Sometimes life just feels like a little bit much. It usually comes in waves but the subtle underlying hum of stress that we all seem to experience in our everyday can be tricky to navigate. What makes it worse is when it visibly shows on your body. Be it hormonal acne, dull skin or, in this case, hair loss, stress-induced beauty blunders are not welcomed! And it seems we’re not the only ones experiencing a thinning hair line at the hands of life uncertainty. During a recent early-morning Gritty Pretty Zoom call, half of the team noted that their hair was thinning. Not falling out per se but just not as thick as usual.

So, are stress and hair loss reallycorrelated? Absolutely. Here, two of Australia’s leading hairdressers explain what’s happening and what you can do about it.

“Stress is a main factor in hair loss and is generally the first question I ask when someone is concerned about excessive hair loss,” says Hairstylist & AVEDA Guest Artist Darren Summors.

News flash: our lives are busier than ever and with technology always at our fingertips, it’s getting more and more difficult to switch off. Jaye Edwards, Founder, Colourist and Director of EdwardsAndCo, has seen a rise in clients complaining of hair loss: “It is becoming more common in both females and males and occurring at earlier ages.”

If your hair loss is moderate, Edwards always recommends seeing a trichologist [hair and scalp specialist] to determine what the underlying cause is. “Unfortunately there is no one size fits all solution,” he explains. “So I recommend every individual seeks professional advice to determine what works for them.”

What can you do, now?

1. If you’re a frequent washer, start by cutting back on the amount of times you wash per week. “Not over washing hair will significantly help,” says Summors. Once or twice a week should do the trick.
2. Edwards suggests avoiding hot water and switching to cold.
3. Try giving yourself a regular scalp massage to promote circulation.
4. Do you use heat stylers (straightener, curler, blow dryer) regularly? These can have a significant impact on the health of the hair; try to limit your use.
5. R-E-L-A-X. Summors recommends incorporating a few stress relieving rituals into your weekly routine including: long baths, meditation, massage or reading a book.

Fortunately, there are hair products on the market specifically formulated to promote new hair growth. Edwards recommends Evolis Shampoo and Conditioner; according to the brand, it has been clinically proven to help prevent hair loss by 80 per cent and promote hair growth by 44 per cent over four months.

Clean beauty brand AVEDA Invati Advanced System treats hair loss with a three step approach. According to Summors, “It stimulates the hair follicle, thickens existing hair and creates a healthy scalp to promote new hair growth.” AVEDA has found that this system reduces hair loss by 53 per cent.

Apotecari and Biotin hair vitamins are beneficial to some. “In some cases, there are prescription drugs that can help,” Edwards tells Gritty Pretty.