Both sadly and reassuringly, Dr. Alia Ahmed, a dermatologist specialising in psychodermatology at GetHarley, told me that I am not alone in finding hair loss — and the prospect of more hair loss — difficult to deal with: “Female pattern hair loss has been specifically linked to depression, decreased life quality, poor self-esteem, and negative body image,” she says, adding, “Studies have shown women report hair loss as worse than the dermatologist’s assessment, indicating a disproportionate impact on their mental health.” Dr. Ahmed says she is seeing more patients with female pattern hair loss and associated mental health conditions, but it is not always clear which may have come first. Perhaps ironically, stress can worsen hair loss, and this may become a vicious cycle, says Dr. Ahmed.
