Shedding about 150 hair strands every shower, can this be normal?

[Estrid]

Hello everyone! I have a question that the title kinda covers, but yea: can it really be completely fine to lose 150 hair strands every shower?


I can say that I didn't think much about it before I started CO washing 6 months ago. Someone told me it was bad and that people lost hair from it and the fear of going bald made me count and the amount of hair that fell out freaked me out = I went back to shampoo. But when I think about it it's just the same now as then, and the more I think about it I'm quite sure I lost just as much hair before I started thinking about it (silly brain, and silly person who got me scared).

I thought I lost less when switching to shampoos, but it don't seem to make any difference at all, it only looks less because I stand up during the shower when I use shampoos. If I lean my head down during the whole shower (as I did during the CO-washing) more hair strands will fall out. It doesn't matter what kind of product I use as long as I have some conditioner in there, if I don't use conditioner alot less hair will fall out (probably due to the hair being all tangled up).

I lose about 100 to 150 hair strands every shower, I don't count them every time, but the 3 times I did it was that amount and the pile of hair looks about the same after every shower.


Is it possible to lose 150 hair strands every shower and not notice any thinning at all? I shower every 2-3 days... I'm so tired of these thoughts >_<

[ARG]

Typically in a healthy diet (getting enough water, eating well, etc...) losing 150 is deemed average. People on certain medication or with certain health problems can shed more.

How often do you wash your hair? What kind of shampoos have you tried? Are you oiling your scalp

I drink 72oz of water in a day, and am pregnant, I'm still losing 50-100 strands a day, which can look like a lot more if I keep my hair in a protective style all day and then brush it out at the end of the day. I notice with my scalp, SLS or SLES based shampoos/conditioners cause me to lose more. If I oil my scalp, I also seem to lose more hair. The longer my hair gets, the larger the pile of shed hairs appear.

If you're very concerned about it, visiting a dermatologist or even your just going to your doctor to get blood work done and ruling out any possible health problems is a good idea.

[Juliet15]

Hey Estrid, I have been Co washing only and had been worried about this too, so I started to use a drain screen to collect hair after each wash. After doing shampoo/cond. vs just co. washing for a few times, I believe that I actually loose the same amount by volume either way. i think what happens is, when I shampoo, the loose hair is trapped in tall the lather and I don't notice it as much. Now I am new here and just trying this all out, but it did make me feel better to see it is about the same amount of loss for me either way!! Hope this helps!!

[Ishje]

How do you wear your hair during the day? I wear my hair up a lot, in buns and in braids, if I braid in the morning, it does not go out until next morning.
Naturally when I comb it or when I take a shower all the hair falls out, because during the day it gets stuck in the braid or bun, and it does not actually fall.
This way it seems like I loose a lot of hair, but in fact I just get to see all the hair that falls out. If I wear my hair down for a day I don't even notice half of the hairs that fall out, unless they land on an arm or leg and tickle me.

[Estrid]

Thank you all for your answers!
I always wear my hair down because I can't do any proper updos yet. I do shed hairs as I walk around during the days too but I don't notice most of it x) I have CO-washed, used sulfate free shampoos and "normal" supermarket shampoos, as I said I havn't noticed any difference at all between them.

I have had my blood taken several times over the years, only once lately though, or well, it was a year ago, but I have low iron levels, have always had. I take supplement (vitamin and mineral) pills since my folic acid and b12 also was low. Since I take the pills my values should be kind of normal. However I am on "the pill" (hormones) since 5 years back and I probably eat too little protein (I try to eat more though). I drink normal amounts of water...

Since the products I use don't seem to matter, I guess it means that if I am losing a bit too much hair it's because of my diet?

[prettyinpink]

I believe low iron caused me to loose some hair . Do you drink tea or coffee? Try to cut back because they inhibit iron absorbtion. You could try tea or coffee rinses (caffine is supposed to help hair fall) also maybe you should think about getting your thyroid checked, cause hypothyroidism can cause hair fall as well

Good luck! I hope I helped!!

[Anje]

My hypothesis is that folks with thicker hair can afford to shed quite a few more hairs per day than folks with thinner hair. (Obviously, this has more to do with number of hairs on the head than ponytail circumference, so folks with fine hair and folks with coarse hair are going to have different tolerances.) So while someone with M/i or C/i hair might find that they're thinning at 150 hairs/shower, someone with M/iii hair would likely have nothing to worry about. Ultimately, if two people have the same number of hairs, the person who sheds more will have more taper and probably a shorter terminal length on the majority of their hairs. But there's relatively little you can do to control things at that level, except address any health problems that might be contributing. Relatively few of us maintain at terminal anyway. :)

[Madora]

No, 150 hairs every shower is not normal. You should really try to increase your protein level (more meat). Vital for healthy hair, not to mention your blood!

Some questions:

Do you thoroughly brush your hair before you step into the shower? Brushing helps remove hairs that have fallen out but are still trapped on your head among the other hair. A good brushing removes these shed hairs. It also saves your tub drain from developing a major case of the clogs!

How do you shampoo --ie..use your fingers?

While your hair appears short and thick, how you use your fingers during the shampooing/conditioning and rinsing processes can effect how much fall out you'll have.

For the sake of your hair, try shampooing it in "rows"...one side of the head at a time.

By "rows" I mean taking your fingerpads and starting at your forehead massage the shampoo down from an imaginary center part, to the base of your neck.

Now, move your hands one inch or so back of where you just shampooed, and repeat the massaging.

Keep on moving in "rows" down your head until you reach the back of your ears.

Now, massage from your forehead straight back to the back of your head.

Move down an inch and do the same.

In short..the "row" technique looks something like this #### Shampoo in one direction (west to east)
then shampoo in the other direction (north to south)

But do it in ROWS, NOT willy nilly.

Why "rows"? Because you have much more control over your hair than if you just shampooed all over the place. I also hope you are not "scrubbing" your hair like it was a mop! That's just asking for tangles.

If you can stand it, always finish with as cold a rinse as you can stand (the cold closes the cuticles that were opened by hot/warm water).

In closing, if you want to monitor your hair fallout, you might want to try this:

Take 30 envelopes (or just fold paper to hold hair)
Collect your daily shed. Count them, place in envelope. Date envelope and mark hair count

At the end of 30 days, inspect your fallout figures and see if your fallout is consistent over the 30 day period.

Normal fallout is 80 to 100 hairs a day..some people shed more/less. Medications can also play a part. Above all, eat a good diet! Hair can't grow healthy if it isn't getting enough nourishment. Good luck!

[Estrid]

I believe low iron caused me to loose some hair . Do you drink tea or coffee? Try to cut back because they inhibit iron absorbtion. You could try tea or coffee rinses (caffine is supposed to help hair fall) also maybe you should think about getting your thyroid checked, cause hypothyroidism can cause hair fall as well

Good luck! I hope I helped!!

Thank you for your reply :)

The low iron people blame my heavy periods for, which I guess could be the cause (they didn't find anything else that it could be due to). I don't drink coffee and tea that often.
I didn't have anything wrong with my TSH values 10 years ago, I don't know if they checked them when I had my test taken 1 year ago, but they should have. Maybe it is time to have another blood test taken soon.

[Estrid]

Thank you Madora for your reply!

I do massage shampoo onto my scalp in two stages, in the first I take the top and secondly I take the bottom, mostly because the shampoo just disappears in my hair, if I keep moving without taking a new dose it feels like I'm massaging my scalp without shampoo. I'm not rough and I don't use my nails, I go from forehead to the beginning of the back of my head in the first round and from underneath up to where I left off and around my ears in the second round. I move my fingers in small circles (what I call massage). I don't reach in with my fingers through all my hair in the back unless I go in from underneath the hair so thats why I do it. (sorry if this is a bit hard to read, I'm having a hard time explaining this xD )
I guess I could try the row technique, sounds like it takes alot of time, but why not.

I usually don't do more than just comb my hair before the shower, sometimes I use a boar bristle brush before, but I usually only lose about 10 strands when brushing my hair with that one.

I will try to improve my diet, I find it hard to get enough protein (I get full very easy), maybe I should try to eat more eggs or something.

[Madora]

Thanks for your explanation, Estrid. Sounds like your shampooing motions are just fine.

PrettyinPink is right about the iron. I had major anemia (although I didn't know it at the time) and was losing hair like crazy. What got me to the doctor was shortness of breath. The doctor put me in the hospital pronto and I received several transfusions. Bottom line: my anemia was caused by a very bad diet and lack of protein. I never regained the thickness of hair I once had on my right side. Lesson learned: eat properly!

[Estrid]

Thanks for your explanation, Estrid. Sounds like your shampooing motions are just fine.

PrettyinPink is right about the iron. I had major anemia (although I didn't know it at the time) and was losing hair like crazy. What got me to the doctor was shortness of breath. The doctor put me in the hospital pronto and I received several transfusions. Bottom line: my anemia was caused by a very bad diet and lack of protein. I never regained the thickness of hair I once had on my right side. Lesson learned: eat properly!

Oh, I have also had very severe anemia, though it was because very heavy periods and I didn't lose any hair (at least not noticeable). If lack of protein can cause such issues I really should improve my diet so that I don't get such problems again. I will absolutely try to eat better, I just have to figure out how to get more protein into my diet!


Thank you all for your replies! I will see if an improved diet makes any difference. I don't know how long I have to eat good to notice a difference, but I will do my best. If nothing happens, well, at least I eat good :)

... if nothing improves I might go and have my blood checked up again.

[meteor]

Estrid, I agree with ARG's question: how often do you wash your hair?

It really depends on how often you wash your hair: if you wash your hair every day and lose 150 hairs, that's a bit much.
But if you wash your hair only weekly, then many of those shed hairs could be stuck in your hair for days before finally coming out in the shower.

When trichologists do pull tests and other tests on hair shedding, they have very strict rules on washing prior to the test, because washing SIGNIFICANTLY skews shed test results.

If that's any help: I shed 300 hairs when I wash (the size of a cat!), but my hair is very thick and I stretch washes. I lose about 30 hairs every day, but it could be a lot more, as I might simply not be aware of shed hair trapped in my length until I wash.

The rule of thumb is: if you aren't seeing any bald spots or hair coming out much more than usual for YOU, then you are good! :)

[meteor]

Thanks for your explanation, Estrid. Sounds like your shampooing motions are just fine.

PrettyinPink is right about the iron. I had major anemia (although I didn't know it at the time) and was losing hair like crazy. What got me to the doctor was shortness of breath. The doctor put me in the hospital pronto and I received several transfusions. Bottom line: my anemia was caused by a very bad diet and lack of protein. I never regained the thickness of hair I once had on my right side. Lesson learned: eat properly!

Great to know you got it under control, Madora! In my case, it's an absorption problem, so I have to take iron pills regardless of always eating lots of iron-rich foods. I think many anaemic people don't digest iron properly, so diet alone may not be the complete solution in some cases, and supplementation might be necessary.
Talk to your doctor, Estrid!!

General diet tip: combine iron-rich foods with vitamin C-rich foods. For example, cook liver with spinach and bell peppers, drink orange juice around your meat consumption. Eat more greens with your meats because they'll help the iron get absorbed better. Also, cook on iron skillets. And avoid caffeinated drinks like coffee and tea around your iron consumption, because caffeine inhibits iron absorption.

[Madora]

Oh, I have also had very severe anemia, though it was because very heavy periods and I didn't lose any hair (at least not noticeable). If lack of protein can cause such issues I really should improve my diet so that I don't get such problems again. I will absolutely try to eat better, I just have to figure out how to get more protein into my diet!


Thank you all for your replies! I will see if an improved diet makes any difference. I don't know how long I have to eat good to notice a difference, but I will do my best. If nothing happens, well, at least I eat good :)

... if nothing improves I might go and have my blood checked up again.

Maybe you could investigate those protein shake drinks. I know nothing about them. I'm sure someone here can explain the pros/cons if you're going to try them.

If you do not notice any improvement in your hair condition, by all means, visit your physician and have a complete blood panel done! Anemia is nothing to fool with. Truth be told, it nearly killed me...all because of a poor diet (I knew better, of course, but was going thru a months' long period of depression and didn't eat properly).

[meteor]

Protein drinks are absolutely NOT related to iron supplements.
Iron supplements are available at all pharmacies and they should ONLY be consumed with doctor's prescription because iron is extremely easy to over-dose on. There are also different forms of iron supplements: some are easier on the gut than others but may require higher doses to be effective...
Please talk to your doctor to get the right prescription!

[Estrid]

Thank you for the answers :) I wash my hair every 2-3 days. I have not noticed any bald spots, yet :p

I have eaten iron supplements before and I'm not sure if these normal vitamin/mineral pills contain enough iron for it to go up, I guess a blood test could tell that. They say they have more than 100 % of the recommended amount per day if I take two of them. I always take the pills with vitamin C (I remember what my mother used to give me a long time ago, haha). I believe I have some absorption issues when it comes to iron since I'm not bleeding that much anymore (on the pill, it helps alot).

At the moment I am writing down different foods that contain good protein but aren't too gross or expensive (I'm a quite poor student atm). I will make sure I eat the right amount of protein every day, wherever they might come from. ;)

[dezibela]

I use whey protein. The drinks are expensive, but the powder isn't. I buy a store brand ($13) and a container lasts a long time. You can mix it with water (yuck), milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, ricotta -- you get the idea. Cottage cheese is the best choice because it's also relatively high in protein. I mix it with some cocoa powder or instant coffee & add sweetener & a dash of vanilla extract. If the texture grosses you out, blend it smooth. You can make a few days worth in advance.

Chickpeas are a good source of cheap protein. They're good roasted as snacks. String beans are a veggie that's good for protein, too.

Hope that helps!

[Seeshami]

It sounds like normal shed to me. 150 for each shower which happens every 2 to 3 days. That's generally how I treat my hair and I have yet to go bald but I shed more into my brush and less in the shower. When I say I think about making bun donuts from my shed hair I am not joking every month I could make a pretty standard sized bun donut from my shed.

[meteor]

Thank you for the answers :) I wash my hair every 2-3 days. I have not noticed any bald spots, yet :p

I have eaten iron supplements before and I'm not sure if these normal vitamin/mineral pills contain enough iron for it to go up, I guess a blood test could tell that. They say they have more than 100 % of the recommended amount per day if I take two of them. I always take the pills with vitamin C (I remember what my mother used to give me a long time ago, haha). I believe I have some absorption issues when it comes to iron since I'm not bleeding that much anymore (on the pill, it helps alot).

At the moment I am writing down different foods that contain good protein but aren't too gross or expensive (I'm a quite poor student atm). I will make sure I eat the right amount of protein every day, wherever they might come from. ;)

For that washing frequency, your shedding sounds very normal. Shedding 100-120 hairs a day is still considered to be within the norm.
When people join the LHC, they often become extremely aware of their shedding and it seems like it's a lot more than usual, but they are just paying more attention for the first time. I hope that's what's happening there. :)

The iron supplements I'm talking about are much heavier dose than that, and you get them with prescription after doing lab tests. Also, with iron, people should never self-medicate, because having too much iron is very dangerous, too.
When you see your doctor, tell him/her right away that you shed more than normal for you and that you suspect iron deficiency. This will save your doctor some time, and he/she will be able to order the right tests right away.
Most critical to check:
- red blood cells count
- total iron binding capacity
- and especially ferritin
Your doctor will also check B12 (to rule out the so-called pernicious anaemia) and should focus on your thyroid results as they are often connected and have similar symptoms.


I use whey protein. The drinks are expensive, but the powder isn't. I buy a store brand ($13) and a container lasts a long time.
There are LOTs of excellent protein sources that have very low levels of iron: egg whites, chicken breasts, whey protein in milk... to name a few. Getting enough protein certainly doesn't guarantee getting enough iron and vice versa.

Estrid, your medical tests will show you what you are missing in your diet, if you are missing anything. Don't waste your money on random supplementation without doctor's recommendations: it could do more harm than good. For example, both iron and protein supplementation can be very tough on digestive system, can cause constipation, dehydration and can be tough on kidneys. You really should get proper tests done. :)

Best of luck! :) And I really hope it's false alarm! :) Wishing you great health and happy growing! :flower:

[Johannah]

You shouldn't be concerned about this. 1. 150 hairs isn't abnormal and 2. if you don't loose much hairs through the rest of the week by combing/brushing, those hairs will come out when you wash, especially when you only use a wide tooth comb throughout the week.

If you're really scared though, you could measure your ponytail circumstance every month. If it stays stable, there's nothing going on.

[Estrid]

I know that there are a lot better pills filled with iron, some years ago I took some called niferex (100 mg pills) that I had to take several off every day, disgusting pills. Actually I still have some in my cabinet (don't ask me why, maybe I saved them as a memory).

The supplements I am taking now a doctor recommended to me because that blood test I had taken a year ago showed iron deficiency and somewhat low b12 and folic acid. I guess the levels weren't low enough since he told me to buy normal drugstore supplements that contained these three. The tests were taken during a period when I was eating extremely bad food (a lot worse than now) and those 3 were the only values that were off, so I don't believe that anything has gone worse, that wouldn't make any sense.

I am not planning on taking protein supplements/powders, I have figured out how to get my 40 g of protein by eating stuff that I usually have at home (milk, egg, meat, fish) :) now I just have to remember to do it every day. Maybe I should put up a note on the fridge so that I remember.

Thank you all for your help! :)

[mamaherrera]

very true, when I was going through major shed, by measuring my ponytail circumference, it helped me stay sane and not worry so much, as it maintained itself through. I would do it now, but because I'm shedding due to pregnancy postpartum, i have a feeeling it will go down this time, so I don't want to see that!! It's gotta probably go back to it's original measurement, as it wwent up a tiny tiny bit pregnant, and I kept hoping it would stay up there, but that wouldn't be fair right? I normally shed 150-200 every two days as well.

[lapushka]

Shedding up to 100 hairs a day is normal, but I can definitely say that when my hair gets washed I tend to lose more. It comes from detangling pre-wash, washing (that gets hairs loose), and detangling afterwards. It's the whole process. And I'd say it's normal.

As long as you haven't noticed thinning yet. Perfectly fine in that case! So I would stop counting (you'll only obsess over it, and that in no way is healthy).

[Estrid]

I will try to stop thinking about it and just eat well and not be harsh with the hair. I will probably have my blood checked for other reasons in some months so if there is anything off I will know after that :)

Now I will just try to calm down and think about more happy things.

[SummerCherie]

Estrid are you Vegan?

[SummerCherie]

I would try switching the product. Put whatever your using while the shedding started aside. Don't use it. Also wait until your hair is damp/dry and comb through it with a wide tooth comb. Don't brush it while it's wet. Vegan diets can sometimes weaken the hair if your new to being vegan. Your body might be in shock from change of diet.

[Estrid]

I am not vegan, not even vegetarian, I just eat too little protein that I will try to change from now on.

I don't know how long I have been losing this much hair every shower (maybe since always?) and what products I use don't seem to matter at all, so if there is anything wrong it is from within.
Would be nice to notice a difference when I eat better, so that I could like...calm down(?). But I'm not sure if I will notice any difference, maybe this is normal to me x) Will see.

Thanks for your answer though :)

[SummerCherie]

Oh, ok. I had a shed last year. Good luck :)

[Lucy Thorton]

I used to shed an insane amount of hair (or at least what felt like an insane amount at the time), when I was eating an awful diet, and felt like I was going bald, so I know EXACTLY how you feel. I used normal shampoo and conditioner and washed about once every week or so. I switched to being a raw vegan, but hair loss didn't change. Every night when I combed my hair to put it in a plait for bed I would have a comb FULL of shed hair. A couple of months ago I found out you could wash your hair with baking soda and condition it with Apple cider vinegar in warm water, to which I added a Rosemary infusion. After about the second wash, hair loss cut WAY down. And by way down I mean only 10 or 15 hairs come out every wash, and only 20 or so every time I comb my hair. I don't know whether this could be attributed also to my diet. I was anemic to, I had always struggled with it (fun fact here, but being Iron deficient can actually cause heavier periods…). Around the time I started doing this I also started taking Molasses as an Iron supplement everyday, as well as a clove of whole raw garlic. Both have high amounts of Iron in them, and being a raw vegan I get ALOT of Vit c, and not a lot of things that blocked the absorption of anything. I'm not saying become a raw vegan, I do not in anyway expect anyone to be THAT crazy, but if you need a good, cheap, safe iron supplement, try some Black strap molasses. I get my b12 from eating nutritional yeast. My hair used to be thicker than my wrist, but that was all before I became Anemic. -Sigh-, those are days long lost.
Good luck!

[lapushka]

I was anemic to, I had always struggled with it (fun fact here, but being Iron deficient can actually cause heavier periods…).

That's your answer right there. Get that on track and the shedding will surely lessen.

[Estrid]

Thank you all! And yea... my iron has *always* been low, or well, since I was 11 and on (not during the time I took those niferex, but else). Maybe I can call that as a reason to get my next checkup, to see if these small pills work "good enough" or if I should get some real iron pills.

[tiny_teesha]

i shed about 200-300 hairs a day, but now up to 400 while in on no poo. The only thing i've found to work was neelibringadi (sp?) Oil, but i havn't used it in ages, and can't use it while im on no poo anyway. You should try it it really does work, got down to 20 a day!!!

[jeanniet]

If you are unable to easily get 40g or more of protein a day, there is something seriously wrong with your diet. I have to moderate my protein intake to about 60g a day due to kidney issues, and it's really not at all easy to stay low enough--and I eat very little meat and a lot of vegetables and greens. If you're eating a decent diet, even if vegetarian or vegan, getting less than 40g a day is virtually impossible. If you're sure you're that protein deficient, along with anemia, then I would first go to the doctor and have a blood panel done to check for deficiencies, and then go to a nutritionist to help you with your diet.

[Estrid]

After taking vitamin and mineral pills regularly (two every day) for some months I have noticed a major change since about 3-4 weeks back. I haven't counted the strands every shower but the change has been visible, there is no longer a little animal lying there when I'm done. Yesterday I did count and it was 16 (!) strands only. I don't know what vitamin or mineral it is that helped so much, but I am happy :toast:

[LauraLongLocks]

If eating enough protein and iron rich foods is difficult for you, try taking dessicated liver pills along with a vitamin C rich food, such as strawberries, green bell peppers, or orange juice. I see that this thread is over a year old and that you are having some success with vitamin and mineral supplements, which suggests that your previous shed count was abnormal for you and likely caused by a nutritional deficiency of some sort. I'm glad you are having better luck now. I hope it continues for you.

[Estrid]

I am currently moving back to my parents and that will mean eating with others again, so food should not be a problem after that. Next time I move out I should continue the habits of eating regularly and eating real food. I don't know all I've written in this thread (too lazy to look it through), but I've been sloppy when it comes to food. :silly:

I believe that I maybe just needed the bigger dose of those pills, I know that I took them before too but in december (I think) I started taking two instead of one and got a lot better at taking them every day. I really hope this change is here to stay :)

[Anje]

Be CAREFUL about the pills. Most contain some things (iron comes to mind) that you don't want to take too much of without a doctor's approval or you risk toxicity. (And while anemia is pretty common in females, a decent subset of the population has trouble with storing too much iron, leading to organ damage and early death of not treated.)

I'm glad it's helped, but it seems to me that this suggests you've got a deficiency somewhere that probably should be tracked down before the extra everything else can harm you.

[Estrid]

Be CAREFUL about the pills. Most contain some things (iron comes to mind) that you don't want to take too much of without a doctor's approval or you risk toxicity. (And while anemia is pretty common in females, a decent subset of the population has trouble with storing too much iron, leading to organ damage and early death of not treated.)

I'm glad it's helped, but it seems to me that this suggests you've got a deficiency somewhere that probably should be tracked down before the extra everything else can harm you.

I am actually taking these because I have iron deficiency, I always seem to have low iron when I am not taking any pills (probably some issue with absorbing it, but I don't know). Last time I checked my values I was low on folic acid and vitamin B12 too, so he just recommended me to take vitamin and mineral pills. I don't know if I like that they contain so much other things, but else I guess I would have to go to a doctor to get iron supplements prescribed and then maybe eat some more pills (like silica) for the hair. At the moment I have not experienced any side effects from taking these, I only feel better :)

Could it have been the iron deficiency that led to the excessive hair shedding? Maybe, but then I must have lost that amount of hair for a long time since it was long ago (before I started with these) that I took anything to help it up.

[lapushka]

Could it have been the iron deficiency that led to the excessive hair shedding? Maybe, but then I must have lost that amount of hair for a long time since it was long ago (before I started with these) that I took anything to help it up.

Yes iron deficiency is notorious for having hair come out!

[Estrid]

Yes iron deficiency is notorious for having hair come out!

I see :) well then I suppose that is it. I was considering taking one pill a day instead of two some days ago, but that would mean half the dose of iron, and maybe I need what I take now. I suppose I could buy pills that only contain iron next time, the folic acid and B12 was only "low", not any deficiency...so I suppose taking these pills with multiple things in them might be a bit unnecessary.

[Estrid]

double post

[endlessly]

From everything I've heard and read in the past, this is completely normal. Most people on average shed a minimum of 100 strands per day. Granted, there are those who less a bit less and also those that lose a bit more. The only time I'd be especially concerned is if you were losing triple that amount and then it would be time to consult your doctor. If you are very concerned with the amount of loss, it certainly doesn't hurt to ask your doctor just to be on the safe side. Sometimes, it can be a variety of factors such as medications you're taking, lifestyle changes, or even your genetics. Plus, stress plays a huge part in hair loss, too.

[CremeTron]

I was CO washing daily for about 2 years until about October last year. I used to lose at least a handful of hair each time and I thought it was normal. Now I wash once a week and do not put conditioner on my scalp and I lose a lot less. A small fingerful, maybe 50 or so? My ends are thinner which is odd as I do not get breakage on my ends and I feel CO washing may cause me to lose more hair. I was using brushes back then too which could not have helped.

I would say keep on eye on it. You could try a month of something else and assess the hair loss. Or perhaps try an iron supplement and assess after a month? It may be normal for you. I have read again and again that 50-100 is average so slightly more could be just fine.

[Seeshami]

Some day i am going to document my shed and give ever one a heart attack. I shed kittens and my hair is just fine.

[lapushka]

Some day i am going to document my shed and give ever one a heart attack. I shed kittens and my hair is just fine.

Same here, Seeshami! You should see what comes out in a wash (2 x a sink full), but then I haven't detangled for a week. :D

[Seeshami]

It's going to happen. Despite my anger to the boards next month I will take pictures when i clean my brush, shed my normal kitten over four weeks, and horrify everyone.