A Quick Guide to Normal Hair Loss

Losing Hair? Here's What's Actually Normal

It might seem alarming to see hair in your brush or on your pillow, but shedding is a natural part of your hair's life cycle. On average, people lose up to 100 hairs each day, and some estimates even go as high as 150. So, seeing a noticeable amount, especially if you have long hair, doesn't necessarily mean you're experiencing abnormal hair loss. In fact, at any given time, around 9% of your hair is in a shedding phase and ready to fall out.

Understanding the Hair Growth Cycle

To understand why shedding is normal, let's take a quick look at how your hair grows:

• Anagen (Growth Phase): This is when your hair is actively growing. The vast majority of your hair, about 90%, is in this phase at any given time. This phase can last for several years, up to 8 years. However, the percentage of hair in this phase tends to decrease as we age.
• Catagen (Transition Phase): This is a short resting phase where hair growth stops. Only about 1% of your hair is in this phase, which lasts for about 4 to 6 weeks.
• Telogen (Shedding Phase): This is when your hair is ready to fall out. Approximately 9% of your hair is in this phase at any time, and it lasts for about 2 to 3 months. The hair you see shedding is typically hair that was in the telogen phase.

So, the next time you notice some hair falling out, remember it's likely just part of this natural cycle. Shedding up to 100 (or even 150) hairs a day is usually nothing to worry about.

Is Your Hair Shedding More Than Usual? Understanding Excess Hair Loss

Noticing more hair falling out than normal, or finding clumps? This could be a sign of excess hair loss. It's important to understand the difference between hair shedding and permanent hair loss (alopecia). Shedding usually means the hair will grow back, while permanent hair loss happens when the hair follicle stops producing hair.

Stress: A Major Trigger

Stress is a very common culprit behind sudden increases in hair shedding. In fact, about one in three people experiencing sudden hair loss can point to stress as the cause. This stress-related hair loss, called telogen effluvium, can affect anyone at any age.

Telogen effluvium occurs when a significant number of hair follicles prematurely enter the telogen (shedding) phase, typically 1 to 6 months after the stressful event. It can be alarming because the hair loss can be sudden, and you might not immediately connect it to a past stressor.Normally, hairs in the telogen phase stay put until a new hair grows in and pushes them out gradually, so you don't notice significant thinning. However, with telogen effluvium, many hairs are shed at once before new growth begins.

Other Forms of Excess Hair Loss

Besides stress-related shedding, other conditions can lead to noticeable hair loss:

• Traction Alopecia: This often affects Black women and women of African descent and can result from consistently wearing tight hairstyles like ponytails, braids, cornrows, locs, extensions, weaves, and tight scarves. The constant strain damages hair follicles, potentially causing bald spots and scarring.
• Trichotillomania: This is a hair-pulling disorder linked to obsessive-compulsive and anxiety disorders. Individuals with trichotillomania compulsively pull hair from various parts of their body as a response to urges or stress, leading to thinning and bald patches.
• Alopecia Areata: This is an autoimmune condition causing patchy, sometimes permanent, hair loss. If it spreads to the entire scalp, it's called alopecia totalis.
• Androgenetic Alopecia: This is the medical term for female and male pattern baldness. It's the most common type of hair loss and is genetic. Men may notice a receding hairline and thinning, while women might see a widening part or overall thinning on the top of the scalp.

If you're concerned about increased hair loss, it's always best to consult with a healthcare professional to determine the underlying cause and discuss appropriate treatment options.