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by Alan J. Bauman, MD, ABHRS
While laughter is often lauded as the best medicine, it can sometimes be hard to let out a chuckle when the world feels like a whirlwind. Hectic commutes, long days at the office, and family drama can all bring on stress with ease. And to top it off? Your hair’s not looking like it used to.
It makes sense to start freaking out and worrying about a thinned-out crown, but that’ll only make a bad situation worse. So much for April Fools Day, you might be thinking. But with all the stressors in the world, it’s essential to find a space that brings out the inner zen in you. And what better space than the serene Bauman Medical facility, featuring all the methods needed to start turning your stressful scalp into a zen garden?
But before getting into the nitty-gritty, I want to spend a few moments highlighting the impacts anxiety has on hair. With April being Stress Awareness Month, there’s no better time for a bit of enlightenment ahead of some well-deserved hair enrichment.
How Does Stress Affect Your Hair?
Much like how prolonged bouts of stress physically impact our bodies, your hair is just as susceptible to these negative impacts. While your scalp won’t feel a knot in its stomach, it can surely react inversely. There are many culprits I’ve come across during my time at Bauman Medical, with these three issues serving as the usual suspects for stress-induced hair loss:
Telogen Effluvium
While Dolphins fans might see TE and immediately think of the tight end position, TE in the realm of hair loss is like seeing your quarterback get sacked. TE has such an impact on your scalp since hair follicles are already incredibly delicate and highly receptive to the stress hormone cortisol. This can be brought on by an array of factors, both physiological (feeling under the weather) and psychological (feeling the pressure of a deadline at work). Regardless of the cause, the stress (no pun intended) of these factors causes follicles to begin shedding. And like us, when under stress, the only thing your follicles think of is getting some rest, which is when they shift into the telogen, or, in Layman’s terms, resting stage. While they rest, the follicles forget to set an alarm and become dormant, leading to stagnant hair growth.
Trichotillomania
Tapping feet. Drumming fingers. Shifting in your seat. These are all examples of subconscious fidgeting. What does this have to do with hair? Twirling. More specifically, excessively twirling and pulling your hair due to stress. While it may serve as a way to get your jitters out, trichotillomania puts further stress on your scalp. Playing with your hair like that is an easy way to start going down a path of shedding and damaging your follicles.
Alopecia Areata (AA)
Of the three mentioned, AA is probably the first to sound familiar. But what exactly does it do to your scalp? To start, we must first travel to the immune system. Typically, this system will fight off any germs or bacteria trying to find their way into our bodies. But with AA, the tables are turned, and our body begins attacking us; more specifically, our hair follicles, doing significant damage and impacting them during the growth phase. While an array of factors can spark AA, stress is typically the lead culprit.
Now, to the Good Stuff
With all the stress impacts out of the way, we can shift to the serenity that Bauman Medical offers. While it’s hard to crack jokes while dealing with hair loss, there’s nothing foolish when it comes to getting help. I can’t say much about my standup routine, but I’ll gladly speak on behalf of my calming, world-class Scientific Scalp Makeovers that will surely turn that frown upside down.
What’s unique about my Scalp Makeovers is that they cater to those going through stress-related hair loss. That means providing a spa day for both yourself and your scalp. And that sense of serenity you’ve been seeking will greet you immediately as our “Head Spa” room welcomes you with tranquil music and soft, low lighting. As you prepare to drift into stillness, you can look forward to the following services and more during our 60-minute to three-hour session:
- Aromatherapy
- A customized scalp treatment for maximum scalp health and hair beauty
- A deep and thorough scalp massage to stimulate and cleanse the scalp, as well as increase circulation
- Deep cleansing shampoo
- A customized conditioner or hair mask
Sometimes, you need to treat yourself. And what better gift to give yourself than a relaxing day of R&R at Bauman Medical? For some people, however, there’s more to their stress than a day at the spa. Thankfully, we’re more than just hair procedures; we provide hair solutions.
When it comes to Zen, you’re talking to the master. No, not me, our state-of-the-art Zenmaster, a stress adaptogen that will have you saying “namaste” in no time. By tapping into the calming benefits of the ancient herb ashwagandha, you’ll be providing stress relief not only to your weakened follicles but also to your overall well-being.
Depending on your stress level, taking 2-4 Zenmaster capsules daily will bring you serenity within two weeks of use. With these natural substances, your body will soon adapt to your stress levels. But, a little caveat: not all stress is bad! High amounts of stress, however, are when your body begins to produce the hormone cortisol, and upon production, it will impact different organs, including hair follicles.
Beyond hair, it’s integral that you find ways to reduce your body’s cortisol levels, and the Zenmaster gets the job done. And by taking it with our BioPerine® for absorption aid, peacefulness has never looked this good.
Getting your scalp and body feeling serene is just the first part of the growth process. Our hair solutions go above and beyond to ensure that come next April, you’ll be too busy chuckling about how far your scalp has come thanks to these proven methods:
PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma)
A Bauman Medical staple, PRP continues the trend of relaxing hair restoration with help from you. Our minimally invasive procedure begins by taking a small blood sample. Then, we isolate the platelets, thanks to our cutting-edge technology. We isolate the platelets in order to concentrate them, as they possess tremendous growth factors. Said growth factors are applied back to your scalp to cultivate natural hair growth. Give us an hour, and we’ll give you back a lifetime. You may be wondering how something like this is calming. With a heavy emphasis on comfort and safety, PRP features topical anesthesia and a sterile environment. The cherry on top is our expert team handling the procedure.
Low-Level Laser Therapy
Sometimes, we all need a relaxing night in. So, why not bring the hair restoration to the comfort of your own abode? With the highly advanced Bauman TURBO LaserCap®, it’s like our Boca Raton office made the trip to you. Whether lying in bed or watching a movie in the living room, donning the TURBO LaserCap maximizes hair regrowth with as little as five minutes of daily use. You know what they say, “a little goes a long way.”
Learn More
Trying to crack a joke or even a slight smile can be challenging when stress has you down. While myself and the Bauman Medical team can’t eliminate all the stressors in your life, we can surely help you manage it, as well as eliminate the stressor that is hair loss. There’s no reason to keep fooling yourself. For the premier hair restoration services around, Bauman Medical is the only place to be.
Call 561-220-3480 or to schedule a private one-on-one in-person or virtual consultation at www.baumanmedical.com.
Baumann Medical Hair Restauration
561-220-3480