April 2026 in “Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology” Hair cortisol levels may be linked to stress, but results are inconsistent.
February 2017 in “Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature” Hair cortisol measurement is a promising, non-invasive tool for monitoring cortisol exposure over time.
Measuring cortisol in hair can help assess adrenal function in asthmatic children using inhaled corticosteroids.
489 citations
,
June 2005 in “The FASEB Journal” Human hair follicles can produce cortisol like the body's stress response system.
1 citations
,
June 2023 in “Psychoneuroendocrinology” Childhood sexual trauma, especially between ages 5-7, is linked to lower cortisol levels in adult hair, suggesting long-term stress response changes.
24 citations
,
October 2018 in “Addiction Biology” Alcohol dependence affects stress hormone levels more than childhood maltreatment.
September 2024 in “Toxicology Letters” Cortisone and cortisol levels in pregnant women’s hair increase as labor approaches, indicating higher stress.
5 citations
,
May 2017 in “Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology” The study found no significant difference in stress hormone levels between people with alopecia areata and healthy individuals, suggesting that the disease is not caused by an overactive stress response system.
65 citations
,
December 1986 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism” The woman had a genetic condition causing high cortisol and androgen levels, treatable with dexamethasone.
217 citations
,
July 2009 in “Experimental and Clinical Endocrinology & Diabetes” Hair analysis can track past cortisol levels in Cushing's Syndrome patients.
1 citations
,
June 2024 in “Rehabilitation Medicine” Higher cortisol and cortisone levels in hair may predict mood disorders after a stroke.
3 citations
,
January 2012 Hair cortisol analysis shows sweat affects cortisol levels, and severe OSA may increase stress, but CPAP treatment doesn't significantly reduce physiological stress.
2 citations
,
January 2009 The procedure reliably measures cortisol in rhesus macaque hair.
May 2012 in “Neurotoxicology and Teratology” Hair cortisol can be a reliable way to measure long-term stress.
16 citations
,
May 1998 in “International Journal of Dermatology” Stress hormones like cortisol may trigger psoriasis flare-ups.
5 citations
,
April 2022 in “Journal of Chromatography B” The new method can measure sleep-related hormones in hair effectively and could help track long-term sleep patterns.
1 citations
,
May 2016 in “The Veterinary Journal” Glucocorticoids affect dogs' skin reactions to histamine, which vary by time of day.
122 citations
,
October 2013 in “PEDIATRICS” Maternal stress during pregnancy affects a child's stress levels.
April 2026 in “Journal of Experimental Psychopathology” Hair cortisol levels may not reliably indicate psychological distress.
1 citations
,
December 2021 in “American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology” Hair cortisol levels peak in the third trimester and decline postpartum.
December 2025 in “Biology Bulletin Reviews” Hair cortisol can indicate animal stress but varies with many factors.
April 2020 in “Journal of the Endocrine Society” Hair cortisol measurement can help diagnose and monitor Cushing’s disease.
9 citations
,
January 2005 in “Experimental Dermatology” Human hair follicles can produce stress hormones like the body's main stress response system.
3 citations
,
October 2024 in “Experimental Dermatology” Higher CRHR1 levels in AA patients lead to increased inflammation.
July 2025 in “International Journal of Dermatology Venereology and Leprosy Sciences” Higher stress levels may worsen alopecia areata, suggesting stress management is important for treatment.
January 2026 in “Open Science Framework” December 2019 in “Case Medical Research” July 2011 in “Neurotoxicology and Teratology”
11 citations
,
February 2005 in “Clinical pharmacology and therapeutics/Clinical pharmacology & therapeutics” Hair cortisol could be a marker for chronic stress in pregnancy, but depression affects cortisol levels differently.
November 2025 in “Anxiety Stress & Coping” Higher anxiety symptoms and social behavior affect stress levels in hair.