Depression can have a significant effect on the body. That includes the scalp and hair. There is a link between depression and hair loss, an issue that affects men, women and young people.<\/p>\n
A mood disorder characterized by feelings of sadness, worthlessness, or hopelessness, the National Institute of Mental Health<\/a> that more than 21 million adults in the United States had at least one major depressive episode. Hair loss and stress are also related, with three types of hair loss associated with high stress according to the Mayo Clinic<\/a>. They include telogen effluvium which pushes hair follicles into the resting phase, trichotillomania causing sufferers to pull out their hair from the scalp and alopecia areata when the body’s immune system attacks hair follicles.<\/p>\n Depression and hair loss share commonalities. Both hair loss and depression can create loss of interest or taking pleasure in hobbies and activities. As one HairClub Client shared in her testimonial, before finding HairClub, she stopped going to the beach entirely, which was her stress reliever and favorite pastime. Her advanced hair loss made her too self-conscious. Similarly, depression can cause people to stop caring about things that once brought them joy.<\/p>\n \u201cHair loss can absolutely be a trigger for the development of depression or the worsening of any pre-existing depression in some individuals,\u201d said Dr. Angie Phipps, HairClub medical advisor and board-certified hair restoration surgeon\u00a0with Bosley, the surgical hair restoration partner within the HairClub family. \u201cPeople can become so self-conscious about their hair loss and thinning hair that it can progress from just being something that bothers someone to a very real catalyst for clinical depression.\u201d<\/p>\n The link between depression and hair loss can be physical and psychological. Depression can sometimes lead to hair loss and hair loss can trigger depression. Even with professional treatment for depression symptoms, hair loss due to underlying issues related to the condition can occur.<\/p>\n \u201cHair loss isn’t something to just brush off and tell individuals that they shouldn’t worry about it, that it’s just genetics and bad luck \u2013 hair loss and the mental health toll it can take on some individuals needs to be recognized, openly discussed, and talked about with real interest and validation,\u201d said Dr. Phipps. \u201cEveryone, including health care providers need to be cognizant of and take seriously the issue of depression and hair loss.\u201d<\/p>\nWhat is the CONNECTION between hair loss and depression?<\/h2>\n