If you’re a smoker and have thinning hair, there could be a connection between cigarette smoke and hair loss. You’re probably well aware of how harmful the chemicals in cigarettes are to your body, but did you know they may also contribute to hair loss and premature graying?
According to a number of scientific studies, there are several surprising ways cigarettes can trigger hair loss.
3 Ways Cigarettes Affects Hair Loss
Poor Blood Circulation
Hair follicles need oxygen, nutrients and minerals to produce healthy hair. The toxic chemicals in cigarettes can take a toll on your circulation, shrinking blood vessels and impeding blood flow. When your follicles don’t receive the blood they need for nourishment, the hair growth cycle is interrupted. The hair growth cycle consists of four phases: the growth (anagen) phase, the transitional (catagen) phase, the resting (telogen) phase and the shedding (exogen) phase. Any interruptions to this cycle can lead to noticeable hair loss.
A Weakened Immune System
Cigarette smoking can damage your immune system, which can lead to diseases or illnesses that cause hair loss. A poor immune system may also increase your chances of a bacterial or fungal infection on the scalp, both of which can prevent your follicles from producing healthy hair.
Environmental Pollution
It’s not just inhaling cigarette smoke that can harm your hair follicles. If you regularly smoke at home or in a car with the windows rolled up, you could be creating environmental pollution. While most hair loss is genetic, research links thinning hair to environmental factors. Polluted air can exacerbate genetic hair loss and the carcinogens in smoke-filled air can obstruct the mechanisms that produce the protein of which hair is made.
Reversing the Effects of Smoking Cigarettes and Hair Loss
The best way to combat the effects of cigarette smoke and hair loss, and improve your overall health, is to quit smoking. Once you stop exposing your hair and skin to the toxins in cigarettes, your hair should start growing again. However, quitting smoking can be very difficult as it’s highly addictive. Often, it can take several tries to give up the habit for good.
The good news is there are hair loss solutions that can help you right now. Explore your options at a free, one-on-one consultation with a hair loss expert at Hair Club. It’s a chance for you to explore your options in a safe, judgment-free space. You’ll receive an evaluation of your hair and scalp and take home a personalized report with details about which customized solution will help you achieve the results you want. Schedule your appointment today and discover for yourself how getting your hair back can change your life.
For informational purposes only. The exact cause of hair loss can only be determined by a medical professional.
