Does Smoking Cause Hair Loss?
How Smoking Causes Hair Loss?
There are a few ways that smoking can damage your hair. First, the thousands of chemicals in cigarette smoke include ones that cause oxidative stress in the body. This happens when there are too many unstable molecules called free radicals. Oxidative stress is especially hard on your hair follicles.
Secondly, smoking slows down blood flow and damages the scalp. Hair needs good circulation to stay healthy. Less blood reaching the hair follicles causes the hair not to receive all the nutrients and oxygen it needs to grow.
Third, chemicals in smoke damage the DNA in hair follicle cells. This DNA damage disrupts the hair growth cycle. Some studies have shown that there is a link between smoking and increased levels of DHT, a hormone that causes baldness. Due to all these factors, smokers' hair begins to become thinner over time.
How Many Cigarettes A Day Cause Hair Loss?
Since it varies from person to person, it is difficult to determine exactly how many cigarettes a day will cause hair loss. But studies have found that people who smoke a pack (20 cigarettes) or more daily are more likely to notice hair thinning than lighter smokers.
Heavy long-term smoking seems to pose the greatest risk. One study found that 47% of men who smoked more than half a pack for over 10 years showed signs of balding in their 20s and 30s. The good news is that hair loss may slow or stop for many once they quit smoking. So reducing cigarette intake could help protect your hair.
Does Quitting Smoking Help Hair Growth?
When you quit smoking, it can take time but your body slowly repairs much of the damage from chemicals and reduced blood flow. Some people do notice their hair looking thicker and healthier after quitting. However, genetics still plays a role. If you have hereditary balding, quitting may slow further hair loss but new hair regrowth is unlikely.
For others, quitting smoking along with treatments like minoxidil have shown to help regrow some hair. One study found men who used rogaine after quitting smoking saw almost twice as much regrowth on their scalps within 4 months compared to those still smoking. So getting rid of the habit is the best chance you can give your hair.
How Can I Quit Smoking?
Deciding to quit smoking is an important step, but it is not enough. You can't be alone while doing this. Tell the people around you about the decision. Some other tips that may help:
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· Ask your doctor
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Reward yourself for milestones like making it through the day without cigarettes. Your hair (and health) will thank you!
How Can I Protect My Hair From Smoking?
If quitting smoking seems too difficult right now, there are some steps you can take to better protect your hair while you still light up:
· Smoke outside or by an open window so secondhand smoke isn't near your hair.
· Shampoo regularly to remove toxins and oils smoking deposits on your scalp.
· Use a wide-tooth comb to distribute oils from your roots to ends while detangling after washing.
· Apply a scalp serum with antioxidants or caffeine before styling to fight oxidative stress from smoke.
· Get regular trims to remove split or damaged ends that could break more easily due to smoking.
· Consider protective styles that keep your hair braided or bunned away from smoke as much as possible.
Does Vaping Cause Hair Loss?
We don't have as much research yet on vaping since it's newer. But some evidence suggests e-cigarette vapor may also cause oxidative stress in the body. If that reaches your scalp, it could theoretically damage follicles over time in a similar way that smoking does. However, vaping exposes users to fewer chemicals overall than cigarette smoke. So its long-term effects on hair are still unclear for now.