Hair loss can have various causes, such as medication use, menopause, poor nutrition, genetic predisposition or the incorrect use of hair products. However, stress plays a major role in hair loss. Exactly how stress causes hair loss is not yet fully understood. We do know that stress changes the body chemically, which in turn results in inflammation and hair loss.
Stressful circumstances, such as divorce, death of a loved one, illness, financial problems and work-related stress, lead to a high production of the stress hormone cortisol. Prolonged exposure to cortisol causes the body to become inflamed and this increases the likelihood of hair loss. With chronic stress, cortisol accumulates and the hair follicles can shrink, resulting in thinning of the hair.
Drugs can also cause hair loss. For example, chemotherapy can lead to hair loss. It is then important to understand that this is a temporary effect. Hair follicles usually recover from it and when the drug treatment ends, the hair will usually grow back.