Is Stress Causing My Hair Loss? Here's How to Tell

22 August, 2025  |  Jane Thomas - Marketing

Hair loss comes in a variety of forms, and it can affect both men and women of all ages. As a result, determining the root cause can be tricky.

When you look into the factors that contribute to hair loss, you'll often see mentions of physical illnesses, pregnancy, specific medications and medical procedures like chemotherapy. But alongside all of them, stress and anxiety are often cited as leading causes of hair loss conditions.

The question is, how true is this? And if you suspect stress or anxiety may be the reason behind your hair loss, how can you be sure if this is the case? We're going to be answering both questions (and plenty more besides) in this blog, taking a closer look at the relationship between stress, anxiety and hair loss.

Does stress and anxiety cause hair loss?

So, the big question: can stress and anxiety cause hair loss? The answer is an emphatic yes: dozens of studies have demonstrated a link between mental health conditions and hair loss over the years.

Stress and anxiety don't usually cause hair loss right away; those who have been through a traumatic event often find that they begin to lose hair roughly three months afterwards, and it typically begins to regrow a few months after that (provided your stress level reduces).

Understanding the relationship between stress and hair loss

Ultimately, the link between stress and hair loss is all down to hormone levels. When we get stressed or anxious and enter 'fight or flight' mode, our bodies over-produce certain hormones - and those same hormones can have an impact on hair growth. If you go through a traumatic event or are permanently stressed out for an extended period of time, your body will be in 'fight or flight' mode for a while - and your elevated hormone levels can eventually cause hair growth to slow down and stop altogether.

To make matters worse, noticing that you're losing hair can elevate your stress level further, making it difficult to break the cycle.

What types of stress-induced hair loss are there?

There are a wide variety of different hair loss conditions out there, and many of them can be brought on by periods of stress or anxiety. Conditions like trichotillomania, telogen effluvium and alopecia areata can all be caused by stress, and all three present themselves in different ways.

Alopecia areata is perhaps the best-known of the three, and results in hair shedding from different patches of your scalp. Happily, there are a variety of different treatment options out there for this condition, so you won't have to live with it forever.

How to tell if stress is causing your hair loss

If you suspect that your mental health is the reason for your hair loss, the first step is to try and identify any potential sources of stress and work to minimise them. For many, the answer to this will be obvious; if you've recently gone through a stressful period (due to a family bereavement, house move or redundancy, for instance), stress is likely to be a key contributor.

If your life has been stressful across the board, try to rank each aspect of your life in order (from most to least stressful). From this, you can formulate a more targeted approach to reduce your stress levels and, ultimately, prevent your hair loss from continuing.

If you feel overly stressed at this time - and efforts to regulate your stress and anxiety levels haven't paid off - speak to a healthcare professional for further advice. Accessing mental health support may prove beneficial to your overall wellbeing, even if your hair loss is proven to be caused by a physical factor. 

Is stress or anxiety-induced hair loss reversible?

Often it is, so try not to panic. Stress-induced hair loss often resolves itself over time without the need for any further treatment, provided you're able to minimise your stress levels and return to a sense of normality. 

Practicing self care - through healthy physical exercise or focusing on rewarding hobbies - and seeking mental health support can often lead to hair regrowth in just a few months - but if you're struggling to get the issue under control, there are a multitude of different hair loss treatments on the market that can help. 

How to treat stress-induced hair loss

From topical ointments to oral tablets, there are various ways to treat hair loss - stress-induced or otherwise. Here at iQ Doctor, you'll find a range of quality hair loss treatments that act fast, delivering noticeable results in as little as three months.

Whether you're looking for a serum such as Minoxidil, or orally admitted tablets including  Finasteride or Propecia, our range offers something to suit everyone. To get started, explore our range of hair loss treatments and begin your free online consultation today.