Nervous alopecia: symptoms, causes and treatment
Hair loss is clinically known as alopecia. And it is that men and women can suffer hair loss from a certain age, for various reasons.
Alopecia can have many different origins, frequently its causes are genetic or come from a bad diet, nutritional deficiencies can lead to pathological conditions such as anemia, where the lack of iron is likely to cause alopecia.
One of the most common causes of hair loss is stress. Stress is a condition that adds to all the other factors, and it is one of the main reasons why people who suffer from alopecia lose more or less hair.
In cases where stress is the main cause of hair loss, we speak of alopecia nervosa.. In this article we will talk about this pathology describing its causes, symptoms, possible treatments and the different types of hair loss that stress produces.
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What is alopecia nervosa?
Nervous alopecia is a pathology in which hair loss resulting from situations of stress, anxiety, depression or other conditions that affect the nerves.
Nervous alopecia can appear in people without previous hair loss problems, suddenly the hair can start to fall without any previous condition. Alopecia nervosa can also make hair loss worse in people who already had hair loss problems.
Problems that affect the nerves are quite common in our current society. The pace and modern lifestyle can create stress and anxiety in many people. These two conditions are responsible for numerous dermatological problemssuch as hair loss. In prolonged or intense stress situations, 7 out of 10 of our hair follicles can be affected, as experts point out.
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Causes of hair loss
A recent study published in the journal Nature demonstrated the physiological relationship between hair loss and stress.
The hair follicle is the part of the scalp where the stem cells that give rise to hair growth are concentrated, it ascends from a tube-shaped fold. The hair or hair is composed of keratinized cells originated and renewed by the hair follicle. The hair follicle is in constant operation, it is one of the most dynamic structures in the entire body.
In the study carried out by Nature it was shown the so-called stress hormone cortisol affects the stem cells of the hair follicle. Cortisol puts the stem cells into a prolonged resting phase, there is no regeneration of the follicle or hair and ultimately baldness occurs.
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Types of stress-related hair loss
Stress is responsible for causing hair loss. There are three types of hair loss that are associated with high levels of stress:
1. telogen effluvium
Telogen effluvium (TE) occurs when there is a change in the number of follicles responsible for hair growth. If this change occurs during the telogen phase, the resting phase of hair growth, it can lead to hair loss.
The loss of follicles is not homogeneous, it does not normally occur throughout the head, it appears in specific areas. Especially hair is lost in the center of the head, giving rise to the appearance of clapas. People affected by ET usually do not lose all the hair on their scalp.
In more severe cases of this condition, people with ET may experience hair loss on other parts of the body, such as the eyebrows or genital area.
Telogen effluvium is the second most common type of hair loss and a frequent cause of dermatological consultation. Hair loss can occur in both men and women, regardless of age.
ET does not permanently damage hair follicles, therefore the associated hair loss is reversible. When the follicles recover, the hair will grow back and in a few months the clapas will disappear. For this to occur, the underlying cause responsible for the ET must be treated, in this case stress. If the situation of stress or anxiety continues over time, it can affect more follicles and permanently.
2. alopecia areata
Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease. The immune system recognizes the follicles as foreign bodies and attacks them, causing hair loss. The origin of alopecia areata, like other autoimmune conditions, can be stress.
hair loss can be in the form of claps, usually round, or spread throughout the scalp. Alopecia areata in its most serious form can affect the entire body and attack hair in all areas, this condition is known as universal alopecia.
Alopecia areata can present periods of remission where the hair grows back. However, there is still no defined treatment for this autoimmune disease. Although there are pharmacological treatments to help people who suffer from hair loss greater than 50%. This condition is more frequent than is thought and affects approximately 2 out of every 100 people in Spain.
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3. trichotillomania
Trichotillomania is a type of traumatic alopecia, included in the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) and is part of obsessive-compulsive disorders.
Trichotillomania is defined as the act of continuous hair pulling, causing noticeable hair loss. A person with trichotillomania may pull out hair on the scalp or other areas of the body.
Normally, hair pulling occurs when the person is bored or distracted, and does so unconsciously. Sometimes jerks can also be used as a way to relieve stress or other negative emotions, in this case they are conscious.
Hair loss caused by trichotillomania is notable, especially in the area of the face: scalp, eyebrows and eyelashes. This causes shame in affected people, which causes greater stress and aggravates the disorder, producing a kind of vicious circle.
- Related article: "Trichotillomania: The Strange Obsession of Pulling Out Your Hair"
Is hair loss caused by stress permanent?
One of the questions that most worries people who suffer from alopecia nervosa is whether hair loss is permanent. If the main cause is stress, it is possible for hair to grow back over time, although the rate of recovery will vary from person to person.
The growth of human hair responds to a cycle that is divided into four phases with their different times. The human scalp has on average about 100,000 follicles, each of the hair follicles is in a different phase of the growth cycle. Depending on the growth phase of the follicle, it will take more or less to grow.
- the anagen phase. It lasts from two to seven years, it is the phase of hair growth.
- the catagen phase. It is the short phase, it lasts about two weeks and occurs when the hair follicle begins to shrink.
- the telogen phase. In this phase the follicle is at rest, normally lasting three months.
- the exogenous phase. In this phase the follicle detaches from the hair and begins new growth.
If your hair loss has been triggered by stress, managing your stress may be the key to getting your hair back to a healthy rate of growth.
Treatment of alopecia nervosa
There are a number of strategies that can be followed to reduce stress-related hair loss and encourage recovery, including a healthy diet, stress management techniques, and treatment pharmacological.
1. diet and nutrition
Eating a healthy and balanced diet is essential for general health, which includes the scalp. Although the diet should provide a whole series of essential vitamins, some greatly help hair growth. They can be included in the diet or as supplements. Vitamin C, B and E help prevent hair loss.
In the face of any health problem, correct hydration is essential, since all the cells of the body depend on water to function. Health professionals recommend drinking between 2.7 and 3.7 liters of water daily. Not all water comes directly from drinks, food also includes water, so about 8 glasses of water a day are recommended to achieve good hydration.
2. stress management
Learning to manage stress levels effectively can help reduce the risk of further hair loss. People may try different stress management techniques before finding the one that works best for them and fits their personality. Although there are some popular ways to reduce stress, What:
- The practice of physical exercise
- Dedicate time to hobbies
- To write a diary
- Breathing and meditation techniques.
3. topical treatments
A series of creams, oils, and other topical products can help with hair loss, minoxidil, corticosteroids and castor oil are often used to combat alopecia problems.