hair products, nor items such as hair dryers and hair curlers.

Chemo and hair loss that results from it can be very hard to deal with for many people. If this is the case, one option is to buy a wig, which many people do. If you are only experiencing mild hair loss, you can try using hair products that mask thinning hair.

Rapid hair loss is only one of the many side effects experienced from chemotherapy treatment. Luckily it is only temporary, and you will one day be able to grow it all back.

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