Covid-19: How Lockdown Might Affect Your Hair
It’s a crazy time in the world right now. In a matter of weeks (or even days), most of our modern lifestyles have changed. But just because there is a lot of uncertainty in the world, doesn’t mean there needs to be a lot of anxiety too. During times like these, self-care is more important than ever.
In this post, I’m going to run you through how social distancing and lockdown measures can affect your hair and what you can do to prevent hair loss during this time.
Vitamin D Deficiency
Most governments have asked their citizens to stay home to stop the spread of the virus. This is the absolutely right thing to do. However, it does come with risks to our hair. Being indoors all the time put us at risk of Vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D is an important nutrient for optimal blood flow which helps to deliver other essential nutrients to your scalp. A recent study found that women suffering from hair loss had significantly lower Vitamin D levels compared to those who weren’t suffering from hair loss.
What To Do About It
To make sure you’re still getting enough Vitamin D, make sure to keep your windows and curtains open during the day. If you live somewhere with little sunlight, then try to catch direct sunlight by sitting directly in the sun for 20 minutes per day. If you can’t get sunlight at all, then you should take a vitamin D supplement.
Fever and High Temperature
If you follow the social distancing rules, you should be safe from this one. However, if you happen to get sick during this time with a fever and high temperature, you will likely experience hair loss.
When a foreign and infectious bacteria enters your system, your body will release interferons which are a group of signalling protein. This mechanism is your body's immune response and it is why we usually get a fever. By heating up our core temperature, your body is able to defend against viruses. But as a side effect, it damages your hair follicles.
What To Do About It
In terms of fighting this effect, there's not much you can do about it. It's a phenomenal function of our bodies and it helps us survive. However, you can reduce the extent of your hair loss by speeding up the recovery process. You can slow down the shedding by paying extra attention to your hair care routine and staying as healthy as possible during your recovery. By giving your hair and body extra attention, you’ll be able to reduce the hair fall and promote new hair growth.
Lack of Exercise
With all gyms closed and everyone forced to stay inside, exercise is getting harder and harder to do. Exercise is important for hair because it promotes blood flow to the scalp. It's also vital for a functioning immune system that is needed if you want to avoid the previous risk "Fever and High Temperature ".
What To Do About It
To combat hair loss due to a lack of movement and exercise, I recommend doing a short 10 minute Youtube workout every 2 days during the lockdown, at the bare minimum.
Anxiety and Stress
We all know that stress is bad for our health and our hair. During uncertain times like these, it’s understandable that most of us are battling with moments of anxiety. However, this anxiety is hurting more than just your mental health. During moments of anxiety, your body goes into fight or flight mode which shuts down non-essential function which includes your hair growth cycles.
What To Do About It
In order to minimise the effects of stress and anxiety on your hair, remember that you simply can't control everything in life. However, you can control how you respond to it.
Humanity is fighting this war together and we are creating a better world because of it. Don’t forget to call your family and friends and support them during this time. Don’t forget to ask them for support when you need it too. Love is the best medicine and we are all in this together. Look after yourself and those around you. Not only will your relationships flourish, but your mental health and hair will come out of this in a much better condition too.
Please stay safe and take care of yourself. We are going to be okay. 💜
Did you struggle with hair loss well before lockdown? Here are 10 ways to reduce it
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Author
Sarah Tran
Founder & Educator at Hair Growth Lab
After a devastating salon experience and numerous cycles of severe hair loss, Sarah dove into the science of hair care. Through relentless research she created a holistic method to hair care which has helped her and her students regain control over their hair. She founded Hair Growth Lab because she believes in a world where women feel beautiful independently from societal pressure. A world where women gain confidence through self-care and education.
