157 citations
,
June 2015 in “Psychoneuroendocrinology” Hair cortisol and cortisone levels increase with age, are higher in diabetics, vary by gender, decrease with frequent hair washing, and are lower in winter.
33 citations
,
January 2017 in “Psychoneuroendocrinology” Hair dyeing and washing frequency do not affect hair cortisol levels.
23 citations
,
August 2017 in “Scientific Reports” Darker hair may lead to higher cortisol readings, suggesting a need to adjust for hair color in studies.
11 citations
,
May 2020 in “Frontiers in psychiatry” Child abuse is linked to higher BMI, but not because of hair cortisol or cortisone levels.
3 citations
,
June 2021 in “Journal of affective disorders” Hair cortisol and cortisone levels may affect how work stress influences depression in Chinese fishermen.
May 2023 in “Animal Reproduction Update” High levels of cortisol in hair show long-term stress which can lower fertility in animals.
50 citations
,
July 2018 in “Psychoneuroendocrinology” Hair cortisol can indicate long-term stress levels, but hair growth rate differences may affect accuracy.
November 2025 in “Contraception” COC use doesn't increase hair stress hormone levels, but hair treatments may affect results.
296 citations
,
October 2018 in “General and Comparative Endocrinology” Hair cortisol is a reliable way to measure long-term stress in animals.
237 citations
,
September 2018 in “Clinical Biochemistry” Hair cortisol analysis can help diagnose stress-related conditions but needs more refinement for widespread use.
22 citations
,
May 2019 in “Animals” High hair cortisol levels indicate stress in cows due to poor shelter conditions and health issues.
21 citations
,
January 2020 in “Conservation Physiology” Hair follicles increase hair cortisol levels, so consistent hair collection methods are important.
16 citations
,
March 2013 in “Clinica Chimica Acta” Cortisol and cortisone release from hair increases in steps over time during incubation.
2 citations
,
December 2021 in “Scientific reports” Scalp hair sweating is a significant predictor of hair cortisol levels.
December 2025 in “Biology Bulletin Reviews” Hair cortisol can indicate animal stress but varies with many factors.
June 2020 in “Authorea (Authorea)” First-time mothers had higher stress hormone levels in late pregnancy than mothers who had given birth before.
501 citations
,
October 2008 in “Psychoneuroendocrinology” Hair cortisol levels can show increased stress during late pregnancy but only for up to six months.
19 citations
,
June 2020 in “General and comparative endocrinology” Hair cortisol is a reliable stress indicator in cattle but may not be valid for pigs.
11 citations
,
April 2020 in “Animals” Moving horses to new places can increase their stress levels, as shown by higher stress hormone in their hair.
9 citations
,
February 2020 in “Stress” Children with lower inhibitory control experience more stress when starting third grade.
7 citations
,
September 2025 in “Psychoneuroendocrinology” Hair analytes decrease with storage, so analyze within six months.
2 citations
,
June 2021 in “Medicine” High levels of cortisol in hair are linked to a greater risk of brain aneurysm rupture.
November 2025 in “Journal of Laboratory Medicine” Chronic stress increased after lockdown, especially in young adults and females.
May 2016 in “Endocrine Abstracts” Proximal hair cortisol is a reliable tool for diagnosing Cushing's Syndrome.
567 citations
,
October 2007 in “Clinical and investigative medicine” Hair cortisol can be used to measure long-term stress exposure.
199 citations
,
July 2007 in “General and Comparative Endocrinology” Hair cortisol can reliably indicate chronic stress in cats and dogs.
189 citations
,
January 2014 in “Journal of Visualized Experiments” Hair cortisol analysis effectively measures long-term stress.
122 citations
,
October 2013 in “PEDIATRICS” Maternal stress during pregnancy affects a child's stress levels.
122 citations
,
October 2010 in “Clinica Chimica Acta” Washing hair with water or shampoo lowers cortisol levels in hair.
101 citations
,
January 2014 in “Journal of Visualized Experiments” The method effectively measures long-term stress levels using hair samples.