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New Study: Divorce Contributes to Female Hair Loss
by Colleen O'Donovan
Does a happy marriage lead to a healthy hairline? That seems to be the outcome of a new study from the Case Western School of Medicine, which finds that divorce or the death of a spouse is one of the leading causes of a receding hairline in women.
The study, led by Dr. Bahman Guyuron, discovered that marital status is the second-leading cause of hair loss in women, just behind genetics. Dr. Guyuron’s team took genetics out of the equation by limiting their study to sets of identical twins.
When adjusting for this, they found something that seems surprising, but in the end probably isn’t-- hair loss can be triggered by divorce or death. The cause of this is most likely the enormous amount of stress produced in these situations.
This is clearly hard news, and it just adds to the toll caused by a marriage ending sadly. And, unfortunately, stress tends to double itself up, so you might be more stressed out by losing your hair- which of course leads to even more hair loss.
The flip side of this is that when you take out genetics or divorce, the causes of hair loss tend to be things you can easily control. The next leading factors are excessive drinking and smoking. These tend to lead to hair loss pattern in what is known as the coronal area, at the top of the head. If crippling hangovers and the inability to breathe weren’t enough motivation to cut down these habits, the fear of losing your hair should convince you!
Luckily, the studies also show that a few drinks a week actually reduces the chances of hair loss, so not all is lost. You can also limit damage to your hair by reducing the amount of time you spend directly exposed to the sun, and, interestingly, by drinking more coffee. Basically, your risk factors increase with excess, but seem to level off with a moderate intake of the finer things in life.
If you are facing hair loss, either through controllable causes or for reasons of inescapable genetics, there is no need to accelerate the process by stressing out about it. Some hair loss in women can be reversed merely through an increase in vitamins, replenishing what your body has lost in the sun or under the glow of a bar’s flickering fluorescent.
Of course, there are times when that won’t be enough, and if you want to avoid wigs, there are other options. Hair transplant surgery for women is becoming increasingly popular. While it doesn’t promise total recovery, it does offer a permanent way to maintain your head of hair. You would want to consult with a reputable doctor, or even more than one, before taking this step.
Whatever one chooses, it is always important to remember that while some hair loss may be inevitable, especially if one is tagged for it genetically, there are ways to slow it down. And perhaps just as important, there are ways to reverse it. Hopefully, that will ease a lot of the stress of divorce. It might not solve everything, but it will take a load off your shoulders, and keep one on your scalp.
To learn more about hair loss causes, you can contact us today to set up a free consultation with a hair loss specialist in your area.
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