Hair Loss and Alcoholism? One Person's Opinion
Hi, I am an alcoholic. That phrase is still so new to me that I need to start by saying that. Admitting that I have a problem with drinking...a serious problem with drinking is the most important thing that I can do for myself in these first few days. No one but my immediate family even knows that I have a drinking problem because I simply come home from work, pour myself a glass of wine and keep pouring glass after glass until I quietly go to bed. Only they know that its not sleep, its passed out.
I started drinking years ago as an escape from the stress of work and marriage...each of which, I still have. But when my dad died in June 2011, I started drinking a bottle of white wine each evening without fail. Since that time, my hair has fallen out, not just a little but all of it (total body). Tons of doctors have told me that its stress but even as it regrows now, it continues to fall out. There is more to this than stress.
I came to this forum after searching for reasons for hair loss on the web. Now, more than ever, I realize that my drinking is the primary cause for my depression, stress, anxiety, job related problems and all the other excuses that I have been making for my hair loss.
I have spent tons of money on therapy (much needed and appreciated), hair care products, doctors who have told me my hair loss is alopecia due to stress and anxiety. The doctors are right but the root cause of the stress in all aspects of my life is wine...no, it's my drinking the wine in excess.
I have read tons of discussion boards that say alcohol/drinking has nothing to do with hair loss and perhaps alcohol by itself doesn't "cause" hair loss but what it does cause is stress, malnutrition, liver problems, increase in estrogen, and protein loss.
I have no doubt that I am suffering from alopecia and there is NO link between alopecia and alcoholism however, alopecia is linked to stress and in my case, when my stress level went up so did my consumption of alcohol. I believe that it has been the duration of alcohol use that caused my stress which led to the alopecia that I now suffer from.
On 033113, I made the decision to test my theory. I am going to give up alcohol knowing that it will affect all other aspects of my life and see if my hair will grow back. From what I have read, this could take 16 to 30 months. This is day 4 of my journey. I will keep you posted.