How Does Stress Kick Start Hair Loss?

In one of your responses, you state that stress can precipitate genetic balding. Can you explain your understanding for how that could happen? I’m a 32 yr old male who had great hair and no recession last year, and after some severe stress, my hair has thinned and receded. How does stress “kick it off?”

I cannot say if anyone really knows why stress can “kick start” genetic hair loss. If your body is predisposed to genetic male pattern baldness you will have male pattern baldness. The exact timing of when that will occur is variable and reflects how your genes are expressed, but a stressful event, like an emotional or physical stress (illness) can trigger the process. Usually, male pattern baldness starts with puberty (another stressful period from an emotional and physical point of view as your hormones are revved up).

Keep in mind that hair loss from stress can be diffuse and not necessarily associated with the genetic male pattern baldness. In this type of hair loss your hair should generally grow back in about a year. However, if you have genetic male pattern baldness, you will lose hair in a specific pattern, as the term implies “male pattern baldness”, and this is irreversible. You seem to be talking about a genetic male pattern baldness as you mentioned receding, but without an examination including a miniaturization study, I cannot give you a definite answer.