Increased hair shedding has truly become more prevalent ever since quarantine for a number of key reasons. Diet is certainly a leading factor, as our hair is truly a reflection of what we eat. Many of us have changed our eating habits to more stress-friendly and unhealthy options which can definitely interrupt our entire body’s functions. For example, high fat diets can lead to an increase in sebum (oil) on the scalp- especially the bad types of trans fats: vegetable oils, canola oil, deep-fried foods.

Another major change for many of us involves scalp hygiene. Have you been stretching your shampoo frequency a little more than usual? Using more dry shampoo since you’ve been mostly home? Trying trending DIY hair masks that may be building up on your scalp? Most people have switched up a lot of their usual routines. The important thing here is to be cognizant of any small changes that can have a major impact in the long run. But not to fret, any recent hair loss is most likely temporary and reversible, so long as your act fast in stabilizing your routine.

Beyond those reasons, others may be experiencing loss of appetite due to increased stress which can starve your hair follicle of nutrients and begins to grow in more fine and thin hair. Stress itself can send the body into shock and cause it to shut down the least important systems, your hair growth is one of them. This causes hair to prematurely get pushed into the shedding phase which can take anywhere from three to four months to actually shed- sound familiar at some point during quarantine? Not only have many people suffered from stress-induced hair loss ever since COVID, but studies are now out linking the connection of similar temporary hair loss in those who contracted the virus.

Any kind of sudden hair loss, is temporary hair loss. You just have to get to the bottom of it and I always recommend assessing what habits you may have changed and reverted back to them. If you’re still continuing to lose hair or not seeing any new regrowth, then I would recommend speaking to an integrative specialist who can help connect the dots internally.

Every small change adds up.

See you on the COVID-free side!

Shab