If you feel that you are not in a place where you are ready to stop drinking, a suggestion would be to address the diet concerns that are noted above. Constant consumption of alcohol can also induce a lower level of vitamins B and C in your body. Researchers say e-cigarettes and tobacco cigarettes have similar negative health effects on heart health. Staying away from areas where people are smoking may help you reduce temptation.

Excessive drinkers may additionally experience disrupted sleep, increased hormone levels, and blood sugar spikes… all of which have been linked to hair loss. And, because our nights out don’t exist in a vacuum , temporary dryness isn’t the only problem drinking can present for your locks. The reason you feel depleted of nutrients the day after drinking is because you are, and your hair suffers for it.

Many people know that smoking tobacco increases your chances of developing lung cancer and respiratory illness. But the negative health effects of smoking aren’t restricted to your lungs. It’s been shown that peppermint, rosemary, coconut oil, olive oil, and castor oil can stimulate the scalp and promote hair growth.

You may be able to use these medications along with nicotine replacement theory. Quitting smoking is difficult, but it can have a positive effect on many aspects of your health. A doctor can help you create a quitting plan that gives you the best chance of succeeding.

Hair loss can occur if you wear pigtails, braids or cornrows, or use tight hair rollers. MSG is a controversial food additive that’s found in a wide variety of products. Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

Eventually, this causes your hair to thin because the roots have insufficient support. While there’s no such thing as “alcohol alopecia,” there are several reasons why heavy drinkers often have poor hair growth or thinning hair. Consuming alcohol doesn’t directly lead to hair loss, but its effects on one’s scalp and hair are very real. Alcohol impacts your body, from your liver and heart to your mental health. However, very few people know that alcohol causes hair fall too. Drinking too much of your favorite whisky, scotch, or rum may hurt your hair growth.

Reduced blood flow to your hair follicles

Hair loss is usually distressing and could significantly impact the patient’s quality of life. A 2020 study compared the prevalence of early-onset androgenetic alopecia in male smokers and nonsmokers between 20 to 35 years old. Androgenetic alopecia is also known as male-pattern baldness or female-pattern baldness. We offer inpatient and outpatient care, including addiction detox. Addiction detox is a valuable part of our programs that enables you to stop consuming alcohol in a safe environment with medical support as you go through withdrawal.

All normal bodily functions, including hair growth, depending on the health of an individual. Hair grows with the help of proteins, vitamins, fat, carbohydrates, and fiber – all micro and macronutrients. For more info on what causes hair loss in men, as well as the most common signs you may notice if you’re losing your hair, check out this guide to male pattern baldness. If you’re starting to develop a receding hairline or other signs of male pattern baldness, you can stop your hair loss from worsening by using medication. Instead, the most common form of hair loss in men — male pattern baldness — is caused by the effects of the androgen hormone dihydrotestosterone, or DHT. For men, this can cause issues with hair loss and disrupt hair growth.

Other effects of alcohol on the body

A blood sugar spike occurs when too much glucose builds up in the bloodstream. Here are some of the reasons that alcohol can lead to hair loss. There are certain types of alcohol that can help maintain hair health. Fatty alcohols, also known as lipid or long-chain alcohols, can help moisturize hair.

• A 2013 study suggested iron may be a factor in a certain type of hair loss in women.
• Yet, hair loss that occurs 6 months after surgery and beyond may be caused by nutrient deficiencies that develop as a result of surgery-related malabsorption .
• Heavy alcohol use is said to affect the production of keratin and, in turn, damage hair follicles and hair roots.

Impaired blood flow to your scalp can potentially lead to hair loss or hair damage. Those who binge drink or partake in excessive drinking within a short amount of time will likely experience extreme dehydration. When this occurs, it can dry out your hair follicles, cause brittle hair, and even lead to thinning hair. But did you know that alcohol consumption has been linked to increased levels of estrogen ? That is right – alcohol increases the levels of this female hormone within your body, which may contribute to hair loss as well as other health problems.

How to persevere in hair health and promote hair growth

You may even feel full most of the time when you’re drinking heavily, simply because you’re drinking so much alcohol, which can lead to malnutrition. That malnutrition can lead to scary side effects, including brain damage froma lack of thiamine, and hair loss. The right amount of vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats, and carbohydrates are essential to a healthy scalp and head of hair. Alcohol – especially beer and liquor – contains mostly empty calories.

You can talk to your doctor about what activity based costing or vitamins you should take to support regrowth of your hair, such as vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and zinc. It may also be beneficial to work with a dietitian to ensure you’re eating a well-balanced diet that provides your body with all the nutrition it needs. 2013 study of 92 sets of identical twins looked at what factors besides genetics would impact hair loss in men. The results determined that increased alcohol consumption was one of the factors contributing to increased temporal hair loss in the study participants. Excessive alcohol use affects every part of your body and all aspects of your health. Some of these effects are quite unexpected… even your hair can be negatively impacted by heavy drinking.

This may affect your body’s ability to break down and absorb the nutrients in food. Just like your skin, nails, muscles and internal tissue, your hair depends on a continuous supply of nutrients, many of which come from your diet. We’ve covered these below, along with how each factor can potentially affect your hairline and overall hair health. We are dedicated to transforming the despair of addiction into a purposeful life of confidence, self-respect and happiness. We want to give recovering addicts the tools to return to the outside world completely substance-free and successful.

Alcohol and Hair Loss: What You Need to Know

Excessive alcohol consumption is known to raise estrogen levels in the body . Estrogen exists in both men and women and is responsible for maintaining reproductive health in both genders. To promote healthy hair growth, try to eat a balanced diet that’s made up of plenty of fresh fruits, green vegetables, lean sources of protein and other nutrient-rich foods. While alcohol doesn’t directly damage your hair, smoking does. Research has revealed that people who smoke are more likely than non-smokers to show signs of hair loss, premature hair graying and general poor hair health.

These can also contribute to poor health and system inflammation, which is just another contributor of hair loss. A few reasons may be that insulin resistance plays a role in follicle miniaturization, which is a major contributor of hair thinning and loss . It is also been found that Insulin-like Growth-Factor 1 (IGF-1), which is most abundant in those with insulin resistance, is shown to induce androgen production . In other words, it produces more DHT which is believed to be the main trigger for AGA sufferers.

The structure of this alcohol type allows it to evaporate quickly. Drinking alcohol can cause hair loss for several different reasons. If DHT is to blame for your hair loss, DHT-blocking shampoo may help. Here are the top 8 best supplements to help grow your hair. Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations.

Hair loss shampoos such as Hims Hair Thickening Shampoo are formulated to target DHT at the scalp and promote the growth of thick, healthy hair. Before/after images shared by customers who have purchased varying products, including prescription based products. Prescription products require an online consultation with a healthcare provider who will determine if a prescription is appropriate.

For example, small amounts of wine can improve digestion and encourage the growth of healthy bacteria. This has to do with the probiotics found in most wines as a direct result of the fermentation process . Whatever the cause, it is clear that alcohol and blood sugar spikes are something to be aware of. According to the CDC, excessive alcohol use can lead to both short- and long-term health problems. Short-chain alcohols include regular ethanol and denatured alcohols.

LLLT, also known as low-level laser therapy, uses light to restore your scalp, regrow your hair, and regenerate old cells. This technology is clinically tested, and some laser cap brands have FDA clearance for safety and reliability. Information contained on this website has not been evaluated by any medical body such as the Food & Drug Administration.

While nutrition plays a significant role in alcohol-related hair loss, there are also other ways alcohol and hair loss are linked to one another. When you drink excessively, you consume empty calories with no nutritional benefits, which is especially true if you primarily drink beer or liquor. As you consume so many of your calories in the form of alcohol, you’re probably not focusing on maintaining a nutritious, well-balanced diet in the process. In fact, severe or long-lasting hypo- and hyperthyroidism may cause hair loss and thinning of the hair across the whole scalp. This may happen suddenly or over the course of months to years.