Lung cancer and other respiratory diseases are common knowledge among smokers. On the other hand, smoking has much more health consequences that extend beyond your lungs.

Tobacco smoke includes more than 7,000 chemical compounds, at least 69 of which have been linked to cancer, according to a 2018 research by Trusted Source. These substances may enter your bloodstream once you breathe them in. They can move from your blood to other regions of your system and negatively influence your health.

As a side consequence of smoking, there is an increased risk of hair loss. If you smoke, you're more likely to lose your hair because of a number of different circumstances.

We'll go into more detail on how smoking might lead to hair loss in the following sections.

While stress, heredity, and hormones like DHT are all factors that contribute to hair loss, lifestyle activities like smoking may be just as detrimental to your hair's growth.

Smoking reduces blood flow to the hair follicles, which are small holes or pores in your skin that generate hair, and this constricts the blood vessels, preventing healthy hair development.

Hair follicles may not get enough oxygen and other nutrients to support a healthy development cycle if the scalp's blood supply is restricted.

Among 740 Taiwanese males aged 40 to 91, research published by the Journal of Dermatology examined their skin conditions. Those who consumed 20 or more tobacco a day were shown to be more prone to suffer from hair loss than nonsmokers, even if their family had a history of the disease.

 

How Does Smoking Lead to Hair Loss? 

Below are some of the ways which smoking could lead to hair loss:

1. Obstruction of Blood Circulation

It's hard to create healthy hair if your follicles aren't getting enough vitamins, minerals, and oxygen. When you smoke, you expose yourself to pollutants that might reduce the size of your blood vessels and obstruct the flow of blood.

There are four distinct stages during the hair growth cycle: the active growth phase, the resting period, and finally, the shedding phase.

The stress on your hair follicles might cause them to go into a resting phase for an extended period or even permanently. Hair follicle growth is not sufficient to keep pace with hair loss since follicles can't grow in their place.

Due to a lack of blood supply, the hair development cycle is disrupted, causing hair loss.

 

2. Immunocompromised 

Smoking weakens the immune system, leaving you more susceptible to illness. Your smoking habit may be to blame for the persistent cold you've been fighting off for so long.

The typical flu and cancer are two examples of illnesses that your immune system helps keep you free from infection. When you consume tobacco, your leukocytes (white blood cells) are constantly working to counteract the harmful effects of nicotine.

Bacterial and fungal infections may cause hair follicles to stop producing healthy strands of hair since your immune system might be compromised.

 

3. Environmental Hazards 

Hair thinning may also be caused by the environment. Hair follicles can't develop if they lack the protein needed for growth. The existence of pollutants, as well as carcinogens inside the air, might exacerbate hereditary hair loss.

It's recommended to stop smoking in order to fix the hair loss effects of tobacco usage. You may expect your hair to regenerate if you quit inhaling the harmful chemicals in cigarettes. The high level of dependence on nicotine makes quitting smoking tough. It may take multiple attempts to break the habit finally.

 

4. Stress 

There are elements of truth to the rumor that stress may cause hair loss. Smoking boosts your body's stress levels. As a result, heart rate and blood pressure increase, as do the muscles in the arms and legs.

Nicotine cravings are distressing because your body is beginning the process of withdrawal.

 

5. It Compromises the Body's Endocrine Systems 

Smoking interferes with one's ability to focus and concentrate. DHT, the hormone responsible for male pattern baldness in men, may increase due to smoking.

DHT can reduce follicles to the point that they no longer produce hair. If the follicles can't generate hair that's strong and supple, your hair will seem to be thinner.

Tip: 

For your body to repair and mend damaged cells as well as hair follicles, you must consume a healthy, nutritional diet.

 

How to Reverse Hair Loss Caused by  Smoking

Fortunately, hair loss caused by smoking may be reversed and treated after removing toxins from your system. Excellent news! As your body begins to mend and operate properly, your hair comes back.

In the case of long-term smokers, further treatments such as grafts or hair transplants may be required to aid hair regeneration.

 

Treatment 

Many direct and indirect factors influence hair growth and health when someone smokes. Consequently, you will indeed be able to see the benefits of quitting smoking right away. A hair care routine, as well as maintaining your hair's health will significantly improve the efficiency of hair regrowth after stopping smoking.

Natural therapies, such as aloe vera in your hair, may help unclog hair follicles and reduce dandruff by reducing sebum production. It's critical to nourish your hair from the inside out for it to grow as quickly as possible. Additionally, you should massage your hair with olive oil or any other product that fits you every day to improve the blood flow that has been interrupted by heavy smoking.

After quitting smoking, there are a number of things you may do to guarantee that your hair grows:

• Balanced Diet 

Hair, the same as the rest of the body, needs nourishment to thrive. Faster hair growth may be achieved by eating a healthy, well-balanced diet high in vitamins A, C, D, iron, iron, zinc, and protein. In addition to helping your hair grow well, it will also help build your immune system so you can fight off any viruses you get.

• Good Hair Care Routine 

It would be best to supplement your diet with additional nutrients to keep your hair healthy. Massage your hair scalp at least thrice a week for 5 mins to improve blood flow. Hair masks, as well as conditioners, are also necessary for nourishing and moisturizing your hair.

• De-stress 

Additionally, stress may be a contributing factor in hair loss. To alleviate stress, you must engage in exercises such as yoga or meditation. Additionally, you'll be less likely to succumb to the allure of smoking since you won't be tempted to smoke as much.

Natural herbs such as ashwagandha, Bala, Shatavari, and ginseng may also help detoxify. If you want to avoid smoking, you may also eat a teaspoon of ajwain as well as cinnamon or a handful of basil leaves.

HAIRFINITY Detox & De-Stress Antioxidant Booster supports your scalp’s stress reduction abilities with an antioxidant cocktail of curcumin, zinc and grape seed extract. Soothe and protect your scalp, so your hair can grow and thrive, stress-free.

 

As you can see, there are natural ways to alleviate the ill effects of smoking. If, however, none of these methods work for you, you should see a hair expert right away to get a proper diagnosis and begin a medical treatment plan tailored specifically to your needs to reverse your hair loss.

 

How to Quit Smoking 

It's tough to give up smoking, but the benefits to your health are many if you succeed. A physician can assist you in developing a quitting strategy that maximizes your chances of success.

You may find these strategies for quitting smoking useful.

• Nicotine Replacement 

The use of nicotine patches, inhalers, or gums may help some persons gradually reduce their nicotine use. By decreasing their nicotine consumption progressively, they alleviate the symptoms of withdrawal.

• Prescription Medications

Prescription medications like Chantix, Zyban, and others may alleviate nicotine withdrawal symptoms. These drugs may be used with the nicotine replacement hypothesis to help you quit smoking.

• Therapy

Cigarette smoking habits may be broken with the aid of alternative treatments. Acupuncture, hypnotherapy, and prescription drugs are a few of the alternatives.

• Supportive Therapy

Quitting smoking may be made simpler with the use of treatments such as counseling or support groups.

• Avoid Hanging with Smokers

The urge to smoke may be reduced by avoiding places where people smoke.

• Quitting App 

Quitting smoking has now been made easier thanks to the plethora of quitting applications available today.

• Get Off the Wagon and Go Cold Turkey 

Smoking withdrawal symptoms might be more severe if you stop abruptly rather than gradually. However, perhaps it will help you overcome your nicotine addiction faster.

 

If I Stop Smoking, Will My Hair Start Growing?

The health of your body and hair will improve as a result of quitting smoking. If it was the primary cause of your hair loss, quitting smoking will stop your scalp from prematurely maturing and drying out, reducing the probability of fallout.

Although it is hard to reverse the effects of tobacco use, quitting smoking is one technique for restoring healthy hair to your body.

Hair restoration and regrowth are lengthy processes. So, if you've been smoking for a while, try to be patient.

Keep an eye out for other possible causes of your hair loss, even after you've stopped using it for a while. You'll be better off working with someone who has earned their credential.

TIP:

Vitamin C is lost from the body when you smoke. Therefore it's essential to strengthen your immune system by getting enough vitamin C in your diet.

 

How Long Does Hair Grow Naturally After Quitting Smoking?

After quitting smoking, the amount of time it takes for a person's hair to regrow varies greatly. How much damage was done to your hair follicles is a significant factor. With some natural therapies and a proper hair care routine, you should see an improvement in your hair in about six months.

However, hair follicles that are completely damaged or are on the verge of death may still be removed. It will mostly take a longer period to fix such a problem. The kind of therapy you get will also be determined by the extent of the harm you've already sustained. Your hair may be in a dormant state, but there are natural therapies that may help you restore it. Hair follicles that have died may need specialized medical attention.

However severe the damage, several medical procedures may help you regrow your hair. These include laser treatments, flashpoints, hair thickening fibers, Strand-by-Strand Ultimate, medicinal shampoos, as well as medications, among others. It is possible to get hair transplant surgery if the condition is not manageable via other means.

For the proper diagnosis and treatment of hair loss, you must visit a doctor as soon as possible. When you begin therapy sooner rather than later, you may anticipate better outcomes. Smoking may cause hair loss, but it is not too late to stop and start taking the right therapy to get your hair back.

 

Is Hair Loss Caused By Vaping?

Vaping's long-term health repercussions are still a mystery. When it comes to vape, there is still a lot of confusion about how it affects your health.

According to a study published in 2018, oxidative stress and DNA damage may be caused by vaping. However, additional study is required to properly understand how vaping affects your hair oxidative stress and how DNA damage may play a role.

 

Final Thoughts

There are several health consequences to smoking, and some of those consequences might extend to your hairline as well as hair density.

One of the many sneaky ways smoking tobacco causes hair loss is increased cortisol levels. As a first step, quitting smoking might be a good idea.

Treatments including minoxidil, finasteride, and corticosteroids may help reverse the effects of smoking's thinning hair. Consultation with a competent medical specialist is critical when deciding on the best course of action for you.