Is Smoking a Reason for Hair Loss in Men?

We've all heard time and time again that smoking is one of the worst habits around. In fact, smoking damages almost every organ in the body and kills nearly 900,000 people in India per year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). So if those statistics alone aren't reasons enough for you to quit — or you're tempted to light up in any way, shape, or form — we’re here to help out. Let's start off with its effects on hair and overall lifestyle – a patient’s case study.

“With soaring summer temperatures, sweating and irritability, what could be more depressing than noticing more hair on your brush, in your drain and everywhere around your house?

34-year-old Sunil, a marketing executive, came to us with hair loss condition since one or two years. He said he had lost almost 25 percent hair with balding patches at the sides and vertex. He recalled that his father and uncles were in a similar state when they were around 40 years.  Sunil’s lifestyle was quite hectic. Smoking and drinking alcohol were part of his daily routine, with him smoking as many as eighteen cigarettes a day for the last two or three years. Hair loss was affecting his confidence and his work performance. With unemployment increasing due to recession, he was apprehensive of losing his job, in which appearance and personality mattered a lot.

Diagnosed to be suffering from Androgenetic Alopecia (AGA), his detailed case history was taken and, on the basis of his hair loss symptoms, Lycopodium 200 was prescribed, along with a soya-rich diet. He was advised to modify his lifestyle and quit smoking, if possible. Regular follow-ups resulted in hair fall control and maintenance of his hair loss condition.”

Now, you may think that such ‘hair loss cases linked with smoking’ is conditional and very few in numbers so you really don’t have to worry while lighting a cigarette or two! But, does that mean – these few numbers can’t get converted into many? You never know!

Lung cancer is usually the first side-effect that comes to our mind when considering the harms of smoking cigarettes. But lung cancer isn’t the only problem associated with smoking; stroke, brain damage, tooth decay, cataracts, loss of smell and taste, and other cancers affecting the nose, lip, tongue, and mouth are also potential internal ailments following long-term smoking. Consider also the external side effects of smoking, which include premature aging, skin damage, and hair loss.

Smoking and Hair Loss

Smoking has been linked to hair loss because it has a negative effect on the circulation of blood throughout the body. Cigarettes are made up of 4,000 harmful chemicals that are all damaging to a person's health. When a cigarette is smoked, all of these chemicals are inhaled. Of these, it is nicotine and carbon monoxide that are two of the most damaging to the hair and affects majorly our appearance in the following ways -

Hair loss

Men are more susceptible to hair loss, as baldness in men is triggered off by the male hormone androgen, which is responsible for destruction of the hair follicles. On the other hand, women who have both androgen and estrogen in their bodies are protected by the hormone estrogen, which counteracts and fights the negative effects of androgen.

Carbon monoxide in smoke decreases the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood. These factors may contribute to poor wound healing after a hair transplant (link to: Say Goodbye to Hair Loss with Hair Transplant!) and can increase the chance of a wound infection and scarring.

Smoking may also contribute to poor hair growth of transplanted hair.

Premature greying

Though premature greying of hair is mainly a hereditary problem, smoking can aggravate this problem. Nicotine causes blood vessel to constrict, which in turn makes it harder to pump blood through the arteries. Smoking also produces carbon monoxide, which inhibits the blood's capacity to carry oxygen and remove toxins. Both these factors prevent the oxygenation of hair tissue and the effective removal of free radicals from the body, thus aggravating the problem.

Hair fall treatment

Irrespective of the sex, it's young people who mostly suffer from hair loss and greying due to smoking. This is the period where there is lots of stress at work and smoking just adds to it. Due to these reasons, the number of patients suffering from this problem is quickly increasing. If you don’t want to see your name in the list of patients affected with smoking and its after-effect as hair loss, quit smoking and take proper hair fall treatment to address the condition.

Homeopathy is the best bet to cure hair loss and quit smoking. Homeopathy treatment for hair loss is done after a thorough analysis of your hair and scalp condition. A detailed case history is taken and sometimes the patient is treated on the basis of corrective dietary counseling. If not then the hair samples reports and scalp check reports are seen by a trichologist for necessary hair fall treatment.

International studies have shown that the ingredients that certain homeopathic medicines for hair loss (link to: LOSING HAIR? HOMEOPATHY CAN BE YOUR BEST BET) are made from are very useful in hair fall control. Homeopathic medicines like Thuja and Sabal Serrulata act as natural DHT inhibitors and therefore help to control hair loss.

If you are concerned about thinning hair, a receding hairline or any other hair loss condition, we recommend arranging a free consultation with one of our specialists by clicking on this link: https://www.drbatras.com/book-an-appointment. Our doctors can advise on the best hair fall treatment for your individual needs.