Aromatherapy For Stress-Induced Hair Loss

Did you know that if you are suffering from stress-induced hair loss, aromatherapy can be part of an effective, long-term strategy to regain and retain your flowing locks? Certain essential oils can provide a dual-action treatment that works on two different levels to help combat stress induced hair loss.

So how does it work? Relaxing essential oils are the perfect natural solution for helping to reduce feelings of emotional stress which can cause stress-induced hair loss. Secondly, revitalising essential oils can be used directly to help stimulate hair regrowth.

What causes hair loss?

The average person loses 100 hairs a day, which the body normally replaces with new growth. Unfortunately for some people, their hair doesn’t grow back and they continue to shed strands at a much greater rate. This is usually considered to be due to your genes, and it’s widely accepted that hair loss is mostly a hereditary issue, especially in men and women who suffer from pattern baldness.

However, it’s not always as clear cut as pointing to a specific gene, since in many cases both sexes can lose hair naturally due to the negative effects of stress. This is commonly known as stress induced hair loss, and it can be difficult to treat without first dealing with the stress.

The effect of stress on the hair

Traumatic events are known to interfere with the normal hair growth cycle, and this can eventually lead to stress induced hair loss. This condition is called Telogen Effluvium. It’s important to note that this is the result of physiological stress, as opposed to emotional stress.

What’s the difference? By physiological stress we mean diet, medical or lifestyle changes. Also, emotional stress can lead to physiological stress due to the symptoms we develop when we’re under pressure, such as when we stop exercise or begin overeating as an effect of stress.

A common time women develop Telogen Effluvium is after pregnancy, which is due to the stress childbirth places on both the body and mind. Add into this mix the disrupted sleep and eating patterns, and this creates a perfect storm of stress-induced hair-loss triggers.

Dual-action aromatherapy treatment

To help treat stress-induced hair loss, the first strategy involves removing the source of stress. It doesn’t matter whether this involves correcting a change in your circumstances such as diet, stabilising your weight or simply getting more sleep, once stability has been restored it is more likely that hair will begin to grow again.

If the reason you are experiencing physiological stress symptoms is due to the emotional pressures in your life, using stress and anxiety-busting essential oils to calm the mind is obviously a good place to start.. Clinical research has proven essential oils to be effective against helping to alleviate stress due to their unique chemical composition that has a therapeutic effect on various areas of the brain.

Have a de-stressing aromatherapy bath soak

The easiest way to reduce stress levels and restore your mental health is to indulge in a nice soak in the tub, containing linalool-rich, de-stressing essential oils. Try geranium or palmarosa for their rebalancing properties. Light a few candles and play some relaxing music in your bathroom, and add 6-8 drops of your chosen essential oils to the bath. You can use any combination of these oils, but use no more than 8 drops in total. Be sure to use an aromatherapy bath dispersant and agitate the water well to ensure the oil is evenly dispersed before stepping into the bath.

Ideally you should also use these essential oils in a body massage too. The combination of the essential oils along with the revitalising effects of massage stimulates the nervous system and relieves built-up tension. Simply add a total of 5 drops of essential oil to 10ml of carrier oil, or if you prefer, add your chosen essential oils to a lotion base and apply after a bath or shower.

Essential oils to stimulate hair growth

Several essential oils can help support hair regrowth due to their ability to stimulate the tiny blood vessels of the scalp where the hair follicles are created. This increases the oxygenated blood flow which also carries vital nutrients to the follicles to keep them healthy. Using the correct essential oils regularly in scalp massage treatments also relaxes the muscles of the scalp, and has a beneficial toning action too.

A blend of white thyme, rosemary, cedarwood atlas and lavender has been proven in clinical trials to stimulate hair regrowth. So, blend these essential oils with 10ml of a carrier oil and apply the mixture directly to the scalp and massage gently. Some of the best carrier oils for this purpose include arnica, calendula, black seed, borage, coconut, evening primrose, jojoba and macadamia, as these contain nutrients and conditioning properties.

Future-proof your hair

Many of life’s traumas can’t be avoided, but prevention still remains better than the cure. So it’s wise to live the sort of lifestyle that limits the risk of stress-related hair loss. This means eating the right foods and engaging in plenty of exercise, plus ensuring you get a good night’s sleep. Combined with aromatherapy, this strategy should limit the sort of wild fluctuations that cause physiological stress.

There’s no quick fix to stress induced hair loss, and improvement does take a little time. The most important thing is to remain positive and keep up the aromatherapy treatments until you see results. Make a commitment to changing your lifestyle for the better and try aromatherapy for stress-induced hair loss.