New study claims working this number of hours could cause hair loss
| Oct 24, 2019, 13:19 IST
According to a new study working more than 52 hours a week could cause hair loss. Researchers believe that stress and not enough time to relax may be the reason.
For the study, the team monitored close to 13,000 employed men. This is the first study to reportedly look into the link between working long hours and hair loss.
Stress can trigger changes in hormone levels and have an impact on different parts of the body. Extra hormones produced due to it can cause growth patterns of the hair follicles, which are on your scalp. Stress is believed to cause the hair to enter the catagen phase prematurely,which can cause the active growth of hair to end.
"Limitation of working hours in order to prevent alopecia development may be more necessary from younger workers, such as those in the 20s and 30s, at which hair loss symptoms start to appear.
"Preventive interventions to promote appropriate and reasonable working hours are required in our society."
Other studies conducted in the past have found stress can cause the immune system to fight these follicles. However, scientists have yet to understand why this occurs. "A lot of studies have revealed the mechanism of alopecia development by stress," Son told a news portal. Adding,"In mice experiments, stress was significantly related to the inhibition of hair growth, induction of catagen cycle, and damage of hair follicles."
Son further explained: "Other researches have also suggested that stress can affect injuries and inflammations of hair follicles, cell deaths, and inhibit hair growth," Adding, "Based on these previous researches, we can cautiously assume that the relationship between long working hours and the development of alopecia is likely to be mediated by job-related stress."
Experts warn there are many types of hair loss stress can trigger. "The stress caused by working long hours is likely to be a process that builds up and gets worse over time,"UK hair restoration surgeon Dr Bessam Farjo told a news portal. Adding, "But other stressful events can trigger much more immediate hair loss, and it's something often seen in women who've suffered traumatic child births."
The study's findings were originally published in the Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine journal.
For the study, the team monitored close to 13,000 employed men. This is the first study to reportedly look into the link between working long hours and hair loss.
Stress can trigger changes in hormone levels and have an impact on different parts of the body. Extra hormones produced due to it can cause growth patterns of the hair follicles, which are on your scalp. Stress is believed to cause the hair to enter the catagen phase prematurely,which can cause the active growth of hair to end.
"Limitation of working hours in order to prevent alopecia development may be more necessary from younger workers, such as those in the 20s and 30s, at which hair loss symptoms start to appear.
"Preventive interventions to promote appropriate and reasonable working hours are required in our society."
Other studies conducted in the past have found stress can cause the immune system to fight these follicles. However, scientists have yet to understand why this occurs. "A lot of studies have revealed the mechanism of alopecia development by stress," Son told a news portal. Adding,"In mice experiments, stress was significantly related to the inhibition of hair growth, induction of catagen cycle, and damage of hair follicles."
Son further explained: "Other researches have also suggested that stress can affect injuries and inflammations of hair follicles, cell deaths, and inhibit hair growth," Adding, "Based on these previous researches, we can cautiously assume that the relationship between long working hours and the development of alopecia is likely to be mediated by job-related stress."
Experts warn there are many types of hair loss stress can trigger. "The stress caused by working long hours is likely to be a process that builds up and gets worse over time,"UK hair restoration surgeon Dr Bessam Farjo told a news portal. Adding, "But other stressful events can trigger much more immediate hair loss, and it's something often seen in women who've suffered traumatic child births."
The study's findings were originally published in the Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine journal.