The negative effects that smoking cigarettes can have on the body are well-known. This is largely due to the multiple campaigns aimed towards helping people realize how detrimental smoking can be on the health of the body as well as on the health of those around them. Smoking can affect the health and appearance of the smoker. Most people know that a person who smokes may suffer from premature facial aging, breathing problems, yellowing teeth, and cancer among other health conditions, but may not realize that hair loss may also be a side effect of smoking. Prematurely greying hair, hair loss, dull hair, thinning hair, and hair breakage may all be linked to smoking.

Hair Loss and Smoking

Recent studies indicate a connection between smoking and hair loss. There is evidence that smoking may promote hair loss in some men and women. Smoking, as well as other factors, can play a role in hair loss. Smoking, stress, overexposure to the sun, and genetics are key factors in whether a person will suffer from hair loss. It is believed that smoking affects the way blood is circulated to the hair follicles, which may lead to hair loss, thinning hair, hair breakage, and dull hair.

Cigarettes are highly addictive. It can be quite difficult for a person to quit smoking. Even knowing the dangers that smoking poses to the health may not be enough motivation for a person to quit. The aesthetically unpleasing effects of smoking such as yellowing teeth and wrinkles on the face may also not be enough to help a patient to give up cigarettes. There are treatments available to target these unsightly physical effects of smoking including teeth whitening treatments and face lift surgery. What about hair loss? Thinning, balding hair is not easily disguised. Hair loss can affect a patient’s self-esteem and self-confidence. Most men and women feel self-conscious at the first sign of thinning hair. If a person were aware that his or her hair loss may be partially attributed to smoking, he or she might be more inclined to quit smoking.

Hair Loss Treatments

One of the best things a person can do for his or her overall health and appearance is quitting smoking. Some men and women may even find that their hair loss stops after quitting. In certain cases, some patients may even find that their hair growth returns to normal. Others may experience many of the benefits of no longer smoking, but still suffer from thinning hair. For such cases there are effective hair loss treatment options available including non-surgical hair loss treatment and surgical hair loss treatment.

At New England Center for Hair Restoration in Boston, hair loss treatment is customized to the unique and individual needs of each patient. The most popular and effective hair loss treatments utilized today are topical and oral medications, scalp laser hair treatment, Platelet Rich Plasma PRP, follicular unit extraction (FUE), and follicular unit transplant (FUT). By using one or a combination of non-surgical and surgical hair loss treatments, patients can have thicker, fuller hair once more.

Learn More about Factors That Can Cause Hair Loss

There are many factors that may contribute to a patient’s hair loss, including smoking. To learn more about the effects of smoking on hair loss, please contact New England Center for Hair Restoration today.