Before one can hypothesise this, we need to look at the circadian rhythm which is the natural internal rhythm that governs the sleep wake cycle every 24hrs. Melatonin is the hormone that regulates this sleep and waking cycle from the pineal gland in the brain.
For night shift worker, this sleep- wake pattern is disrupted by irregular secretion of melatonin leading to affected neurological state of a person. This in the long term can lead to increased risk of stroke, Parkinson’s disease, Alzeihmer’s disease and Epilepsy.
In addition, the body is put under ‘stress’ which can affect its metabolic state over time. Therefore, are there any studies that show using melatonin may help the hair?
In a published report in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, a meta analysis of 11 studies were carried out, of these, 8 of the studies reviewed had positive outcomes of using topical melatonin and androgenetic alopecia.
Furthermore, in a vitro study early data suggests that there are melatonin receptors that are present in the dermal papillae of the hair follicles and may be responsible for signalling that may affect hair growth.
Taking these studies into account one can hypothesise that shift work could affect hair growth in a negative manner especially for those people who may have a genetic trait for hair loss.