Does the Holidays Affect Your Hair Loss?

For most of us, the holidays are usually balanced against extra stress and in some cases, lots of it. From grocery shopping, entertaining friends and family, big family dinners and busy schedules, it’s easy to forget to take care of yourself. We all know that stress can take its toll on our physical health, but did you know it can also affect your hair? On top of that, the holidays are often accompanied by cooler weather, which can be brutal, and not just on your heating bill and emotional health. Our hair bears the brunt of the damage as well.

But before you dive head first into a wealth of hair growth products, it’s important to take the time to differentiate between hair loss that’s abnormal and hair loss that’s typical for the season, because believe it or not, experiencing a certain amount of hair fall is normal and even healthy. Continue reading to find out how holiday stress and cooler weather can impact your hair.

Learn To Cope With Holiday Stress

With it’s strange ability to dilate time, the period from the middle of November to New Year’s day has a myriad of ways to stress you out: deadlines, family get-togethers in a politically tumultuous time, travel chaos and more.

Unfortunately, stress has a negative impact on your hair’s health, as elevated levels of cortisol— a type of steroid hormone produced by the adrenal gland— can contribute to temporary hair loss. This is more commonly known as telogen effluvium, or excessive shedding.

People who are most susceptible to this type of stress-induced fallout likely have other contributing factors as well, such as a genetic predisposition to male- or female-pattern baldness, or certain health factors that are already influencing the hair follicles (e.g., illness, hormonal imbalance, lack of sleep, medications, poor nutrition, smoking, etc.). Developing strategies to cope with holiday stress will go a long way towards keeping your hair in good shape.

Avoid Crash Diets

We all strive to look the best we can during the holidays, but this can have unseen negative impacts on your health. When you deprive your body of nutrition, it’s more likely that you’ll notice some degree of hair shedding, depending on the length and severity of the diet.

The most common triggers of damaged locks are iron and protein deficiencies. Essentially, when your body thinks it’s lacking essential nutrients, it doesn’t manufacture “luxury” items like hair. To combat this, try to eat healthier— include foods containing vitamins A, B, and C and exercise more. It’s easier to hold on to your hair than it is to regrow it.

Dry Air Takes A Toll

Like it or not, temperatures are starting to drop and the air is becoming more dry. One cause of shedding or thinning hair around the holidays and in winter is dryness. Your radiator and other central heat along with the dry wintry air outside can spell disaster for your hair.

Protect as much of your hair from the winter air when you’re outside. Winter weather can be brutal on your hair, whether you’re simply commuting to work, or ice fishing or snowmobiling on the weekends, take care to protect your hair and skin from the harsh, drying effects of cold winter weather. Though you may have heard the common recommendation to reduce shampooing to every other day, it’s essential to keep your scalp clean to enable the ideal environment for healthy hair to grow. Switch to a gentle shampoo that gently exfoliates and cleanses the scalp to remove debris and sebum.

Back of Mind Concern: Is It Something More?

Invision’s staff is trained to help you find the personal solution that’s right for you in a stress and obligation-free environment.

A trained hair restoration specialist will examine your hair and scalp in a private room to get a closer look at the hair loss you’re experiencing. Not only will the consultant provide you with expert advice about the best options for your situation, expectations and budget, but you’ll also receive:

• Professional analysis and in-depth evaluation of your hair loss and scalp condition.
• Description of the factors that may be affecting your hair loss
• Detailed treatment plan that will provide you with the best possible results for your condition

Talk to a Hair Restoration Specialist and Get Your Hair Back

If you are concerned that your thinning hair or hair loss is a sign of something more than a common winter ailment, it’s crucial to seek out the opinion of a trained hair restoration specialist. Invision’s hair and scalp analysis is the most simple and effective way to get the facts about your hair’s current condition.