Divorce causes women to lose their hair

Divorce is causing women to lose their hair prematurely, according to new research

It's not just the heart that suffers when a couple gets divorced, but also a woman's hair.

Research shows that women who break up with their partner are far more likely to have thinning hair than women who are happily married or single.

Study author Dr Bahman Guyuron from Case Western Reserve School of Medicine implies a link between marital status and a woman's state of mind, suggesting stress is the main trigger for hair loss.

'Most likely stress is the aspect of a troubling divorce that appears to lead to hair loss among women,' he says. Having children and other homelife stressors could also cause women to lose their hair.

As well as trying to keep calm, Dr Guyuron suggests excessive drinking and smoking should be curbed to avoid women losing their locks.

The study of 84 female identical twins found that women who drink coffee, use sun protection and are happily married are the least likely to lose their hair.

'It's not a shock to suggest that various kinds of stress can lead to hair loss,' says Dr Doris Day, a physician in dermatology at Lenox Hill Hospital, New York. 'I am a big proponent of the idea that it is how you handle the stress that can make a difference.

'The mind and body connection is incredibly powerful. It helps to keep perspective, put the major milestones in their place and keep an open mind.'

The study found that men are not affected by stress in the same way as women, but that smoking, heavy drinking and sun exposure are contributing factors to thining hair in both sexes.

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