Have you ever experienced an unusual amount of extra hair left on your comb after brushing, or have you discovered extra hairs gathered in the shower drain, during times of extreme stress in your life? Chances are, you dismiss it as one of those strange but normal occurrences in life. Unfortunately, you might want to reconsider that assumption because overthinking causing hair loss is, indeed, very real and quite commonly experienced by people who’ve spent their lives enduring constant mental stress. Let’s have a look at what really happens.
How Does the Mind Talk to Your Hair Follicles?
When the mind races, or the negative loop just doesn’t quit, there’s a direct conversation between our mind and body telling the body that we need to be in a state of emergency—or, in hormonal speak, bring on the cortisol. While the short-term bursts of cortisol can actually be beneficial in helping us cope with short-term stressors, weeks and months of elevated cortisol levels can start messing with bodily processes where it shouldn’t be involved—including hair growth. There are three main hair cycle stages: growing, resting, and shedding.
Excessive amounts of cortisol will force too many hair follicles into the resting stage of growth (aka – telogen effluvium).
The clinical presentation of telogen effluvium is usually significant diffuse hair loss two to three months after a major event, so it’s typically never the same event that leads people to recognize the pattern.
Can Overthinking Cause Hair Loss Beyond Just Shedding?
Yes, and in a few ways too. We’ve got a disorder known as alopecia areata. Here, due to the constant state of mental duress, the body’s immune system misconstrues hair follicles as enemies and wages a war on them, resulting in hair falling out in chunks from the scalp, or even from your beard.
And then we’ve got trichotillomania—an act of compulsion triggered when the body attempts to self-soothe anxious or tense emotions.
Here, it’s an act of hair abuse, and in the cycle of overthinking and pulling, before it hits the conscious mind, much damage could have already occurred. So, yes, it might not appear on the face in front of your eyes that as soon as a worry creeps in, a hair goes poof, but in chronic mental stress, the immune system is definitely in chaos, which eventually shows up on the follicles. The hair follicle communication is much softer and subtler than we imagine.
Signs That Stress Might Be Behind Your Hair Fall
It’s not always stress, though; some symptoms may help guide you toward the cause. For instance, a sudden bout of hair loss about two or three months following a stressful life event or period, such as moving, having a new baby or starting a demanding new job, is a strong indication. Widespread hair thinning versus patchy hair loss may also be an indicator of stress-induced hair loss, as is the recovery of normal hair growth once the stressors dissipate.
Will the Hair Actually Grow Back?
Almost certainly—provided you haven’t been deprived of them for too long. When the cause is stress, hair loss is typically more a case of ‘put on hold’ and when the body is relaxed, the follicles start on a cycle again—but that cycle takes a while (it takes 6-12 months to notice regrowth and no-one wants to wait that long).
If you’ve been shedding for several months and not improving, or if your hair appears to be getting thinner than before (and you’re now under less stress), then a bit more research than simply ‘waiting it out’ might be in order.
What Treatment Options Are Available in Hyderabad?
With a clearer cause, treatments can be better aimed. At the early to moderate stage of hair loss, PRP hair treatment in Hyderabad is a revolutionary and effective non-surgical approach. Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy, a revolutionary procedure, utilizes a concentration of growth factors derived from your own blood to reawaken lazy and sleeping follicles,, stimulating natural hair growth—with no chemicals or downtime required.
For those at more advanced levels of hair loss where the follicle is dormant, surgery is likely the best option.
Hair transplants in Hyderabad can be an enduring solution giving natural and real-looking hair by replacing healthy hair follicles from the donor zone where growth has halted completely. The transplanted hair grows just like the rest of your hair, and can be shampooed and cut without maintenance.
Understanding Hair Transplant Cost in Hyderabad
The first question anyone asks prior to considering treatment is ‘how much would it cost me?’ Hair transplant cost in Hyderabad is different for each individual, considering their degree of hair loss, the technique performed, the number of grafts needed, and the skills and expertise of the hair transplant surgeon. Only after an initial consultation will one be given an actual quote for their particular case, with most well-known clinics in the city providing a free consultation.
It is also to be noted that the cost of not doing anything about your receding hairline and letting the follicles eventually close down permanently is much greater over the long run, both financially and emotionally.
When Should You See a Specialist?
If your hair has been thinning and you’ve been losing hair for more than 3 months, or you can see yourself going bald on the top of your head or on your temples (hairline), don’t delay. Only an expert can tell if you still have active hair follicles in your scalp, whether a medication is adequate, or if a PRP or transplantation could provide a good result.
Final Thoughts
The fact that overthinking can cause hair loss is more than just a myth. The more of a problem it has been for you, the greater the chances are that hair loss will be visible in just a few months. At QHT Clinic in Hyderabad, we will give you genuine, upfront guidance and suggest one of our many effective treatments for hair loss with our highly successful QHT therapy that promises results and has zero guesswork. Book your free consultation now to know exactly what your hair wants.
