by MARSHALL BONE
Hair loss is most commonly caused by genetics, hormonal fluctuations, medical conditions, or aging. However, there are also external factors that can cause or exacerbate hair loss and shedding.
When autumn and winter roll around, seasonal lifestyle habits also shift, and so pairing that with the colder air and shorter days, the stage is set for potential hair loss.
The good news is that telogen effluvium (temporary hair loss) is usually reversible. In addition to breaking bad habits, there are science-backed solutions like laser hair restoration that can support regrowth.
Here are 8 of the most common habits that cause hair loss during the fall and winter months.
1. Cranking the Heat (Without a Humidifier)
Indoor heating reduces humidity. Dry air noticeably causes dehydrated skin, but it’s easy to overlook how it affects your scalp and hair follicles.
A dehydrated scalp can lead to inflammation and irritation, which can disrupt your hair’s natural growth cycle. The lack of moisture in the air can cause hair to become brittle and prone to breaking, giving the appearance of thinning hair.
2. Failing to Stay Adequately Hydrated
During winter, it’s common for people to consume less water because they perspire less and don’t feel as thirsty. Neglecting hydration can impact your health in many ways, including causing hair loss.
Hair needs to receive a regular flow of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients to grow properly. Dehydration can prevent your circulatory system from delivering an adequate supply to your hair follicles, causing them to enter the resting phase and leading to hair loss.
3. Consuming Excessive Amounts of Comfort Food
We tend to spend more time indoors when it’s chilly outside. Regularly hunkering down with comfort food often leads to weight gain, but the potential for hair loss is often overlooked.
Junk foods can cause chronic inflammation, which forces the body to prioritize energy resources for the immune response. Hair growth isn’t essential for your survival, so your body focuses its “attention” elsewhere.
Furthermore, junk food can cause blood sugar spikes that lead to hormonal imbalances that disrupt the hair growth cycle.
4. Not Getting Enough Vitamin D
While we’re discussing dietary habits, vitamin D deserves a special mention. Many different types of nutritional deficiencies can cause hair loss, but the lack of sunlight during fall and winter often causes vitamin D deficiencies to go undetected.
Vitamin D plays a critical role in the regulation of hair growth cycles. Without an adequate supply, the growth phase shortens and the rest phase extends, causing hair to become weak and susceptible to breaking and falling out.
5. Wearing Hats More Frequently
Headwear keeps you warm, but it can also create conditions that lead to hair loss. For example, if you don’t wash your hat regularly, bacteria can accumulate, cause inflammation, and weaken and block follicles.
Additionally, if your hat is too tight, it can eventually cause traction alopecia, which is when hair falls out due to excessive tension and pulling on the hair.
6. Skipping Daily Exercise
It’s easy to skip your morning jog when it’s frigid outside! Hibernating for the winter can play a role in hair loss because regular exercise is essential for circulation. Your hair follicles need nutrients and oxygen to grow hair. A sedentary lifestyle can cause poor circulation and starve hair follicles of the essential components required for consistent, healthy growth.
7. Not Managing Mental and Emotional Stress
Physical, mental, and emotional health are all directly connected. During the colder months, it’s common for stressors to become more prevalent. From holiday obligations to end-of-the-year workloads, winter can take a toll on your mental and emotional health.
Proactively managing stress is vital to your overall well-being. In the context of hair loss, excessive stress can trigger hormonal shifts, suppress the immune system, cause insomnia, and even lead to diseases.
It’s important to note that hair loss doesn’t always manifest around the same time when excessive stress occurs. It may take a few months for the shedding to occur. Take steps to reduce stress now so you’re not shedding when springtime comes.
8. Harsh Hair Products and Styling Tools
Dry air is notorious for causing frizzy hair. Often, people will brush excessively and use potent styling products and heat-based styling tools to tame their manes. Being too rough on your hair can do more harm than good, damaging and inflaming follicles and causing hair to break and fall out.
Be Mindful and Proactive
It’s not usually one specific factor that causes hair to shed, but a combination of various habits that exacerbate each other. If you’re experiencing hair loss during the colder months, try to identify the main triggers and stop them. Even small changes can lead to major improvements.
Marshall Bone is a writer, copy strategist and all-around stylish guy who has been following trends in GQ for more than two decades. Voted best-dressed both his junior and senior year, Bone has continued this legacy and can be found covering various topics from men’s fashion to self care and grooming. He enjoys reading and is based in the greater Los Angeles area.
