How Stress Affects Your Hair? Yeah, it’s More Than Hair Fall!

If you are molting now and then, you know it’s because of everyday stress. Seeing those stray hair strands on your pillow cover and a couple of tresses going down the drain every time you shower is disappointing to the core. But that’s not the end! Stress not just leads to hair fall but can affect your hair and scalp in the broadest sense you can ever imagine. From hair fall and dandruff and itchy scalp to scalp eczema, have a gist of hair woes that are consequences of stress, and also discover their respective fixes.

The Problem: Hair Fall

Both mental and physical stress can take their toll on your hair health. Bereaved from the death of a loved one, juggling personal and work life, and even simple fuss can make you stressed. End result? Hair shedding soon following the trauma! Amid mounting stress, not eating right can exacerbate the problem. But fret not! Although stress can’t be avoided, you can certainly take the edge off it.

The Fix

• Keep stress in check. Give your mind and body to heal no matter what you are going through.
• Meditate, yoga, or exercise to stall the effect of stress-related hair loss.
• Always use toxin-free shampoos, conditioners, hair oils, and hair gels. Try using Bhring It On Hair Oil from Super Smelly — the best natural oil with ZERO TOXINS. The haircare goodie will nourish your scalp and follicles and prevent hair fall and hair thinning.
• Use tea tree oil for hair loss. Try cocktailing it with bhringraj oil or onion oil for exemplary results.
• You can also use tea tree oil for hair growth apart from hair fall.
• Do what you fancy — reading a book, playing video games, or any other thing of choice for at least an hour every day.
• If your hair feels dry, it’s high time to start regular champi sessions. Don’t forget to condition your hair after every hair wash.
• If hair fall doesn’t stop, see your doctor.

The Problem: Dandruff

A dry and itchy scalp is normal on some days — either because of weather or healthy shedding of dead cells. But what if stress accelerates flaking and itchiness? This can give rise to white flakes aka dandruff. Stress can take the production of certain hormones several notches up and eventually impede the scalp’s barrier function. The outcome? Moisture is lost quickly making the scalp and hair drier. Also, irritants can easily make their way into the scalp and entail itching or irritation.

The Fix

• Grab natural hair oil with tea tree extract and massage your scalp with it frequently. This will rule out dandruff. Another way to use tea tree oil for the scalp is to mix it with coconut oil before massaging. Make sure the tea tree oil you pick is from the best essential oil brands.
• Cleanse your scalp and tresses with an organic anti-dandruff shampoo.
• Stick to fragrance-free, SLS-free, and hypoallergenic hair care products.
• Use lemon and curd hair mask twice every week to quell dandruff in a jiffy.
• Minimize your stress with a couple of mindfulness exercises.

The Problem: Scalp Eczema & Psoriasis

Stress can lead to scalp eczema in the fullness of time. Characterized by red, flaky, itchy, and dry skin on the scalp, the condition can worsen if not cured on time. Imagine oozing lesions, changes in skin tone, and discharge from the ear. Something unbearable and intimidating! Stress can also trigger psoriasis — where the scalp can develop silvery-white patches that can bleed any time you scratch your head. The worst scenario is the one when scalp eczema and psoriasis occur together.

The Fix

• Dandruff is the unwelcome symptom of scalp eczema. So, cure the former in the first place to avoid the latter.
• If you have excessive dry scalp, condition it with a concoction of bhringraj, amla, onion, and brahmi oil. You can try Bhring It On Hair Oil — the best hair oil for dry hair in India that has the goodness of all these ingredients.
• Wash your scalp and hair with apple cider vinegar to combat scalp eczema.
• If the condition is severe, consult your trichologist for anti-inflammatory ointments, medicated shampoos, etc.
• Be gentle while shampooing, drying, and brushing your hair.
• Take heart in the best hair oil for scalp eczema.
• Use aloe vera gel to soothe your scalp and hydrate the follicles.
• Do yoga, pilates, or meditation to bring your stress levels down.