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Stress Induced Hair Loss

I am a 57 year old male. Recently I have been under a lot of stress. Have been taking a topical testosterone ointment off and on, HGH injected of and on. Have noticed a great increase in hair loss lately. Have been taking Saw Palmetto as a DHT Blocker. Would I benefit from beginnning Propecia or am I too old to benefit from it. I am going to get a Hair transplant with NHI in the future but now just want to stop the hair loss. Thank you.

It appears that you have many reasons for hair loss (stress, testosterone, HGH injections). Clearly a good DHT blocker like Propecia will be far more valuable than Saw Palmetto which is very weak, if effective at all. Still, the combination of contributing factors may not be enough to stop the hair loss. Visit me and let’s talk.


2006-01-11 09:04:56Stress Induced Hair Loss

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Stress hormone found to cause hair loss, new study discovers

The Jerusalem Post - Israel News

“Generally speaking, a person has three stages of hair growth cycle: growth, degeneration and rest. In the first stage, the hair is a continuously pushed-out shaft, whereas the hair stops growing and its lower portion shrinks while staying in place in the second stage. In the third stage, however, the hair eventually falls out.
While it has been known for some time that stress is linked to hair prematurely entering the third stage and falling out, as is the overall link between hair loss and chronic stress itself, the exact mechanism behind this link had remained a mystery.
What is known is that hair-follicle stem cells (HFSCs) play an essential role in hair growth by interpreting internal and external signals. Knowing this, Cho and the other researchers tested the role another area of the body – the stress-hormone producing adrenal gland – played in the cycle. To do this, they removed them from mice via surgery.
Without the adrenal glands to produce stress hormones, the mice’s “rest” phase in their hair cycles was much shorter, while their hair follicles grew around three times more than normal. But when fed the hormone corticosterone, the stress hormone produced by animal adrenal glands, their hair growth was suppressed.
So does corticosterone play a role in making hair fall out? That’s what this implies. HFSCs detect the stress hormone through signals, and not by detecting the hormone itself. This was determined when the researchers selectively deleted the protein known as glucocorticoid receptors in the dermal papillae. These receptors are the means by which the hormone signals the HFSCs.”
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Stress, heart attack and hair loss

My hairline has been receding for a number of years, I am now 62 and recently had a heart attack. It seems to me that the hair loss has accelerated since that trauma. My hair now has sort of a trough down the middle that was not there before but it was thinning. My question is: Can a heart attack cause acceleration of hair loss and can hair replacement techniques be employed to reverse it? Thank You

A heart attack or any significant illness with its associated stress can accelerate hair loss. You can meet with a doctor who specializes in hair transplantation to see if there is something that can be done for this that meets your agenda.


2017-08-18 13:29:35Stress, heart attack and hair loss

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Stress Causing Head to Tingle, So I Scratch It

hi was just wondering whenever i get stressed i start to feel the right side of my head above my ear area get warm and tingly so ive just noticed recently that whenever it happens i tend to scratch/rub that area i ahave very bad thinning now on that side and also my right eyebrow for same reasons will these hairs ever grow back ? thanks

Chronic scratching will produce traction alopecia. What you are describing is a variant of a condition previously discussed on this blog, trichotillomania. It may grow back if the damage is not severe and you stop picking at it. Only time will tell you the answer.


2006-08-30 10:09:16Stress Causing Head to Tingle, So I Scratch It

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Does Stress Cause Hair Miniaturization?

I am 23. For the past 5 months I have been suffering from hair shedding, itchy and flaky scalp, and growing spots of thinning in my crown area. I believe it is due to MPB. Prior to this, I never noticed any hair loss and no one in the family has experienced hair loss except an uncle on my dad’s side who started to thin in his 40s and still has a considerable amount of hair in his 50s now. I saw 2 dermatologists – one 2 months ago and another a week ago – and they both were not convinced that I am suffering from MPB rather stress related hair loss (telogen effluvium?). They said this because my hair loss is still not entirely noticeable. Instead, the nature of my new job (I work in investment management working 12+ hours) and had a breakup with my ex girlfriend 7 months ago would have triggered it. However, I am not convinced due to the fact that, and as pointed out to them, the hair loss is predominantly in my crown area and more importantly I have noticed hairs of different sizes and thickness falling out (or hair miniaturization). So I was wondering if I can get a third opinion on this matter and whether or not to seek consultation from another dermatologist as I would like to begin treatment of some kind early if it is MPB.

See here: https://baldingblog.com/value-haircheck-bulk-measurements-two-patients-seen-today/

Stress, in individuals with the genes for hair loss, will develop miniaturization on the path to losing hair. The single best way to make the diagnosis is with a HAIRCHECK instrument which will show, over time, how much hair bulk you lost. If you treat it successfully, this test will show improvements that your eye may not pick up.


2018-11-01 06:52:06Does Stress Cause Hair Miniaturization?

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Stress, anxiety and hair loss, an important subject, as written by Baldingblog reader

Anxiety and Hair Loss

You look in the mirror, and you don’t know how it happened. You comb through your hair after your shower, and several thick hairs fall out, settling within the bristles of your comb. You are experiencing hair loss and going prematurely bald. It’s not necessarily genetic. You have family members who have full bodies of healthy hair, so you don’t know how you ended up with hair loss. You feel like the black sheep of the family and feel less than confident because of your hair loss.

What could be causing your hair loss? While some men who experience premature hair loss, balding and thinning may attribute the causes to genetics, poor diet, illnesses or varying testosterone levels, your hair loss could be due to stress and anxiety. Hair loss can occur from six weeks to three months after you undergo a stressful event in your life, such as financial woes, the death of a loved one, a divorce, a work-related event and more.

If you are prone to panic or anxiety attacks, one of the triggers during an attack could be grabbing your hair. You may not even know that you are doing this, but it could be causing the following types of hair loss, according to The Calm Clinic:

  • Trichotillomania: When you pull out hairs because of stress and anxiety; this is a habitual action.
  • Alopecia Areata: You lose larger clumps of hair around your scalp.
  • Telogen Effluvium: More hairs that normal fall out because your body is telling more hairs to fall out (the usual growth cycle is two years, and hairs fall out two months after that). Your hair is weaker than normal.

Your anxiety is usually severe if you experience hair loss, but that isn’t always the case. So, how can you combat hair loss when you have anxiety, depression or another mental health disorder? Get help to manage your mental health condition as best as you can. Talk with a mental health professional near you and read advice columns on BetterHelp. Licensed professionals on BetterHelp can also aid you as you try to find solutions to your hair loss caused by anxiety, as well as other issues.

In addition, some other ways to reduce your overall anxiety and hair loss, thinning and balding could be the following: meditation, belly laughing, connecting with those you love, exercising, eating a balanced diet, playing your favorite types of music and more. Just talking about what stresses you out could help you immensely and prevent one of the three types of anxiety-related forms of hair loss. Do what relaxes you and helps to reduce anxiety; thus, this could help you curb hair loss.

If you attempt to reduce your stressors, then your hair could come back. If you would like to supplement your hair loss, consider taking a hair growth supplement, using a scalp serum or getting a hair transplant to boost your self confidence and decrease your anxiety levels.

Marie Miguel (mariemiguel830@gmail.com)


2017-08-16 05:35:43Stress, anxiety and hair loss, an important subject, as written by Baldingblog reader

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Stress and Propecia

Hi Doctor

i’ve been taking propecia for 1 year and a half with no success. But it seems that for me it’ll work in small stretches then when im feeling stressed, ill have a strange feeling in my throat, and any hair ive maintained in a short period of time will fall out. it’s very visible. This is obviously uncommon, does it make any sense? if so is there any prevention for something like this?

thank you so much.

Stress may be central to your problems, but all of what you think you are seeing may not be what is actually there. Work on the stress with some stress reduction process and stay on the Propecia if you really have male patterned balding. This is a wonderful drug to slow, stop, or reverse hair loss in men, particularly for those under the age of 30.


2006-04-26 09:24:41Stress and Propecia

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Strattera (ADHD Medication) and Hair Loss

My 18 year old son is showing an over-all thinning of his hair. When his hair is wet, I clearly see his scalp. He takes fish oil capsules every day and he uses Strattera, 90 mg daily. Other than this, I can think of nothing that could be contributing to the thinning. Do you have any reports of Strattera causing hair loss? Thanks.

The most common cause of hair loss in males is androgenic hair loss or male pattern hair loss. It may start as early as their teenage years. Now add to this the medication Strattera (said to produce hair loss — see ADHD Message Board) and you complicate the hair loss presentation. Your son should discuss this with his prescribing doctor. You need a good doctor working on a Master Plan for hair loss (worst and best case) for him.

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Straighteners Causing Hair Loss?

Hi, I wonder if you could help me, I am 28 years old and I have always had slight thinning in the temple areas of my scalp. I have always been able to hide this with a fringe etc but since I have been using hair straightners I can’t put my hair up in a pony tail as you can see the thinning more and I have started to receed. Could this be because of using straightners that it has become worse or could there be an underlying cause. Both my parents have full head of hair and hair thinning doesn’t run in the family.

Without seeing a photo of you it is tough to tell, but given your age and the circumstances you describe, I suspect you have some degree of traction alopecia, which is hair loss caused by pulling at the root. This is commonly caused by tight braiding, ponytails, etc., and as you can imagine it is more common in women. Any mechanism that pulls excessively at the hair may cause this (even clip-on or glue-in hair pieces) and over time if the hair continues to be pulled, it can become permanent. You also mentioned that you have begun straightening your hair. Sometimes, the chemicals in hair treatments can damage the hair and cause loss. In addition to that, though, when you straightened your hair, the problem worsened since straight hair covers less area than curly or wavy hair does. Pulling your hair back into a ponytail not only pulls at the hair at the temples, it would also expose the areas that already have loss making it look worse. Without examining you I cannot tell how much of your hair loss is due to chemicals or to traction, but loss at the temples is a hallmark of traction alopecia all by itself. Neither of these is genetic by the way.

What I would suggest is that you stop using any styling that would cause excessive pulling (i.e. traction) on your hair and also stop using straighteners for at least 6 months to give the hair a chance to grow back. If your hair does not grow back in a year, you may be a candidate for hair transplant in those areas.


2006-04-14 08:34:28Straighteners Causing Hair Loss?