If the Hair on the Sides of My Head Are Thinning, Is It Stress Related?

Hi, my basic question is about stress and hair loss.

I do have alopecia, but when I started rogaine/propecia it was only on my temples. However, for the last two years, I have experience severe psychological stress. I used to have extremely thick hair on the back of my head. However, most of it has fallen out, along with the sides of my head.

I read that this could be Telogen Effluvium. When the stress is over, the hair is suppose to come back. In my case, my hair isn’t growing back at all, and it has been about seven months. One note, before I went through my stress period, the rogaine regrew hair. Now that’s not the case.

I’m wondering if my severe stress, along with alopecia, has permanently killed my hair follicles, even in the back and sides of my head.

Thanks

If we were to assume it was from stress causing a telogen effluvium, then the hair should grow back in a year or so once you managed the stress, but it takes a long time and patience. In men, however, the hair loss is most likely from genetic causes and a good doctor would connect the dots and find out what is a telogen effluvium or what is MPB. I can not do this remotely from just what you reported here, particularly since you mentioned hair falling out from the back and sides of the head (which is not generally part of the balding pattern).

You should meet with a doctor that specializes in the field and get an examination of your scalp and loss, and you can find such a doctor by using the physician search at ISHRS.org.