Don’tlook stressed
Anxiety can often have physical effects – but there are things you can do to limit the impact, suggests PRUDENCE WADE
STRESS can be an all-consuming beast. Not only does it overwhelm your brain, but it can have a physical impact, too.
If the current crisis is constantly on your mind, you may have noticed some changes in your body. You might be getting more break-outs when you normally have clear skin, perhaps your hair is feeling limp or falling out, or maybe your nails are breaking.
Here’s how anxiety can impact your skin, hair and nails, and what you can do to combat it... YOUR HAIR...
STYLIST and global creative director for Living Proof, Michael Shaun Corby, explains how hair grows in four stages.
First is the growing phase (which can last two to six years), then the transitioning phase “where the growth slows down and the hair starts to leave the follicle”, he says, then the resting phase where hair stops growing and finally, when
“the hair leaves the follicle and new hairs start to grow”.
This is a continuous cycle, with two thirds of your hair being in growth phase and one third in the other three. “When you are experiencing stress, your hair follicles in the growth phase can undergo changes and start to become more active in the other three phases, such as resting or leaving the follicle, which can lead to hair loss,” explains Michael.
If stress means a well-rounded diet has gone out the window, this could also be affecting your hair. “The hair texture becomes thinner when there’s not enough nutrients, so eating plenty of protein and a healthy diet is key,” he explains. Michael’s answer to boosting hair health? “Massaging your scalp. Helping the blood circulation and moving the scalp is good for maintaining a healthy hair and scalp, helping to prevent hair loss.”
Even if your hair hasn’t changed in isolation, you’ve suddenly got a bit more time – so why not indulge in a hair mask or treatment?