Case Study 14 – Stress Causes Hair Loss
Carrie* was going through an extremely stressful time in her personal life. With her marriage falling apart the pressure and anxiety were taking their toll physically as well as emotionally. In addition to rapidly losing weight over the past 12 months, Carrie’s hair health was also suffering.
Carrie discussed the possible causative influences of her hair loss as well as her medical and family history with her Ashley and Martin consultant during her initial appointment. Upon examination it was found that Carrie was experiencing a diffuse thinning of hair at the front of her head and mid-scalp. While Female Pattern Hair Loss can present with a thinning of the hair as the consultant was seeing with Carrie, he felt her hair loss was more likely to be triggered by the current stresses in her life rather than genetics. Her hair loss had not been gradual nor was her hair line receding or central parting line widening as would more commonly be seeing in Female Pattern Hair Loss. Telogen Effluvium presents as rapid, diffuse shedding of hair two to three months after a traumatic event and this is what the consultant was seeing with Carrie.
As Carrie was in the early stages of hair loss her Ashley and Martin consultant recommended she use a laser cap to promote new hair growth and compliment the use of this in home laser treatment with targeted nutritional supplements and specialised hygiene products. Another contributing factor to this recommendation was that Telogen Effluvium is an often temporary and completely reversible condition. Carrie was not in need of ongoing medical treatment for genetic hair loss, but a solution to remedy the damage caused to her body by the stress she was undergoing.
Carrie is delighted to have one of the stresses in her life taken care off and has a renewed sense of confidence to walk forward into her new life.
*name changed for privacy reasons
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