Quick answer: No study has yet shown that vaping causes hair loss, and there is very little research on the question at all. Smoking has been linked with male pattern hair loss in several studies, and some of the ways smoking may harm hair follicles involve nicotine, which most vapes contain, so a link is possible but unproven. If you are losing hair, the most likely cause is still pattern hair loss, stress or a health problem such as low iron, so it is worth getting checked rather than assuming vaping is to blame.

Vaping is now more common than smoking in Great Britain. The Office for National Statistics estimates that around 5.4 million adults (10.0%) used an e-cigarette daily or occasionally in 2024, and for the first time that was a higher percentage than current smokers (9.1%).

So it is a fair question, and one we are asked in consultations. This guide sets out what is actually known, what is only guesswork, and what to do if you are worried about your hair.

What is in a vape?

A vape, or e-cigarette, heats a liquid to make an aerosol that you breathe in. The NHS says the liquid typically contains propylene glycol, vegetable glycerine, flavourings and nicotine.

Unlike a cigarette, a vape does not burn tobacco. Cancer Research UK points out that tobacco is the part of cigarettes that causes cancer, and that nicotine, while addictive, does not itself cause cancer.

Is there any research on vaping and hair loss?

Almost none. A 2024 systematic review of e-cigarettes and skin disease found only 11 relevant articles in total. It reported links with impaired wound healing and burns from devices, and it mentioned hair loss only as something associated with ordinary cigarette smoking, not vaping. The authors described the lack of data on vaping side effects as an issue that needs watching.

That is the honest position: nobody has yet studied whether people who vape lose more hair than people who do not. Any website that tells you vaping definitely causes hair loss, or definitely does not, is going further than the evidence allows.

Does smoking cause hair loss?

Smoking is better studied, though still not settled. A 2022 systematic review in the International Journal of Trichology concluded there is a significant association between smoking and androgenetic alopecia (pattern hair loss). A community survey of 740 men in Taiwan, published in 2007, found that smokers were more likely to have moderate or severe pattern hair loss after allowing for age and family history, and the risk rose with the number of cigarettes smoked.

An association is not the same as proof of cause. The 2022 review itself says that large controlled studies are still missing.

The researchers suggest several ways smoking might harm hair follicles:

• Narrowing blood vessels, reducing blood supply to the follicle.
• Oxidative stress, where harmful molecules called free radicals damage the cells of the follicle.
• DNA damage in follicle cells from chemicals in smoke.
• Hormonal effects, including possible changes in androgen levels.

Is vaping as bad for your hair as smoking?

We do not know, because it has not been studied. What we can say is this.

Vaping exposes you to fewer toxins, at lower levels, than smoking. That is the NHS position, and Cancer Research UK says vaping is far less harmful than smoking. Many of the chemicals in cigarette smoke that are thought to damage follicles come from burning tobacco, and a vape does not burn tobacco.

On the other hand, nicotine narrows blood vessels. The 2024 dermatology review describes nicotine-induced narrowing of blood vessels as the reason e-cigarettes, like cigarettes, appear to slow wound healing. Whether that effect is strong enough to affect hair follicles in people who vape has never been tested.

So if you are switching from smoking to vaping, it is reasonable to expect that to be better for your health overall. It is not reasonable to assume vaping is harmless. The NHS says vaping is unlikely to be totally harmless, that its long-term risks are not yet known, and that non-smokers and under-18s should not take it up.

Can nicotine-free vapes cause hair loss?

There is no evidence either way. Taking nicotine out removes the ingredient most often suggested as a possible link, but vape liquids also contain flavourings and other chemicals.

One 2017 laboratory study found that some common e-liquid flavouring chemicals triggered inflammation and oxidative stress in human immune cells grown in a dish, even without nicotine. That was a cell study, not a study of people, and it did not look at hair. It is a reason for caution about long-term vaping in general, not evidence that flavourings cause hair loss.

If I stop vaping, will my hair grow back?

It depends entirely on what is causing the hair loss, and there is no research showing that stopping vaping makes hair regrow.

Even for smoking, the 2022 review found no study showing that hair improves after someone quits. That does not mean stopping is pointless. Quitting nicotine is good for your health in many ways. But if you have pattern hair loss, stopping vaping will not reverse it.

If you stop vaping and your hair is still thinning after a few months, that is a strong sign something else is going on, and it is worth having it looked at.

What else could be causing my hair loss?

Most hair loss has a cause that has nothing to do with vaping. The common ones are:

• Male or female pattern hair loss. This is the most common type of hair loss in men, and the NHS says it usually runs in families and is permanent. The British Association of Dermatologists explains that a hormone called DHT gradually shrinks affected follicles so the hairs grow thinner and finer. There is no cure, but it usually progresses slowly over years. You can read more in our guide to what DHT is and how it causes hair loss and the Norwood scale.
• Telogen effluvium. This is a sudden increase in shedding, often around 3 months after a trigger such as illness, surgery, major stress, childbirth, crash dieting or starting a new medicine. The British Association of Dermatologists says it usually gets completely better on its own, with the shedding phase lasting about 3 to 6 months. Our guide on how to stop hair loss from stress covers this in more detail.
• Low iron and other deficiencies. The NHS lists hair loss as a symptom of iron deficiency anaemia, which is diagnosed with a simple blood test. See our guide to nutritional and vitamin deficiencies that can affect hair.
• Medicines. Some medicines can cause hair loss as a side effect. Our guide to medications that may cause hair loss explains more. Never stop a prescribed medicine without speaking to your doctor first.

It is normal to lose some hair every day. The NHS says between 50 and 100 hairs a day, often without noticing. If you are losing noticeably more than usual, or your hair is visibly thinning, see your GP or a trichologist.

Can I vape after a hair transplant?

You will usually be advised not to smoke or vape for a period before and after a hair transplant. The reason is that nicotine narrows blood vessels, and newly transplanted grafts depend on a good blood supply to heal and take. The 2024 dermatology review found that e-cigarettes appear to affect wound healing in a similar way to cigarettes.

Nicotine replacement products such as patches and gum also contain nicotine, so ask your surgeon before using them around the time of surgery rather than assuming they are a safe alternative.

If you want help quitting, the NHS offers free stop smoking services, and your GP or local pharmacy can point you towards them.

When should I get my hair loss checked?

It is worth getting advice if:

• you are shedding much more than usual for more than a few months,
• your hairline is receding or your crown is thinning,
• you have patches of hair loss, or your scalp is sore, itchy or red, or
• you feel unwell in other ways, such as tired all the time.

Your GP can arrange blood tests to rule out causes such as iron deficiency or thyroid problems. A trichologist consultation can help work out what type of hair loss you have and what your options are.

Could a hair transplant help?

A hair transplant does not treat telogen effluvium or hair loss caused by a health problem, which usually improve once the cause is dealt with. It may be an option for people with established pattern hair loss who have enough healthy donor hair at the back and sides of the head.

At FUE Clinics, a CQC-registered clinic with surgery carried out in the UK, we offer FUE hair transplants and FUT (follicular unit transplantation) hair transplants. FUE leaves small dot scars in the donor area and FUT leaves a fine linear scar. Like any surgery, a transplant carries risks, results vary from person to person, and pattern hair loss can continue in the hair that was not transplanted.

Prices start from £1,500 and go up to £6,750 depending on the number of grafts, and 12 months' 0% finance is available. See our hair transplant cost page for details.

If you are worried about your hair, book a free consultation, call us on 0330 363 0001, or contact us. You can also browse our FAQs. Free assessments are also available by video.

Frequently asked questions

Does vaping cause hair loss? There is no direct evidence that it does, because it has barely been studied. Smoking has been linked with pattern hair loss, and nicotine may play a part, so a link with vaping is possible but unproven.

Is vaping better for my hair than smoking? Probably, but this has not been tested. Vaping exposes you to fewer and lower levels of toxins than smoking, but most vapes still contain nicotine, which narrows blood vessels.

Will my hair grow back if I stop vaping? There is no research showing that it will. If your hair loss is caused by something else, such as pattern hair loss, stopping vaping will not reverse it, so get it checked if thinning continues.

Can nicotine-free vapes cause hair loss? There is no evidence that they do. They remove nicotine, the ingredient most often suggested as a possible link, but their long-term effects are still unknown.

Should I stop vaping before a hair transplant? You will usually be advised to stop smoking and vaping for a period before and after surgery, because nicotine can reduce blood flow to healing grafts. Your surgeon will tell you how long.

How much hair loss is normal? The NHS says losing between 50 and 100 hairs a day is normal. If you are losing much more than usual, or your hair is visibly thinner, see your GP or a trichologist.

Sources

• Office for National Statistics, Adult smoking habits in the UK: 2024. https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/healthandlifeexpectancies/bulletins/adultsmokinghabitsingreatbritain/2024
• NHS, Using vapes (e-cigarettes) to quit smoking. https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking/vaping-to-quit-smoking/
• Cancer Research UK, Is vaping harmful? https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/smoking-and-cancer/is-vaping-harmful
• Electronic cigarettes in dermatology: a systematic review of the literature. Postepy Dermatologii i Alergologii, 2024. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11589634/
• Role of Smoking in Androgenetic Alopecia: A Systematic Review. International Journal of Trichology, 2022. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9069908/
• Su LH, Chen TH. Association of androgenetic alopecia with smoking and its prevalence among Asian men: a community-based survey. Archives of Dermatology, 2007. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18025364/
• Muthumalage T et al. Inflammatory and Oxidative Responses Induced by Exposure to Commonly Used e-Cigarette Flavoring Chemicals and Flavored e-Liquids without Nicotine. Frontiers in Physiology, 2017. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2017.01130/full
• NHS, Hair loss. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hair-loss/
• British Association of Dermatologists, Hair loss male pattern (androgenetic alopecia). https://www.bad.org.uk/pils/hair-loss-male-pattern-androgenetic-alopecia
• British Association of Dermatologists, Telogen effluvium patient information leaflet (October 2025). https://cdn.bad.org.uk/uploads/2021/12/14161411/Telogen-effluvium-PIL-Oct-2025.pdf
• NHS, Iron deficiency anaemia. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/iron-deficiency-anaemia/