Smoking Can Cause Hair Loss
Research shows there is a link between smoking and hair loss. This risk factor appears to be increased when combined with other factors, such as body weight.(71)
Researchers believe that some of the ways smoking causes hair loss include the following:(71, 72)
- Inflammatory effects that cigarette smoke has on the smallest blood vessels of dermal hair papilla.
- Toxic damage to hair follicle DNA.
- Imbalance in the hair follicle systems that control parts of the hair growth cycle.
- Inflammatory effects that lead to cell damage and development of fibrotic tissue in the hair follicle.
- Creation of a hypo-estrogenic state by inhibiting the aromatase enzyme responsible for creating the estrogenic hormone estradiol.
Evidence of Link Between Smoking and Hair Loss
| Study Details | Type of Hair Loss | Results |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-sectional study involving 600 patients.(71) | Significant positive correlation between hair loss and smoking status in men.(71) | |
| Population study involving 740 Asian men aged 40-91 years old.(309) | Smoking status and current amount of cigarette smoking significantly increased the risk of moderate to severe hair loss.(309) | |
| Retrospective study involving 2 groups of women with PCOS: 217 nonsmokers and 92 smokers.(310) | Smoking affects hormone levels, which can impact hair loss.(8, 310) Study results showed that free testosterone levels were significantly higher in the group of smokers. Free testosterone can be converted to DHT, which is linked to increased hair loss.(310) |
|
| Cross-sectional study involving 351 Caucasians with hair loss.(311) | Smoking cigarettes combined with a BMI of 25 or more increases the risk of moderate to severe hair loss by 6 times.(311) | |
| Cross-sectional study involving 398 males age 17-72 years old.(312) |
Common Male Balding and Grey Hair |
Smoking significantly increased the risk of smoking, but did not increase the risk of grey hair.(312) However, it should be noted 2 other studies found a significant link between smoking and grey hair. Smoking may also be a risk factor for premature (onset before age 30) of grey hair.(313, 314) |
Medical Treatment
Smoking cessation should be the first treatment option, given the many health benefits in addition to stopping any hair loss.(71)
Herbal and Supplement Treatment Options
Animal studies suggest that oral supplements of L-cystine (oxidized form of L-cysteine) and vitamin B6 could help prevent hair loss caused by smoking.(233)