How Modern Living Affects Hair — Environment, Diet & Medication-Related Causes Part 1

Introduction

Beyond genetics and hormones, several lifestyle and environmental factors influence hair shedding. Many of these pressures are unique to the modern world: pollution, processed diets, medications, rapid weight-loss trends, and post-illness recovery.

This blog outlines these contributors and explains how our salon supports the hair fiber and scalp health without making medical claims.

Environmental Exposures

Hair follicles are biologically active and vulnerable to environmental stressors that can create inflammation or oxidative stress.

Documented Exposures That Influence Hair Health:

Air pollution (fine particulates linked to inflammation and scalp irritation)

UV radiation (increases oxidative stress around follicles)

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (found in plastics, fragrances, personal care products)

Smoking (associated with higher rates of pattern hair loss)

Hard water (mineral deposits on scalp/hair)

Metals or chlorine in water

Synthetic fragrances that may irritate sensitive scalps

These exposures may not directly “cause” hair loss but can worsen scalp inflammation, buildup, or oxidative stress.

How Ippodaro Natural Salon + Our Team of Hair Healers Can Support You

We help reduce environmental strain on the hair by:

Using clean, biodynamic products free from harsh synthetic fragrance

Offering mineral-removal and detox services for hard-water buildup

Avoiding chemical families known to irritate the scalp

Supporting the hair fiber with strengthening, non-coating ingredients

This is supportive cosmetic care that complements—rather than replaces—medical evaluation.

Diet, Nutrition & Rapid Weight-Loss Trends

Hair requires adequate nutrients to grow. Several modern patterns affect this:

Nutrient Deficiencies

Common deficiencies linked to shedding include:

• Iron

• Vitamin D

• Zinc

• B vitamins

• Inadequate protein
  
  

Restrictive eating habits, low-calorie diets, or poor nutrient absorption can push the body to conserve energy, temporarily slowing hair growth.

Crash Diets & GLP-1 Medications (Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro)

Rapid weight loss—whether due to dieting or medication—can trigger telogen effluvium, usually appearing 1–6 months later.

Western Diet Patterns

High-sugar, high-fat, low-micronutrient diets are linked to increased inflammation and may worsen hereditary thinning in susceptible individuals.

Medications Linked to Shedding

Shedding has been reported with some:

• Antidepressants

• ADHD medications

• Acne medications

• Thyroid medications

• Hormonal therapies

• Blood pressure medications
  
  

This does not mean all users experience shedding—only that it is a noted possible side effect.

How Ippodaro Natural Salon + Our Team of Hair Healers Can Support You

We cannot address medical or nutritional causes, but we can support the external environment of the hair by:

Using gentle, non-irritating products during shedding phases

Avoiding heavy coatings that block or suffocate the hair strand

Providing styling routines that minimize breakage on weakened hair

Adjusting chemical services (timing, frequency, method) when someone is actively shedding

Our role is to maintain hair fiber integrity while the body restores balance.

Post-Illness and Post-Viral Shedding

Temporary shedding after illness is common and well-documented, especially after:

High fevers

Major infections

Viral illnesses such as COVID-19

Surgeries or significant physical stress

This type of shedding occurs because the body redirects resources toward recovery. Shedding usually appears months later and resolves as the hair cycle resets.

How Ippodaro Natural Salon + Our Team of Hair Healers Can Support You

During this period we focus on:

Gentle handling of fragile strands

Maintaining a healthy scalp environment

Minimizing external stress through low-heat and low-tension routines

Preserving hair appearance while regrowth occurs

Conclusion:

Environmental exposure, diet patterns, medications, and post-illness recovery all influence hair shedding. These factors often overlap with genetics and hormones, contributing to the rise in early hair thinning.

Understanding these factors helps individuals seek appropriate medical evaluation while choosing haircare practices that support the scalp and hair fiber.

Sources:

Harvard Health – Vitamins, Minerals, and Hair Losshealth.harvard.eduhealth.harvard.edu (dietary deficiencies, crash diets, and other contributors to hair loss, plus explanation of telogen effluvium after stress/illness)

American Academy of Dermatology – Can COVID-19 cause hair loss?aad.orgaad.org (studies showing ~20% of COVID patients developed telogen effluvium and that other illnesses cause similar shedding; alopecia areata flares post-COVID)

JAMA Dermatology (Lee et al., 2023) – Risk of Alopecia Areata After COVID-19jamanetwork.comjamanetwork.com (COVID-19 associated with 6× higher risk of telogen effluvium and ~1.8× higher risk of new alopecia areata, likely via autoimmune mechanisms triggered by the virus)

Altitude Dermatology Blog – How Stress-Induced Hair Loss Happensaltitudedermatology.com (explaining cortisol’s effect on pushing hair into resting phase; citing a study of 11-fold increased shedding risk under high stress)

Belgravia Centre – Why Young People Have More Hair Lossbelgraviacentre.combelgraviacentre.com (discussion of millennial lifestyle factors: earlier onset of genetic hair loss, sugar intake, dietary imbalances; note: informational content referencing studies, though not a peer-reviewed source).