Hair loss after a severe depression ?

[daryder]

Hello everyone, this is my first post on this forum

I am a 23-year-old man. I've suffered from depression from December 2019 to May 2020 and since then, I've been feeling better but I've still suffered from depression occasionally. My hobbies are sports, martial arts, music and spending time with friends.

My depression made me lose around 55lbs. I wasn't eating anything, I would just starve myself all day.

In March I decided to shave my head completely, it seemed to me like a "fresh start". Before that, I've never noticed any important hair loss, even if I did sometimes lost haire it would be because of the change in seasons, it was "normal", no big deal. Anyway, my hair started to grow again and in May I was chocked to see how much density I lost.

I took this picture in July. Between May and July I started applying (almost everyday) coco oil and peppermint essential oil. Also, I use a 100% natural shampoo. I also bought pills of zinc gluconate and, since November, I am taking vitamin supplements because of the winter, I am not eating enough to provide my body with vitamins.

I am planning to consult a dermatologist to talk about it. My brother is 10 years older than me, his scalp is perfect, dense and my father is 68 and he just started having less density.

Althoug I was depressed, I was working out EVERY DAY, running 3-4 miles every three days, cardio, workout etc. This was my way to forget about depression

I decided in December to apply PEO and coco oil everyday so I can find (I hope) the density I had a few months ago.

Thank you for reading

 

[daryder]

The things I want to know is :
* is this hair loss related to my depression or I am suffering from Alopecia ?
* will my hair grow back ?

 

[CrownBalding]

This happened to me back in May of 2018. Suffered a severe depression and then a few months into it someone mentioned my “bald spot”. I immediately got on finasteride and haven’t lost much since.

I think depression can start or rapidly progress genetic hair loss but the depression itself won’t cause hair loss. Maybe we were destined to lose our hair a bit later in life but the depression kick started it? But I do know for certain that depression won’t cause you to temporarily lose your hair and it’ll just magically come back.

Sorry to hear that you’re depressed. Do your best to try to fight that sh*t (lexapro helped me come out of it). But one things for sure, hair loss won’t help. If I were you, I’d get on finasteride. You caught it early enough and can keep it for an extremely long time if you get on now. A year down the line you’ll most likely lose more and regret not trying it now.

PS: I’ve been on it for over 30 months and no side effects. My hair has stayed just about the same, and at the rate I was losing it, I’d most definitely be way worse off at this point.

 

[NickyA]

Some antidepressants such as SSRI's can cause premature hair loss too.

 

[YoungBalder15]

https://www.hairlosstalk.com/interact/threads/rate-my-hair-at-age-18-and-give-advice.130579/

Same pattern, My hair loss started after extreme stress period.