Gianfranco Zola, stress & male pattern baldness

[Nashville Hairline]

I meant to post this a while back when I cam across an interview with the West Ham manager saying the stress of the job is causing him to lose more of his hair.

This is the closest I can get to a quote:
“It's a big job that involves many things I wasn't aware of. I am working so hard, my brain is very hot,â€￾ Zola grinned. “I am also losing a lot of hair, but I like the job very much. It is a great challenge for me and, the more I get into it, the more I like it. When you think 'I'm a manager' you think you'll be working on the pitch, then you realise there are so many other duties. It is keeping me very busy, but I do it. I like it.â€￾

Here he is when he got the job in September 2008

here he is recently in a friendly against Napoli

now I don't want to turn this into Norwood rating or anything like that but just wondering where people put stress among things that exacerbate the problem?

 

[ali777]

I put it up there, maybe at #1...

Since male hormones trigger genetic hair loss, many researchers believe that stress can aggravate the condition because, during stressful episodes, the adrenal glands increase their output of certain hormones that can lead to the production of more testosterone, thus increasing dihydrotestosterone levels and potentially accelerating hair loss. Some researchers also believe that the skin becomes more sensitive to the effects of testosterone during stress, thus increasing the chances of hair loss.

 

[barcafan]

Im sure its possible but only if the person is predisposed to lose their hair in the first place. It's not causative

 

[s.a.f]

I just wondering where people put stress among things that exacerbate the problem?

I dont put it on the list. I never had any stress but still had agressive hair loss. And how many people have real stress and zero hair loss.
IMO its just a feeble old theory.

 

[Nashville Hairline]

Divided opinions, just as I suspected! I suffer with a good bit of stress in my life this past few years (unemployment, relationship ending, long-standing shoulder pain) and wonder where my male pattern baldness progression would have been without it.

Personally I can't imagine stress reduction not helping at least a little...I mean anything thats good for our health must be good for the hair on some level?

 

[Nashville Hairline]

I put it up there, maybe at #1...

Since male hormones trigger genetic hair loss, many researchers believe that stress can aggravate the condition because, during stressful episodes, the adrenal glands increase their output of certain hormones that can lead to the production of more testosterone, thus increasing dihydrotestosterone levels and potentially accelerating hair loss. Some researchers also believe that the skin becomes more sensitive to the effects of testosterone during stress, thus increasing the chances of hair loss.

Interesting find, thanks. I think this is the source:
http://www.hairandscalp.com/facts8.htm

 

[ali777]

[quote="Nashville Hairline":jhttljus]I just wondering where people put stress among things that exacerbate the problem?

I dont put it on the list. I never had any stress but still had agressive hair loss. And how many people have real stress and zero hair loss.
IMO its just a feeble old theory.[/quote:jhttljus]

No disrespect, but you are always very quick to dismiss the effects of lifestyle on male pattern baldness.

Of course, male pattern baldness is genetic. Our genes define how our hormones are produced and how our body responds to those hormones. No one argues the opposite. But why do you dismiss the effects of lifestyle on our hormonal balance?

Stress can seriously mess up the body. If you suffered some proper stress like me, you'd know. Most of my stress is self-induced. I could have chosen an easier path in life, but then forcing the limits is a human trait and I'm not the only one.

 

[s.a.f]

No disrespect, but you are always very quick to dismiss the effects of lifestyle on male pattern baldness.

Yep thats because the evidence to the contrary is literally everywhere. Look around at the next few NW1's you see I bet most of them are smokers drinkers junk food eaters, most will have similar stress levels to you.

These guys who are trying to live some kind of controlled perfect existance in the belief that it will change what nature has planned for them are just deluding themselves and spoiling their lives.
Look at CCS he cant get out of bed without wondering how it'll effect his looks.

And whilst we're at it what is 'real stress' just go back 100 yrs and you'll find the troubles our ancestors had to face on an everyday basis make life today seem like an all inclusive holiday at a 5 star resort.
Today no one has to worry about starving, the state takes care of everything you dont even have to work if you cant be arsed to.
So judging by that evidence practicly everyone pre 20th century would have been bald.

I have to laugh when I see 19 yr olds on her saying I'm starting to lose my hair - but I'm not going bald its just that I'm doing my exams,

The old stress theory is what the general public always come up with. That and the weak blood flow to the scalp or lack of vitamins bullshit.

M.p.b is genetic period My dad is bald my grandfathers are bald therefore guess what happened to me? There was absolutley zero that I could have done differently in my life to avoid this.

I bet if you went onto a short persons forum you'd find some dumbass theorists claiming that its members never ate enough, calcium in their diets and thats the reason they never grew.
The fact is and any Dr will tell you this there is nothing stronger or nothing that comes remotley anywhere near to genetics to determine how you look. Your DNA is the programming of how you will eventually turn out, the colour of your eyes the height you will grow to the size and shape of your nose.
These days modern science has come up with finasteride and TBH its a modern miracle but its a powerful drug but even that does'nt work for some people with the worst level of hairloss genetics. Theres no way you could get the same results from any kind of lifestyle alteration.

 

[IBM]

The stress theory is sh*t. Its just a denial to male pattern baldness.

I think UC Quantum Samosa (HP) Cat must be thinking that Zola must be thinking "I have enough money to enjoy for the rest of my life and went to manager career. How dumb i am".

 

[vauxall]

I started losing hair at 21 during a massive nervous breakdown. Before than my hair was like a girl's, strong , long. I am not sure that was the only cause but it definitely precipitated it. Just speaking for myself.

 

[Nashville Hairline]

The stress theory is sh*t. Its just a denial to male pattern baldness.

I think UC Quantum Samosa (HP) Cat must be thinking that Zola must be thinking "I have enough money to enjoy for the rest of my life and went to manager career. How dumb i am".

Just to be clear I'm asking does it make it worse.I think most agree it isn't a cause.

Hair loss actually caused by stress comes out in clumps and has no pattern to it.

 

[cuebald]

Hairloss caused by severe stress comes out in a Telogen Effluvium pattern - it thins and falls out in random clumps.
People who lose their hair in this fashion will grow it back as normal once the problem has been resolved.

To illustrate, if your hair loss looks like this, and you think it is stress related, you're probably right:

If it looks like this (below) and you think it is stress, you're about as correct as the posters who claim they only lost their hair when they increased sexual activity, or started lifting weights, or started eating cheese. You're deluded:

If your hairline receeds and you recieve a bald spot at the back, you've got male pattern baldness. It's not stress, you could go from being as stressed as Gordon Brown will be at the next General Election, to a guy at a beach resort without a care in the world, and it would not affect your male pattern baldness one bit.

These clowns who think "it's stress" are just deluding themselves. Oh well, it's their hair that'll fall out regardless of how much meditation they do

 

[s.a.f]

Hairloss caused by severe stress comes out in a Telogen Effluvium pattern - it thins and falls out in random clumps.
People who lose their hair in this fashion will grow it back as normal once the problem has been resolved.

To illustrate, if your hair loss looks like this, and you think it is stress related, you're probably right:

If it looks like this (below) and you think it is stress, you're about as correct as the posters who claim they only lost their hair when they increased sexual activity, or started lifting weights, or started eating cheese. You're deluded:

If your hairline receeds and you recieve a bald spot at the back, you've got male pattern baldness. It's not stress, you could go from being as stressed as Gordon Brown will be at the next General Election, to a guy at a beach resort without a care in the world, and it would not affect your male pattern baldness one bit.

These clowns who think "it's stress" are just deluding themselves. Oh well, it's their hair that'll fall out regardless of how much meditation they do

Thanks guys that clears it up nicely. :bravo:

 

[ali777]

FACT: stress can increase DHT levels...

Google it, or search the medical journals.

 

[s.a.f]

FACT: stress can increase DHT levels...

Google it, or search the medical journals.

Yes but DHT levels dont matter what matters is your follicles genetic susseptibility.
If you are destined to be a NW7 you could have low D.H.T and still be bald in your early 20's.
Your hairloss is pre determined from when you were born.

Look at William and Harry both should have the same stress levels, but one is going bald rapidly while the other has no loss at all. Harry lucked out with his genetics.

 

[ali777]

FACT: stress can increase DHT levels...

Google it, or search the medical journals.

Yes but DHT levels dont matter what matters is your follicles genetic susseptibility.

FACT: finastride works by reducing DHT

 

[s.a.f]

Yeah and its not a proven cure. And I'd bet that the difference in lowering D.H.T levels by a drug like finasteride is far greater than the increased levels from stress.

 

[cuebald]

I can't find anywhere that says chronic stress results in raised DHT levels.
I did find plenty of places that state that chronic stress results in lower testosterone levels in men - can't find anything about DHT. I doubt that this has even been studied.
Your fact more resembles fiction.

Sorry guys, but it's not stress that's causing your male pattern baldness. I'm not saying lower stress levels, hell I'm all for being chilled out, but if you ditch the finasteride thinking that meditation will make up for it, you're going to be in for a nasty surprise.

BTW I've gotten an easy job and have been pretty chilled out in the past 2 years. Has that stopped my hair falling out? :shakehead:

 

[ali777]

I can't find anywhere that says chronic stress results in raised DHT levels.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldness

# Emotional stress has been shown to accelerate baldness in genetically susceptible individuals.[26]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8003325

Our findings showed a significant elevation of F in both male and female AH patients compared to controls, pointing to the suprarenes as a contributing factor in AH. This is confirmed by the observation of exacerbated AH in periods of increased stress.

http://www.dermadoctor.com/article_Stre ... n_244.html

The reason: it wasn't simple telogen effluvium at all, but coincidental androgenic alopecia triggered by higher levels of circulating DHT. Coincidentally, this female or male pattern hair loss was likely in its infancy and was grossly sped along much to the chagrin of the unfortunate patient.

 

[Boondock]

It'd be interesting to see how much stress raises DHT levels. I doubt it's very much. There are plenty of studies which say "food x raises hormone y", but when you get down to the level of effect, there really is precious little difference. Green tea might reduce DHT levels, but it does so to such a limited amount that nobody treats male pattern baldness with it. The same works with stress in reverse.

I think it's really a problem of misattributed causation. If someone starts losing their hair - Zola, for example - they realize that they're under stress, and say: "aha! the stress is the cause of my hair loss!"

Except it isn't. Plenty of people are stressed all the time. They don't lose their hair. Plenty of people are relaxed most of the time - and do lose their hair.

In male pattern baldness genetics trumps all.