Can also trigger hair loss and cause thinning hair. Stress related hair loss might be reversed by elimination of stress factors. Furthermore, stress can increase the speed of hair loss in people who have a genetic predisposition to thinning hair and male or female pattern baldness. Severe stress, such as the loss of a loved one, severe illness or major surgery, may also lead to hair loss. In addition, anxiety habits, such as hair pulling or scalp rubbing, damages hair follicles. Often, when a person begins to use one of our hair restoration, hair replacement or baldness treatments, their stress levels rapidly decrease because they feel more in control of their lives and more confident in themselves.