The holidays are a busy, stressful time of the year. Between the looming threat of COVID and the uncertainty of whether or not we can be with loved ones, our anxiety levels have gone through the roof.
Now, stress has been found to lead to increased hair shedding as we try to cope with the chaos. It’s not just stress that’s to blame, though. As autumn turns to winter, the air becomes dryer and cooler. This can also trigger increased hair loss. Fortunately, there are things you can do to prevent this from becoming a problem:
Avoid Holiday Stress
Holiday stress is common during the holiday season. Our society often celebrates with parties, big family gatherings, and a stressful schedule of presents, shopping, cleaning up, and decorating. All these activities combined with your usual dose of stressors at work can become a little too overwhelming at times. When stress levels remain high for long periods of time, the body’s secretion of the hormone cortisol increases dramatically, especially in response to stress hormones like epinephrine. Cortisol is known as a glucocorticoid, which is a hormone that’s identified with hair loss.
If you are lucky enough to be taking a break from work to spend time with your family this holiday season, you should take that chance to rest, especially if you’re already suffering from hair loss.
Curb Your Holiday Eating and Drinking
Food and alcohol can also cause stress in our bodies. When we consume too much, our body undergoes a lot of physical changes. From digestion to metabolization, these things are responsible for the changes that are happening. While the food we consume gives us energy, the alcohol we consume has some negative effects. Alcohol is known for causing dehydration which then affects our hair and scalp. If you want to avoid hair loss over Christmas, then limit how much alcohol you consume and how often.
Protect Yourself from the Dry Winter Air
When winter arrives, the air dries out everywhere, even inside your home. That dryness can heavily affect your scalp’s health, which will lead to hair loss. To combat this, you can wash your hair with a mild shampoo that exfoliates the skin on your scalp and cleanses it of oil. This will keep your hair looking fresh and clean, and it will soften the brittleness that can come from dry air. To follow up, apply a lightweight conditioner to your follicles to moisturize your hair.
Seek Professional Hair Care
If you have already started to suffer from hair loss over the holidays, you might consider seeking help from a medical professional to have it addressed. Whether you have thin hair or if you’re balding, you can get the right treatment. Be sure to tell your licensed professional about your stress levels and the causes of your hair loss. You can be confident that you’re going to get the right treatment that will help with your hair growth.
Conclusion
All in all, the holidays are a time to spend with family, friends, and loved ones. While this can be stressful and may trigger hair shedding, there are ways to prevent hair loss over the holidays. Try to stay as relaxed as possible by finding time to de-stress, unwind, and take care of yourself.
Infinity Medical Institute is a pioneer in integrative medicine, and we are dedicated to developing and introducing new approaches to health and wellness to help our clients become the best version of themselves. If you’re looking for a more holistic hair loss treatment as well as other health solutions, we’d be more than happy to help you. Contact us today to book an appointment with our medical experts.
