Does Smoking Cause Hair Loss? What the Research Shows

Most people already know that smoking tobacco raises your risk of developing lung cancer plus respiratory illness. But the negative health effects of smoking don’t stop at your lungs.

One of the most obvious effects of smoking on your appearance is hair loss. For some people, smoking can cause significant thinning or loss, which can change the way you look.

That change in your appearance can affect how you feel about yourself, so understanding how smoking causes hair loss and how this could impact you over time may help you feel more ready to quit for good.

So, how does smoking cause hair loss, plus how can quitting help? Keep reading to find out.

Key Takeaways

• Smoking can damage hair follicles plus increase the risk of hair thinning or loss.

• Oxidative stress and reduced scalp blood flow may speed up early onset pattern hair loss.

• Smoking may increase inflammation plus follicle scarring, making remaining hair drier and brittle.

• Quitting smoking may improve follicle recovery, but regrowth depends on duration plus severity.

Can Smoking Cause Hair Loss?

Smoking tobacco can possibly damage your hair follicles and increase your risk of developing hair loss.

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.

The researchers found signs of hair loss in 425 out of 500 smokers, while only 200 of 500 nonsmokers showed any clear signs of hair loss.

On the Hamilton-Norwood scale of hair loss, grade 3 shows deeper recession along the hairline. At grade 4, you also see balding at your vertex.

The researchers found that 47 percent of the smokers had grade 3 hair loss plus 24 percent had grade 4. Only 10 percent of nonsmokers reached grades 3 or 4.

The researchers concluded that nicotine plus related chemicals might be responsible for accelerating hair loss, but more research is needed to back this theory.

Smoking may also cause oxidative stress and reduced blood flow to your hair follicles that may play a role in hair loss.

How Smoking Causes Hair Loss

While there is a clear connection between smoking and hair loss, there are many theories about how smoking regularly leads to early onset baldness.

Oxidative Stress

One key theory is that smoking causes oxidative stress by increasing the production of free radicals in the body. Free radicals are molecules that react easily with other molecules in your system and may cause damage to the DNA of your cells. An overproduction of free radicals can also be caused by radiation, pollution and UV rays.

Yet how does this affect your hair? A 2018 study found that cells in hair follicles in balding scalps are particularly sensitive to oxidative stress.3 This means that, if you’re prone to hair loss or are already experiencing thinning, smoking regularly is likely to make your hair loss worse and speed up the balding process.

Reduced Blood Flow to Hair Follicles

Another reason smoking can cause premature hair loss is that it restricts blood flow in the body. Regular smoking damages both the heart plus its connecting vessels, reducing the blood flow around your body, especially to your hair follicles. This means the amount of nutrients that reach your scalp are also reduced, which can accelerate hair loss and cause damage to the hair left on your head, making it look dull and lifeless.

Damaging Your Existing Hair

Smoking may also cause hair fall by damaging the hair that is left on your head. Smoking promotes the release of cytokines, proteins that can increase inflammation plus cause scarring of the hair follicles.

This scarring can make your hair more brittle and prone to falling out. Smoking can also lead to low estrogen levels, which can significantly impact your hair growth cycle plus the health of your locks.

Smoking can also cause early onset of grey hair and make your hair drier, which can raise the odds of hair loss.

Other Effects of Cigarettes to Your Hair

Along with contributing to hair loss, smoking may also hurt your hair’s overall health in several other ways.

• Early onset of gray hair. A 2013 study found significant evidence that there’s a relationship between the onset of gray hair before turning 30 years old plus smoking cigarettes.

• Hair transplant outcomes. A 2018 research review showed that people who smoke have a higher risk of complications during hair transplants including the death of skin tissue on the scalp.

• May make hair more brittle. Reduced blood flow to your hair follicles can potentially interfere with collagen production and lead to brittle hair.

• Potentially makes hair drier. Hair oil production tends to decrease when you’re 45 to 50 years old, according to a 2018 research review. Oxidative stress from smoking could possibly speed up the aging of your hair and lead to dryness at a younger age.

Does Vaping Cause Hair Loss?

Right now, the health effects of vaping are still not fully clear. Vaping products are relatively new on the market, and researchers are still working to understand all their effects on your body.

A 2018 report found significant evidence that vaping could cause oxidative stress plus damage to DNA. In theory, oxidative stress and DNA damage could contribute to hair loss, although more research is needed to fully understand vaping’s effects on your hair.

Most vape liquids still contain nicotine, along with propylene glycol plus a range of synthetic flavouring chemicals. These ingredients can negatively impact your hair follicles in several ways:

• Nicotine constricts blood vessels, which reduces blood flow to the scalp plus starves hair follicles of oxygen and essential nutrients.

• Propylene glycol, commonly used as a base in vape liquids, may dry out the scalp plus disrupt the skin barrier, leading to irritation and poorer hair quality.

• Inhaled flavouring agents plus other chemicals can trigger an inflammatory response in the body, which may disrupt the hair growth cycle and increase shedding.

Emerging research suggests vaping may be associated with increased hair thinning or shedding in both men and women, particularly among frequent users or those with an existing predisposition to conditions like androgenetic alopecia (male or female pattern hair loss).

Can You Reverse Hair Loss Caused by Smoking?

The encouraging part is that hair loss caused by smoking can often improve after you quit smoking. Once you stop smoking, your hair follicles and hair shafts start to recover. Better blood flow brings oxygen back to your scalp, helping restart the hair growth cycle.

However, recovery depends on the degree of hair loss plus the length of smoking. If your hair loss has been long-term, you might need professional help to restore density and volume.

How To Stop Hair Loss Due To Smoking?

Addressing hair loss induced by smoking involves a comprehensive approach, including lifestyle modifications, diligent care, and a commitment to overall health. When you add the following strategies into your routine, you can take proactive steps to stop and possibly reverse hair loss caused by smoking:

Quit Smoking

The most important step in stopping hair loss linked to smoking is quitting the habit. Smoking cessation helps prevent further damage and gives your body time to start the healing process.

Nutrient-Rich Diet

Aim for a diet with plenty of essential nutrients for hair health, including vitamins A, C, and E, as well as minerals such as iron and zinc. These nutrients support the overall health of hair follicles and contribute to a robust growth cycle.

Stay Hydrated

Staying hydrated matters for maintaining healthy hair. Drinking an adequate amount of water helps in transporting nutrients to the hair follicles, promoting their vitality and resilience.

Manage Stress

Chronic stress can contribute to hair loss. Practice stress management techniques such as meditation, yoga, or deep breathing exercises to alleviate stress plus support the health of your hair.

Regular Exercise

Get regular physical activity to improve blood circulation throughout the body, including the scalp. Improved blood flow delivers essential nutrients to hair follicles, promoting their health.

Use Hair-Care Products Wisely

Choose hair products that support scalp and strand health, and avoid formulas loaded with harsh chemicals. A gentle shampoo and a lightweight conditioner are a good base, then add extra care where you need it most.

If your scalp feels dry or irritated, a simple, natural option like pure batana oil can help condition the skin and soften hair without relying on heavy additives.

Quit Smoking to Help Slow Hair Loss plus Support Regrowth

When you breathe in tobacco smoke, chemicals can move from your lungs into your bloodstream. Your bloodstream carries these chemicals to other parts of your body where they can harm many parts of your health.

Smoking is linked to hair loss in a number of ways such as reducing blood flow to your scalp and causing damage to the DNA of your hair follicles. Quitting smoking may help you achieve a limited amount of hair regrowth and positively impact your health in many other ways. Explore Keyoma’s hair care blogs.