Alcohol and Hair Growth

Blonde woman with a bob haircut who is drinking wine — Photo: Dean Bertoncelj/Shutterstock

Q: Will drinking a lot of alcohol slow down hair growth? Will it cause hair loss

A: The answer to both questions is yes. Heavy drinking can significantly impact your hair's health and growth in several interconnected ways.

When you consume alcohol excessively, your body's zinc levels take a hit. This matters more than you might realize because zinc plays a crucial role in maintaining healthy hair follicles and supporting the natural hair growth cycle. When zinc levels drop, your hair doesn't just grow more slowly. The quality of new hair growth can also suffer, leading to weaker, more brittle strands that are prone to breakage.

Dehydration presents another major concern. Alcohol acts as a diuretic, meaning it causes your body to lose fluids more rapidly than normal. This dehydration doesn't just make you feel lousy the next day. It also creates an environment where healthy hair growth becomes much more difficult. Your hair follicles need adequate hydration to function properly, and chronic dehydration from heavy drinking can leave them struggling to produce strong, healthy hair.

The problems don't stop there. Excessive alcohol consumption has been shown to interfere with your body's ability to absorb and maintain healthy iron levels. Iron deficiency can disrupt the normal hair growth cycle, and studies have found that this issue is particularly pronounced in women who drink heavily. The combination of dehydration and nutrient depletion creates a perfect storm for hair loss.

What makes this even more concerning is that these effects tend to compound over time. While an occasional drink is unlikely to cause noticeable hair problems, chronic heavy drinking can lead to progressively worsening hair health. Many people don't realize their drinking habits are affecting their hair until the damage becomes quite visible.

Alcohol can damage your hair from the outside as well. Many hair styling products contain alcohol to help them dry quickly and apply smoothly. While these alcohols serve a purpose in product formulation, they can be particularly harsh on hair that's already compromised by internal factors. These external alcohols strip away natural moisture and protective oils, leaving your hair more vulnerable to damage from heat styling and brushing.

Many of these effects can be reversed or significantly improved by reducing alcohol consumption and focusing on proper nutrition and hydration. Your hair has a remarkable ability to recover when given the right conditions, though it may take several months to see noticeable improvements since hair grows relatively slowly.

©Hairfinder.com

See also:

How strong are hair roots?

What is hair made of and how does it grow?