We are all different in an endless number of ways. From our height to our eye color, there are things that define who each of us is that often can’t be changed. Sure, you can wear thick-bottomed shoes to grow an inch long or put in colored contact lenses, but baldness is something most people just accept as part of who they are. Hair loss is often hereditary, meaning it is passed down from generation to generation, but it is not the only cause, and researchers have been working to find out how we can slow or even prevent the progression of hair loss with certain interventions.
Now, a new study from the same team of Harvard scientists that found clear links between stress hormones and hair graying prematurely is back with another paper. This one examines the links between stress and hair loss, and the findings could be a big step towards developing treatments that prevent hair loss in certain individuals.
Today’s best deal 
With Crazy Amazon coupons, you get the best selling WiFi smart plugs for just $ 2.10 each! List price:$ 27.99 Price:$ 8.39 You save:$ 19.60 (70%) 
BGR is available from Amazon and can receive a commission Available at Amazon BGR can receive a commission
Stress can have an incredible impact on our body, and most of the time it is negative. Stress can affect sleep patterns, cognition and physical health in several ways. When it comes to our hair, stress hormones can cause hair follicles to start to gray hair faster than they otherwise would, and based on this new round of research, it can also cause hair follicles to turn off.
The study, which used mice as a model for hair growth, loss and regenerative capabilities, found that hair follicle stem cells are quite sensitive. When thrown out, the growth and resting phases between which the follicles normally alternate become warped. The cells spend more time in the dormant state than they should and, as you might expect, hair loss and lack of regrowth follow.
As animals age, including mice and humans, the hair follicles tend to spend more and more time in the resting phase, but the researchers were able to actually reverse that. They removed the stress hormones that affect the hair follicles and the hair started to grow faster, even in the older mice. Some of the hair loss is related to age and genetics, but stress (or the lack thereof) can change things for better or for worse.
“So even the base level of stress hormone that normally circulates in the body is an important regulator of the resting phase,” said Ya-Chieh Hsu, senior author of the study, published in Nature, said in a statement. “Stress essentially only increases this pre-existing ‘adrenal hair follicle axis,’ making it even more difficult for hair follicle stem cells to enter the growth phase to regenerate new hair follicles.”
Removing stress from your life may be impossible, but the findings in this new round of research could ultimately lead to treatments that stimulate hair growth or stop hair loss.
Today’s best deal 
Amazon shoppers are obsessed with this nonstick frying pan – it’s only $ 14 today! List price:$ 16.99 Price:$ 13.99 You save:$ 3.00 (18%) BGR is available from Amazon and can receive a commission Available at Amazon BGR can receive a commission
Mike Wehner has been reporting on technology and video games for the past decade, covering the latest news and trends in VR, wearables, smartphones and future technology. Most recently, Mike worked as a Tech Editor at The Daily Dot, appearing in USA Today, Time.com, and numerous other web and print outlets. His love of reporting comes second to his gaming addiction.