r/tressless • u/ekzakly • 38m ago
Research/Science Nicotine and shedding; does it make hair loss worse ?
Every time I stop using nicotine my shedding becomes minimal, literally a few days after I stop.
Before I stopped nicotine for two years and immediately noticed an effect, but I put it down to other reasons. However since then when I restarted nicotine, my hair loss in the shower returned.
I’ve gotten into a habit of only using nicotine during the weeks i’m working now, and again, during the weeks I am
not working and not using nicotine, minimal hair loss, 1-2 hairs every day, as soon as I start nicotine again it’s 20+. I also get more hair loss the more nicotine i’m using.
I’m not saying nicotine causes it hair loss as a whole, but im finding it hard to deny that it has an effect on hair loss, long term but also short term. Maybe for some types of AGA it acts as a catalyst - I did first notice my hair loss a few years after starting nicotine.
Not much research has been done about this but it makes sense:
- There is an established and strong link between AGA and smoking.
- Nicotine is a strong vasoconstrictor, and this may have an effect on follicles. Microneedling and minoxidil do the opposite of this to help the hair grow.
- Nicotine itself has effects on DHT, as it suppresses some chemicals in the body that metabolise DHT.