Can Moving House Cause Hair Loss?

A life event such as moving house is a big deal, and with big deals come stress, unpredictability, and a whole lot else. So, it's not surprising that for some people, moving house can lead to not just headaches, but hair loss, although what could be causing the excess shedding?

For men, the vast majority of hair loss is down to genetics, and the condition known as male pattern balding, where the androgen hormone DHT attacks hair follicles causing miniaturisation and weaker, thinner hair to be produced. However, both men and women (though more commonly women) can experience hair loss due to various other factors that could be related to moving house.

A Stressful Move?

For instance, stress is generally accepted as a trigger for hair loss, though the form this hair loss takes can vary. Firstly, it is generally agreed that in some instances, stress can trigger the early onset of male pattern hair loss and a variety of women's hair loss conditions, meaning that a hair loss treatment plan needs to be put in place earlier to halt the rate of loss and regrow thinning patches.

Stress can also cause short term forms of hair loss that do not require continual treatment to maintain results. For instance, telogen effluvium might occur, which is when a stressful event causes hairs to prematurely enter the resting (telogen) stage of their cycle. The resting phase usually lasts about three months, at which point hair sheds.

It Is Allergies?

Hair loss due to telogen effluvium usually grows back by itself, though a hair loss treatment programme can help if hair fails to return to its previous density. However, telogen effluvium can sometimes be ongoing until the underlying stress has been dealt with, so if you're still going through a stressful period after the move, this may be the cause of your hair loss.

So, other than stress, what other issues related to moving house could be an issue? Allergies can trigger the auto-immune disorder alopecia areata, which can lead to patchy hair loss. Alopecia areata has been treated with high degrees of success at Belgravia with an extra-strength minoxidil cream.

Of course, it's also true that the onset of pattern hair loss may have been coincidental to your move. A hair loss specialist would be able to determine the cause of your hair loss and recommend a treatment plan containing a variety of hair loss products whilst providing support and advice concerning your individual case.