Stress and your hair's health

In charting my hair's progress, I have noted several things that have already been mentioned by health and beauty articles.  That is, medications and stress affect hair growth. Through personal experience, over the past ten years or so, I can say that is most definitely true.  I have taken medication for blood pressure over that time period and I would like to share my experience with one in particular-Norvasc.

Norvasc and the hair

My experience with Norvasc was that after about a year, I noted that my hair, upon combing or brushing, was shedding.  I felt that this was strange because at that time, I did not have a relaxer, so I wasnt.'t suffering from chemical damage.  I assumed tht it was maybe due to my occasional usage of gel, to smooth the edges.  (Somehow, that didn't feel right because the hair that I was shedding was not just around the delicate edges, but, was throughout my entire head. That usually means that something systemic is going on) Well, being busy with work, a household and kids, I didn't give it much more thought until I washed, combed or did something different to my hair.  After awhile, I had to admit the inevitable-my hair was shedding.

I was determined to find out what was going on, but didn't know just where to start.  That little voice deep down finally spoke to me as I kept asking myself what I was doing differently that could affect my hair.  Finally, the light shined.  I began to look up side effects of medication.  Initially, I got nowhere.  Finally, I checked out some medication forums and found the answer.  There were at least five comments on hair breakage and the medication.  Needless to say, my medication was switched. After a few months, the dryness and breakage ceased.

Stress and your hair

Tell  me, who doesn't have stress?  But, working in an ED, along with other personal life issues, I guess that I've had my share. 

When under stress, the body releases chemicals to the hair follicles that cause it to go into a resting phase.  Unfortunately, the hair will still shed as normal.  After a short while, the individual does notice that something is going on with the hair.  This usually adds more stress-a vicious cycle.  Note, this doesn't begin while the stress is going on, but rather, after it has stopped.  That's why it's good to step back and take a look at one's lifestyle, because stress is definitely harmful to the body.

Is this hair loss permanent?  The good thing about this is that no, it generally is not.  In three to six months or so, after the stress has past, the hair was resume growth.

In summary

So, ladies, take time out for you.  Evaluate your life and the stress therein.  If it is too much, do something about it.

As for me, the job is gone.  I am trying to eat and live right.  Let's see what happens.  I will chart the progress.