Alopecia, or hair loss has become notably prevalent in contemporary times, affecting individuals of almost every age group. Its prevalence is quite common, which underscores the diverse challenges faced by different individuals.
However, being a victim of hair thinning or hair loss could indirectly affect your confidence and self-esteem. Therefore, it is always better to look for its underlying cause, whether it be genetics, stress, medications, or any other. This will help you in eliminating the factors worsening your alopecia.
So let’s uncover the factors worsening alopecia in detail and solve this mystery!
Factors Worsening Alopecia
Flaring up of alopecia is a serious concern among people dealing with this problem. However, alopecia may or may not worsen depending on its underlying causes.
For instance, alopecia areata occurring in younger age is likely to worsen over time, whereas mild cases of alopecia areata typically occurring in older age do not worsen.
Let’s have a look at the different factors affecting alopecia.
Stress
Stress is one of the major triggers of alopecia. People experiencing alopecia particularly due to stress experience frequent hair loss when they are more anxious. Thus, stress contributes significantly to flare-up of alopecia.
Reducing stress and living an anxiety-free life is the key to preventing alopecia from worsening due to stress.
Illness
Certain illnesses also contribute to aggravating hair loss episodes.
Diseases like thyroid-related disorders, diabetes mellitus, typhoid fever, inflammatory bowel disease, and various cancers are known to exacerbate alopecia.
Nutritional Deficiencies
Maintaining a healthy and balanced diet is essential for healthy and stronger hair growth. Several nutrient deficiencies play a key role in the exacerbation of alopecia. They can worsen alopecia in various ways as listed under:
- Iron deficiency can lead to hair thinning and shedding of hair.
- Inadequate levels of Vitamin D can impair the hair growth cycle.
- Zinc is essential for hair repair and its deficiency will lead to severe hair impairment.
- Vitamin B7 or biotin deficiency can cause hair brittleness.
- Low protein intake also contributes notably to the aggravation of alopecia.
- Vitamin A deficiency can lead to irregular hair growth.
Vitamin A Excess
Excess of anything is never good. Though vitamin A is essential for healthy hair growth, excess intake can worsen alopecia. Hypervitaminosis A negatively impacts alopecia, leading to severe and irreparable hair loss.
Thus, it is always necessary to maintain a balance between vitamin A intake.
Scalp Infections
Different types of bacterial or fungal infections affecting the scalp like ringworm infection, folliculitis, or cellulitis can cause pre-existing alopecia to worsen if left untreated for longer periods.
Improper Scalp Hygiene
Improper scalp hygiene, not oiling your hair frequently, not shampooing properly, or brushing your hair roughly can also aggravate your alopecia.
It is always recommended to have proper hygiene of your hair and scalp for healthy and nourishing hair.
Inflammatory Skin Conditions
Inflammatory skin conditions like eczema, cellulitis, psoriasis, or folliculitis can also contribute to worsening of alopecia.
Autoimmune Conditions
Autoimmune conditions with exaggerated abnormal immune responses like systemic lupus erythematosus or rheumatoid arthritis can also worsen alopecia.
Medications
Certain medications like anticoagulants, antidepressants, and chemotherapeutic drugs have side effects of causing alopecia. Thus, they can also intensify the condition.
The Final Verdict
In a nutshell, several factors like stress, illnesses, nutritional imbalances, autoimmune infections, medications, and scalp infections can worsen alopecia significantly.
Managing the causative factors along with lifestyle modifications can have a profound effect in stopping your alopecia from worsening.
Remember to always consult your healthcare provider before making any decisions!