Is Stress Hair Loss Temporary And Will It Grow Back On Its Own?'

Name: Georgi

Question: Hi there, I'm 27 years old, none of my parents , grandparents etc have any hair issues. My grandmother is 78 without a single white hair. I've noticed a hair thinning recently and it was getting worse and worse. I'm now using minoxidil twice a day and after 2 weeks I noticed even more shredding. I have been under stress for the past year and I do think this can be one of the reasons that I'm losing hair. My question is how long does it take the shredding from the minoxidil to stop and for results to come back. Another question is, I spoke with my GP and he thinks my hair will come back when I'm not under that much stress and if I'm eating healthy. Can this be the case also? Can i expect my hair to come back naturally?

Answer: Hi Georgi, stress can absolutely cause shedding, either by leading to temporary hair loss conditions, triggering the early onset of genetic shedding where there is an underlying predisposition, or by exacerbating existing hereditary conditions. Minoxidil hair shedding varies from person to person but try not to worry as this is often a good sign. You should find it lasts no more than four weeks but as you are not a Belgravia patient you should ask your treatment provider for more specific, personalised advice if you have any concerns.

Temporary hair thinning caused solely by stress tends to affect the whole scalp pretty evenly, so if you are losing hair from all over your scalp this should rectify itself naturally within 6-12 months depending on the condition - Telogen Effluvium (up to six months) or Chronic Telogen Effluvium (more than six months). Treatment, often involving specific formulations of topical medication and backed up with additional non-pharmaceutical supporting products, such as Hair Vitalics food supplements, is also available in these instances which you can use until normal hair growth has been restored.

If the hair loss is hereditary it will only affect the top of the scalp and hairline areas. In this case it is permanent but there are treatment options to help manage the condition. Although you mention no hair issues in your family, it is still possible to be a carrier of the genetic makeup found in Male and Female Pattern Baldness, it may simply remain dormant unless triggered.

It is also possible to have both temporary and permanent hair loss conditions simultaneously. This can often present as diffuse thinning over the whole scalp but with the vertex (top), temporal and frontal areas being worse affected.

As there are so many variables when it comes to thinning hair we would recommend having a professional consultation, either in person or online, in order to establish a confirmed diagnosis. From there, where appropriate, you can be provided with personalised hair loss treatment recommendations based on the findings.