Yes, Stress Hair Loss Is A Real Thing — Here's What Causes It + How To Deal, From An Expert

If you've brushed your hair and seen more than a few strands, you may wonder if it's more than just typical shedding or breakage. On average, you should shed 50 to 100 hairs a day—if it's significantly more than that, there may be something more serious going on.

Hair loss in general can be caused by a plethora of factors, from diet to topical products to hairstyling choices. Often, it's a combination of a few that are at the root of it. This is why identifying the underlying cause of your loss is all the more confusing.

To keep the answer simple: Yes, stress can cause hair loss. "Significant stress can lead to shedding and hair loss1," board-certified dermatologist Christine Shaver, M.D., FAAD, of Bernstein Medical Center for Hair Restoration in New York City tells mbg.

Stress causes a spike in the hormone cortisol (which is why it's called the "stress hormone"). When excessive cortisol is present in the body, it can wreak havoc2: With hair, it can force the hair to enter and stay in resting phase (telogen) as nutrients are redirected to other, more vital areas of the body. (It's actually a survival mechanism.)

This was shown in a recent study done on mice, where researchers studied corticosterone levels (which is the equivalent to our cortisol) as they related to hair growth. They found that chronic and prolonged stress meant that the mice's hair follicles stayed in resting phase3.

However, you likely won't notice this hair loss right away. "When high stress occurs, the hair begins to shed about three to six months later," Shaver explains. "It will continue to shed until the underlying cause of stress has been addressed and resolved," she says.

"Telogen effluvium is a kind of hair loss that takes place after a person undergoes a stress to the body or mind such as loss of a loved one, loss of a job, a high fever, a surgery, or an abrupt hormonal change," board-certified dermatologist Hadley King, M.D., explains.

This change occurs on a follicular level. "A stressor causes a portion of the hair follicles on one's scalp to prematurely enter the resting phase of the hair growth cycle (telogen), which is then followed several months later by shedding," Shaver says.

This type of hair loss is especially common in women, especially surrounding the starting or stopping of oral contraceptives and after childbirth, King says.

"Alopecia areata is a type of autoimmune hair loss," Shaver tells mbg. This can be associated with other autoimmune disorders such as autoimmune thyroid disease and vitiligo, King says.

This kind of hair loss works in a different way than telogen effluvium but still begins at the follicle. "The body's own protective immune cells begin to attack the hair follicles," Shafer says. "It is relatively common, affecting approximately 2% of the population over one's lifetime," she continues.

Trichotillomania, also commonly referred to as hair pulling, is a different kind of hair loss entirely but is still triggered by stress. "Trichotillomania is an irresistible urge to pull out hair from your scalp, eyebrows, or other areas of your body," King explains.

"Hair pulling can be a way of dealing with negative or uncomfortable feelings, such as stress, anxiety, tension, loneliness, fatigue, or frustration,” she continues.

It can be hard to identify the root cause of hair loss—and often it's multifactorial. For stress-related hair loss, the increased shedding will typically come 3-6 months after some stress event or time period. 

50 to 100 hairs a day is a normal range of shedding. So if you pull out a few hairs when you rinse out your shampoo, that’s completely normal. It’s likely that you’re not counting the hairs in your brush to ensure you’re in the 50-100 hair range, but generally if the shedding doesn’t give you pause, then it’s likely not above the normal threshold. 

In addition, folks may also experience breakage (or when the hair fiber snaps off at the shaft, rather than the follicle), which can contribute to the appearance of thinning. This often happens if someone undergoes a chemical process (such as coloring the hair), excessive heat styling, or general wear and tear. Those with dry and curly hair are more prone to breakage, and should be extra gentle on the hair to avoid damage.

Most hair loss caused by stress is temporary. "The hair that has shed will likely grow back after the stressor has gone away but that can take up to 2 years—so recovery requires patience," Shaver notes.

Take stress hair loss as a wake-up call that you need to get serious about stress management. Yes, you can support your hair and scalp with topicals to encourage growth (more on that below), but if you're not addressing the underlying cause, you may not see meaningful changes.

When you exercise, your heart rate increases and your body pumps more oxygen to your brain. That process can affect your overall positivity, as multiple studies4 have found that a well-oxygenated brain helps manage anxiety and depression5. Other studies have found that exercise may help alleviate depression and anxiety overall6.

There are 12 main types of meditation—from chakra meditation to visualization and perhaps the most popular for stress: mindfulness meditation. Studies have shown that mindfulness is associated with lower perceived stress.

Research shows that stress increases as the length and quality of sleep decrease. What's more, not getting enough sleep can alone cause you to stress about sleep itself—a harsh cycle to break.

Putting sleep first on your to-do list can be especially challenging when your mind is running in circles about work, family, relationships, or anything else causing stress in your life.

We're not going to say that coffee is stressing you out. In fact, studies have shown that having a cup or two of coffee every day can actually help your mental health. However, this is all dependent on your unique reaction to caffeine.

First things first—if you're dealing with a stressful event in your life or you experienced a traumatic event causing you to stress—therapy is a great option. If you are feeling stressed to the point of experiencing hair loss, there are likely other parts of your life being affected as well—relationships, work, motivation, etc. 

First, call on hair growth serums. (Reavy's go-to for hair growth is the Act+Acre Scalp Detox.) This will help rebalance the scalp and remove buildup. "​​It also helps to stimulate blood circulation and promotes hair growth," Reavy explains. You can find a plethora of hair growth serums here if you're ready to browse.

Some folks are partial to oils, which can also support scalp health and the hair fiber. In fact hair oiling has a long history of use for its purported hair growth benefits. If you want natural options, rosemary oil has proven hair growth benefits7.

Stress affects folks of any gender. No one is immune to stressful moments in life, and its subsequent effects on the body. So in short: Stress hair loss can happen in men, women, or however someone might identify.

Now, there can be slight differences in overall hair loss patterns that vary by sex. For example, male pattern baldness (called Male Androgenetic Alopecia8) typically starts at the crown and back of the head. Male pattern baldness affects 30 to 50% of men by age 508, making it the most common reason for hair loss in men. This genetic trait can also come from either side of the family (meaning it’s not just inherited through the men). 

Female pattern baldness (called Female Androgenetic Alopecia9) typically starts at the hairline and around the temples. Similar to men, approximately 40% of women by age 5010 will experience this.