The best way a woman can protect her hair is by protecting her relationship. At least that’s what the results of a comprehensive study on hair loss indicate. Eighty-four identical twins took part in the research program, headed by Case Western Reserve School of Medicine’s Dr. Bahman Guyuron. The women were all asked to fill out in-depth questionnaires about their personal lives. After the results were analyzed and compared against their twin’s, they were each given hormone blood level tests and their scalps were analyzed for hair thickness and signs of balding.

According to USA Today, the results showed marital status was the single biggest trigger of hair loss apart from genetics. Of course, ending a relationship itself doesn’t cause any thinning, but the stress related to an imploded union apparently has a substantial impact. Women who were married or consistently single demonstrated far more follicle health than their divorced twins. Beyond relationship status, smoking and heavy alcohol usage were also leading causes of female hair loss.

After the first round of female study was complete, Dr. Guyuron and his team turned their attention to males and conducted the same analysis on sixty-six patients. Not surprisingly, they found a whole host of factors led to baldness and thinning of the hair including smoking, exposure to the sun, laziness, a history of cancer, high blood pressure and dandruff. Marital status did not seem to be a factor, but as men and women experience stress differently, that’s not altogether surprising.

With any scientific study, it’s important to note results are not necessarily hardened proof. Eighty-four women is a decent sample size, but these findings will need to be replicated in order to have real merit. Since they pass the logical smell test, I suspect they will, but since I’m not a doctor, I wouldn’t recommend staying in a bad marriage to avoid hair loss quite yet.