Unexpected stressors can cause a type of hair loss called telogen effluvium, in which an emotional or physical event puts your hair into the resting, or telogen, phase of growth, according to MayoClinic.Com. Rest assured, this type of hair loss is only temporary and regrowth occurs once your life is again stabilized. However, it may take many months before your tresses return to their natural thickness.
More About Telogen Effluvium
Telogen effluvium is the second-most common type of hair loss, following pattern baldness, states the American Hair Loss Association, or AHLA, which goes on to note that scant research has been conducted on this condition. Hair loss brought on by stress occurs when there's a drastic change in the number of growing hair follicles. Telogen effluvium presents as diffuse "all over" hair loss, says the AHLA, although you may notice that your hair is thinner in certain areas than in others. Unless telogen effluvium is chronic in nature, you'll likely not notice a receding hairline. The hairs that are shed are telogen hairs, which are characterized by a tiny bulb of keratin at the end of the root.
What Type of Stress?
Telogen effluvium may follow some type of emotional stress, such as the death of someone close to you, says MayoClinic.Com. But stress on your body can take the same toll. High fever, crash dieting and sudden weight loss, surgery, childbirth, a severe illness, thyroid disease, or taking certain medications can also cause this type of temporary hair loss, says the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology. It's possible for you to lose as much as 70 percent of your hair in roughly two months following the stressful event or shock.
What to Expect
Although most of the time telogen effluvium affects only the hair on your head, the AOCD indicates that you may lose body hair, as well. You may notice a lot of hair coming out when you're washing or combing your hair. Once the stressor is no longer present, the shedding of your hair will decrease over the next six to eight months. Some causes of telogen effluvium can be ongoing, says the AOCD, making it important to address the underlying cause and treat it if necessary.
Treatment
Most of the time, hair loss brought on by stress doesn't require treatment, says the AOCD, as it's not permanent. However, if there's an underlying reason for thinning hair, this needs to be addressed, cautions the AHLA. In some cases, stress reduction might be necessary. Supplements may be required to address deficiencies and medications used to treat thyroid disease. Otherwise, hair loss caused by other types of triggers, such as childbirth, illness or other problems that eventually self-resolve, does not require any medical treatment, according to the AOCD.
What You Can Do
While you're waiting for your tresses to return, MayoClinic.Com recommends simple lifestyle adjustments that help you care for your existing hair growth. Make sure to eat a healthy, balanced diet. Avoid using a blow dryer--let your hair air-dry instead. Don't pull your hair back in tight hairstyles, such as buns, braids, pigtails and ponytails. Ask your stylist which haircut he or she recommends, as well as how to style thinning hair to make it appear thicker.
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