Can Drinking Alcohol Cause Hair Loss?

When thinking about how alcohol can affect our scalp and hair health, it’s common to consider the types of alcohol used in our shampoos, hairsprays and other topical products but what about the alcohol we drink? Incorporated in both haircare products and alcoholic beverages, ethanol alcohol is made from the sugars in grains, fruits, sugarcane or vegetables that are fermented with yeast. But is there a link between enjoying a glass of wine and losing your hair? We’re exploring the frequently asked question as we approach all the parties of the festive season.     

(H2) Does drinking alcohol cause hair loss and thinning?   There’s no evidence that drinking alcohol directly causes hair loss, but excessive alcohol consumption can lead to many serious mental, emotional and physical health issues – some of which can affect your scalp and hair.     

How can drinking alcohol negatively affect scalp and hair health?   

Excessive drinking can impact your overall wellbeing; which affects your scalp and hair health and the hair growth cycle due to:    

·                  Dehydration  

·                  Increased inflammation  

·                  Nutrient deficiencies  

·                  Hormonal imbalances  

·                  Stress  

·                  Troubled sleep  

·                  Poor gut health   

·                  Blood sugar imbalances    

Now, let’s get more specific:    

How Dehydration Affects Scalp and Hair  

While it’s something many people experience from time to time, dehydration has a system-wide impact on the body and all its functions. Not only can it cause the scalp to become dry, flaky and irritated (especially in winter) which can harm the health of your scalp and hair follicles, it can also cause strands to become drier, which can cause more frizz, breakage and split ends. Chronic dehydration can also disrupt the flow of nutrients and water to the hair follicles; hindering hair growth and sometimes leading to excessive shedding or hair loss. So while it’s important to never skip the hydrating products, it’s also crucial to remain hydrated from within too.     

How Increased Inflammation Affects Scalp and Hair  

Inflammation of the scalp obviously impacts the health of hair follicles and the strands that grow from them, but overall inflammation of the body (which can be exacerbated by excessive drinking) can potentially have a negative effect on scalp health and the normal function of hair follicles. Alcohol is broken down by the liver into acetaldehyde and acetate, two compounds that can cause oxidative stress and trigger inflammation. Excessive daily intake of alcohol can this increase the possibility of scalp conditions like seborrheic dermatitis and psoriasis, and it could also set off immune responses that could damage hair follicles; possibly leading to alopecia areata, a condition where the immune system mistakenly attacks hair follicles on the scalp, causing hair loss.    

How Poor Gut Health Affects Scalp and Hair   

Your gut health impacts your overall wellbeing, as it plays a significant role in all kinds of bodily functions from hormonal balances to inflammation and stress. Alcohol can disrupt the gut in many ways, from creating inflammation to IBS flare-ups and more. Maintaining a healthy gut through diet, lifestyle, and stress management is important to maintaining healthy scalp and hair. Our Hair Supplement has been designed to provide probiotic gut support (Lactobacillus casei) and can be a useful addition to optimise conditions for hair growth and overall wellbeing, in conjunction with a healthy diet.    

How Nutrient Deficiencies Affect Scalp and Hair  

Nutrient deficiencies can harm negatively impact scalp health, weaken hair follicles and disrupt the hair growth cycle, leading to hair thinning or shedding. Drinking interferes with nutrient-absorption, meaning many crucial vitamins, minerals and other nutrients are depleted in the body. Chronic alcohol abuse can lead to deficiencies in vitamins A and C, B1, B2, B6, and folic acid. Lacking essential vitamins, trace minerals, amino acids and fatty acids can contribute to excessive hair shedding, thinning and loss. Our Hair Supplement optimises nutrient absorption, thanks to Panax Notoginseng, Astragalus Membranaceus. The unique complex of constituents in the blend also helps reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, while positively impacting growth aspects and quality of hair.     

How Hormonal Imbalances Affect Scalp and Hair  

Alcohol can throw off the body’s hormone regulation in various ways (from interfering with thyroid function to increasing cortisol production and more) and we know that hormones play a big part in the hair growth cycle. When you experience hormonal imbalances, it can negatively affect all kinds of functions, from hindering hair growth to increased shedding and more.     

How Stress Affects Scalp and Hair

Stress can manifest in a plethora of ways, one being hair loss and reduced strand health. In times of heightened or prolonged stress (from grief to illness, injury and beyond), the body creates a kind of hierarchy where certain functions are deprioritised – such as non-essential tasks like hair growth. Alcohol affects physical, emotional and mental stressors, and can create or exacerbate already existing issues from disrupted sleep to anxiety and depression – many of which can impact your scalp and hair health.     

How Blood Sugar Imbalances Affect Scalp and Hair  

Drinking alcohol creates spikes in blood sugar that are then followed by sudden drops in sugar, known as “crashes,” as the body metabolises it. When there is a lot of alcohol present, the liver has a hard time processing it while still regulating glucose-release levels. This can disrupt hormone balances, deplete the body of essential nutrients, trigger inflammation, and more. Of course, all these issues can have various harmful impacts, including introducing or worsening existing scalp conditions, possibly leading to hair shedding, thinning and loss.     

What’s the verdict on alcohol and hair loss?   

When thinking about your mental, emotional or physical wellbeing, it’s all connected to your scalp and hair health. So, while there’s no direct correlation between sipping a cocktail and your hair falling out, drinking moderately or abstaining from alcohol entirely will benefit your overall health and – in turn – the health of your scalp and hair.