According to Statista, work is often the main reason we experience stress, with 79% of people stating that the feeling is frequently associated with their job.

Recent research has revealed that those experiencing heightened stress are at greater risk of hair loss, with 73.8% of respondents reporting hair loss as a direct impact of stress.

In light of this, Elithair has analysed a range of professions within different industries to determine which ones are most likely to cause stress-related hair loss.

The industries at highest risk of stress-related hair loss

The study took into account factors that exacerbate work-related stress, including average salary, salary increases, sick days, average working hours, and an average change in working hours between 2022 and 2023 associated with each profession.

Transportation and storage

• Occupation stress score: 70/100

The transportation and storage sector placed first in the study, with a high-stress score of 70 out of 100.

Workers in this industry take an average of 6 sick days annually, one of the highest rates among sectors. Pay increases are also modest, with a 2.3% annual rise from 2022 to 2023, ranking among the lowest across industries. These factors combined amount to an industry facing considerable workplace pressures, and therefore at the highest risk of losing their hair due to work-related stress.

Education

• Occupation stress score: 64.4/100

Workers in this sector take an average of 5.6 sick days each year. Employees within the education sector work an average of 35.9 hours each week and had the highest percentage change when it came to an increase in hours worked between 2022 and 2023 at 2.6%, leading to longer working hours and less work/life balance.

Construction

• Occupation stress score: 62.2/100

Although employees within this industry were among the highest earners, with an average salary of £44,719 – the highest salary of those ranked within the top five – they also worked some of the longest hours, at an average of 40 hours a week.

Alongside the analysed factors contributing to the overall stress score, construction workers often work in high-risk environments, which could contribute to the overall stress of the job. Construction workers also take a higher-than-average number of sick days each year, with an average of 6.4 recorded.

Also included among the top five most stressful industries to work in are water supply, human health, and human work, both with a stress score of 58.9/100. The social work sector stands out with the highest number of sick days among all analysed occupations, averaging 8.9 days per year.

Dr Balwi, leading hair surgeon at Elithair, says: “Chronic stress not only affects job satisfaction and overall quality of life, but it can also lead to physical symptoms such as hair loss, and stress-induced hair loss is a legitimate concern for individuals in high-stress professions.

Working long hours and dealing with unpredictable schedules, high-pressure environments, and slow salary growth can have a significant impact on both the mental and physical well-being of employees.”

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