Stress and hair loss

[Whyatt]

Hmm. I've heard that stress can be a major factor when it comes to hair loss. People getting success with placebo products or products not proven at all, could be explained with the simple fact that they were less stressed thanks to the use of products...so far so good. Less stress = better immune defence, yippie. Still good.

BUT...isnt it the immune defence who attacks the follicle and marks it an "intruder" ?

Now, a weak immune defence would not be able to attack the follicle as much as a healty, non-stressed immune defence?

Hmm, anyone understanding what I'm trying to say? :hairy:

 

[Knendell]

I understand but do not understand the process either. I understand miniaturization but I don;t understand the immune system attacking the hair follicles. Especially when they were once living there very happily.

 

[docj077]

When you read that cortisol is an immunosuppressant or anti-inflammatory, it does so by causing lymphopenia in the blood. The same does not hold true in tissues like the skin. Cortisol actually increases the expression of a particular receptor type that promotes the movement of lymphocytes into tissues like the skin from the blood, which is what causes the decrease in blood immune cells that you'll read about in books or the internet.

The level of cortisol in the blood and the duration of cortisol release and action determine how long this process lasts.

So, when you're under stress and you're releasing cortisol to promote a decrease in free radical production in the blood, you're also promoting just the opposite process in the tissues.

Believe it or not, the above mentioned receptor is one of the receptors that is directly influenced by HIV. So, what does HIV actually end up doing to lymphocytes besides causing their demise? It causes lymphocytes to actually leave the general circulation for tissues, which of course lets HIV continue its rampage throughout the blood.

 

[Cassin]

everyone has stress...

 

[docj077]

everyone has stress...

Exactly. Some people just don't deal with it as well as others.

 

[DammitLetMeIn]

Can overtraining cause chronically elevated levels of cortisol?

 

[bobs]

There is a big difference between being stressed at times and being stressed for a longer period of time.