How many hairs do you lose per day?

[Wusel]

I'm worried and a bit sad and I hope you can help.:(
Yesterday in the late evening I counted all the hairs I had on my brush from the day (I clean my brush from hairs every evening) and all hairs I've found on the floor (I love cleaning, so I vacuum almost every day) and it was 90. Roughly.
As my hair is no more short now it looked like a big ball of hairs and made me almost cry.
Do you think 90 is normal per day?
How many hairs do you loose per day?
Are you worried about every dozen hairs you loose or did you get used to the increased size of your lost-hair-ball as your hair became longer?
I'm worried.
When I was in puberty the hormonal hair loss (it was more than 500 hairs or so per day and I had to cut it and my dermatologist gave me cortisone for my scalp:() traumatized me, I think. Since then I regularly count my lost hairs.
Thank you for help and information.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

I only counted my shed hairs on one single day, out of curiosity and came up with 47. However I know that when I went through my stress shedding I was getting a very large handful of hair every single day for about six weeks.
I'm sure shedding does have natural variations in amount though. Apparently it is normal to shed anything from 50 to 150 hairs a day as part of the normal shedding process. So unless your hair is gradually feeling or looking thinner as time passes, I wouldn't feel any need to worry about 90 hairs.

[MINAKO]

I voted 30-50. It might be under 20 on some days, but wash day makes up for that. I definitely loose two or three times the amount then, compared to normal days.

[Mimha]

Hello Wusel.

Your question is also of big interest to me. I have always wondered what was normal and what not, because my shedding can vary from hardly 10 to 20 hairs a day in my "low period" to more than 100 in my "high" period. When I shed a lot, the disaster takes place even more when I wash : then I shed 4 times more !! (between 300 to 400 hairs) i.e. every 4-5 days !! shudder:

When I started to count my shed hair (around September last year) every evening, I was totally freaked out. But I did not give up. I didn't want to trust the trichologists statistics : I wanted to analyse my own figures. I was afraid of having an issue with scalp fungus because I suffer from intestinal candidiasis. That's why, in the same time, I started to do herbal rinses of my composition too.

The results of my hair-loss curve all over the period are amazing and reassured me somehow : I understood that I had gone through a heavy seasonal shedding, that almost stopped within a week, and my hair-loss dropped from more than a hundred hairs a day to less than 20. What a relief !!!!... Lol. Now I want to complete a full year of data collection, in order to see if I have the same loss another time (normally there should be a 2nd hair-loss seasons :?).

My curve is already showing very interesting variations between washes, showing for example that washes are clearly stress periods for the scalp, even if I super gently wash with soft organic biodegradable stuff, no hot water, hair comb super gently with horn comb and bbb, use no heat at all and no chemicals whatsoever (never CO in my life : never seen the point in avoiding chemical shampoos to put another chemical stuff instead, especially a leave-in).

Well, here I stand now^^. I think I will share my results with LHC, and maybe my excel sheet too, so the interested people will be able to use it to make their own annual curve. My figures also give me the personal daily hair-loss average over the year. But it will take one year to get the final score, lol. For the moment, as I am going ahead in the "low season", my annual average since September is around 70 hairs a day and decreasing every day. It will go up again when I enter a new hair-loss season. That's why I haven't completed the poll figures : I don't know where my annual average stands between 20 to 100 hairs a day.

I plan to make further investigation too (I am a very curious person^^) ! I would like to estimate my hair density (count hairs on 1 square cm on diverse areas of the scalp), and then, my scalp surface (mould my head and measure^^), measure my growth rate (that's easy), and then I will be able to estimate my terminal length, lol. AND THEN, see if I am patient enough to grow to it to validate my calculations, ha ha ha !! :D :D :D

Don't worry too much and try to figure out how your own body reacts (and when). It's very interesting.
...You can also MP me if you want to use my excel sheet already :wink:


Mim'

[Mimha]

... Oh, I forgot to add some important remarks in my previous post ! :doh:

As you can see from what I have explained, a simple figure doesn't mean much. It depends on too many factors to be relevant for one person in particular :
- the hairs shed in one single day can vary extremely from one period of the year to another, for the same person
- the hair density of each person can be extremely different (you don't shed the same amount if you have 80'000 hairs than if you have 200'000)
- the life expectancy of every people's hair can be very different (2 to 10 or more years)
- the health, age, food, and stress level of the person have a tremendous influence too. (Not a lot of people can reach their best potential).

So 40 hairs a day (average pondered on one year) can be quite a lot for someone, whereas 80 can be just normal for another.

:flower:

[Wusel]

... Oh, I forgot to add some important remarks in my previous post ! :doh:

As you can see from what I have explained, a simple figure doesn't mean much. It depends on too many factors to be relevant for one person in particular :
- the hairs shed in one single day can vary extremely from one period of the year to another, for the same person
- the hair density of each person can be extremely different (you don't shed the same amount if you have 80'000 hairs than if you have 200'000)
- the life expectancy of every people's hair can be very different (2 to 10 or more years)
- the health, age, food, and stress level of the person have a tremendous influence too. (Not a lot of people can reach their best potential).

So 40 hairs a day (average pondered on one year) can be quite a lot for someone, whereas 80 can be just normal for another.

:flower:

Thank you very much, Mimha for so many interesting informations.:blossom::flowers: I really appreciate this.

[lapushka]

I never count. I just see the amount that comes out, and judge by that. ATM I'm not losing too much. I can see that at how much comes out during the weekly detangling pre- and post-wash.

[Kiiruna]

Haven't counted, but A LOT. Well, not that much on daily basis, but when I wash my hair (about twice a week)... gheez! I feel like I'm going bald or something. Especially when applying conditioner I feel like I have hands full of hair, and more is coming.

So yeah, I shed a lot. Maybe it's seasonal, maybe it's stress - I don't know. It doesn't show, however, as my hair is as thick and shiny as ever.

Try to take it easy. If your hair doesn't look significantly thinner, don't worry about it. Humans have about 100 000 single hair strands, and a few lost ones is like taking a cup of water from the sea. Everything from 20 to 150 is normal.

[Symbiotek]

I don't really count them, I don't care that much. I only notice shedding on washdays and when I find hair on my clothing. I shed a lot, but then again I have lots of hair to begin with, so I'm not worried.
I think 90 is quite normal and nothing to worry about, unless you have reeeeally thin hair (not the thickness of individual strands, but the amount of hair on your head). And as your hair gets longer and longer, it suddenly looks like you're shedding more because a few long strands tangled together look like much "more" than the same amount of shorter ones.

If you want, you could try putting your hair in a ponytail and measuring the circumference on a regular basis for a few weeks or months to see if it's getting smaller?

[loonylovegood47]

Wow I guess I didnt realize how many hairs we actually had on our heads! Or that there was such a wide range of "normal" as far as shedding goes. I dont shed too many hairs right now, maybe a dozen or so hairs a day that i notice or see in my brush, but I remember back when I had waist length hair in high school I would shed much more. The hairballs always looked more intimidating as well since there was a greater volume of hair than if my hairs had been short.

[Robot Ninja]

When I first started using a BBB regularly, I freaked out over the size of the hairball, so I counted for a week and came up with about 50 hairs a day.

Your profile says you're a iii so you're likely to shed more than average, just because you have more hairs on your head.

[Wusel]

When I first started using a BBB regularly, I freaked out over the size of the hairball, so I counted for a week and came up with about 50 hairs a day.

Your profile says you're a iii so you're likely to shed more than average, just because you have more hairs on your head.

Thank you.
Yes... hairstylists always "complain" about the huge amount of hairs they have to cut... It is pretty much...
But what scared me so much was that it was so overnight... Last week barely 10 hairs or so and now so much... Like all the hairs that were ready to fall out clubbed together and decided to fall out on that day...

[spidermom]

I wonder if there is a certain personality type who counts shed hairs. I would never-ever do that. To me it would be a waste of time. What would be next? Counting shed skin cells? Toenail clippings?

I've seen a lot of threads like this float by over the years. I can't decide, do people count their shed hairs and then get worried? Or do people count their shed hairs because they're already worried?

I'm not worried. Hairs reach the end of their growth cycles and shed out. New hairs grow in. That's how it works.

[Robot Ninja]

I wonder if there is a certain personality type who counts shed hairs. I would never-ever do that. To me it would be a waste of time. What would be next? Counting shed skin cells? Toenail clippings?

I've seen a lot of threads like this float by over the years. I can't decide, do people count their shed hairs and then get worried? Or do people count their shed hairs because they're already worried?


It seems to me that the worry comes first.

Counting shed hairs isn't that hard if you're wearing your hair up, since they're all contained in your bun until you comb. I ended up counting 2-3 times a day. Then I stopped because I'd learned what I set out to learn by counting sheds in the first place.

[endlessly]

Honestly, I don't pay too much attention to the number of strands I shed. Typically, I'd guess I'm somewhere between 10-15 when I wash my hair, but then only about 1-2 on the days I don't wash since I tend to not shed very much unless I'm being particularly rough with my hair. I think if you are constantly counting, it's just going to stress you out even more, which can in turn cause even more hair loss, so it's a never-ending cycle.

In your case, yes, 90 is normal. The average for shed hair per day is between 100-150, but there are some that lose quite a bit less and some that lose quite a bit more - it all depends on your genetics, hair care routine, health, etc. So, don't worry unless you start noticing clumps and clumps of hair falling out, then you should probably head to your doctor just to be on the safe side.

[sapphire-o]

I pretty much only lose hair when washing it, 100+ each time. On non-wash days I lose no more than a couple hair. You'd think stretching wash is the key, but it doesn't seem to work. If I wait another day then I lose 150 instead of 100 during wash. I think that's just how much hair I should lose since I don't have very long terminal length.

*I counted a few times in the past and just estimate based on hairball size. Definitely don't count each time. :)

[Wusel]

I wonder if there is a certain personality type who counts shed hairs. I would never-ever do that. To me it would be a waste of time. What would be next? Counting shed skin cells? Toenail clippings?

I've seen a lot of threads like this float by over the years. I can't decide, do people count their shed hairs and then get worried? Or do people count their shed hairs because they're already worried?

I'm not worried. Hairs reach the end of their growth cycles and shed out. New hairs grow in. That's how it works.

It's not fair to be so hard...
Because as I said, I'm traumatized.
Have you ever been in the situation of being afraid to loose all your hair?
Because of a hormonal problem?
Did you ever run your fingers through your hair and 200 came out? 200 times per day? So that a dermatologist gave you a high percentage cortisone cream to put on your head three times a day?
I'm not mental or a "certain personality type" because I start counting hairs when see that I start loosing too much. That's what my dermatologist recommended and I don't do it every day.
I'm happy for you that you take it so easy and never had such problems. But don't be cruel with people who feel different because of different experiences.
And, no, my toenails and skin cells needn't be counted. So, please stop being ironic and cynical...

[EF]

Wusel,

I've been going through a period of shedding for 6 months starting from last September. I counted my shed hair and came up with an average of 70 hairs/day. Up to 60 on non wash days and up to 100 on wash days, probably more because I did not include single strands that I lost during the day (I like wearing my hair down).

Before September I never used to pay attention. For all I know, I've always lost that much. But it does feel like A LOT. And yes, it is scary as hell.

During my extensive online research of the cause of my imminent baldness I realized there are three types of hair loss reasons: medical, genetics, and the rest.

So the first thing to do in my opinion is to check if there are any medical conditions that should be addressed. For me, that wasn't the case.

Genetics - some thinning happens almost to everyone, men and women to some degree as we are getting older. In women it rarely gets significant and usually there are clear signs. I have none so far. But who knows, it still may be the case. If so, there is always minoxidil, which is a comforting thought.

Other reasons include: stress, lack of vitamins and minerals, lack of sleep, aggressive hair dye and heat exposure, seasonal shedding, end of growth cycle of a lot of hair all at once, stars alignment, any combination of thing listed above and apparently a thousand other things. There is no credible way to identify which it is.

Once we eliminate medical reasons, the only thing we CAN do is start taking better care of ourselves and our hair. And then wait, as any changes in hair show only several months after they happen due to hair growth cycle.

For me, 70 strads/ day has not caused any change in thickness at least since September (6 months) nor have I any bold spots/ changes of hairline etc. Recently I noticed massive regrowth all over my scalp. I also think I shed a bit less lately, but still a lot.

What helped me, not to reduce hair loss but to look at it in a calmer and more reasonable way, was that I changed my job. Really, no amount of money is worth insane traveling and stress. And I started running almost every evening. I figured if I was going to go bald soon, I should at least try to get in a better shape to compensate for it =).

I would also highly recommend valerian tincture prescribed to me by a trichologist and adding mint leaves to tea recommended by my 87 yo grandmother. She's been through war as a young girl, grown 3 children, a dozen grandchildren and has really seen it all.

Oh and everyone, who cannot understand hair counting: I wish you to never truly understand why we do it. This being said, please, bear with us, hair counters, this is an important problem to us and it is scary. Your support and empathy really helps.

[Azy]

Maybe you are experiencing "Summer Shedding". Just a few weeks ago I was freaking out because I was losing what seemed to be a TONNE of hair every time I washed or detangled my curls. It was so much that every time my shower drain would clog. This week though it seems to have tapered off now though and I'm back to losing a about 5 to 10 hairs when I detangle. It was horrible before though! Every time I touched my hair clumps would come out. I swore I was going bald! Since it was bothering me so much I looked up a lot of remedies for shedding and one of them that almost everyone seemed to find working for them was crushing cloves of garlic and adding it to their shampoo and conditioner. I never ended up trying it because my shedding stopped. But maybe it may be useful to you. Good luck.

[Wusel]

Wusel,

I've been going through a period of shedding for 6 months starting from last September. I counted my shed hair and came up with an average of 70 hairs/day. Up to 60 on non wash days and up to 100 on wash days, probably more because I did not include single strands that I lost during the day (I like wearing my hair down).

Before September I never used to pay attention. For all I know, I've always lost that much. But it does feel like A LOT. And yes, it is scary as hell.

During my extensive online research of the cause of my imminent baldness I realized there are three types of hair loss reasons: medical, genetics, and the rest.

So the first thing to do in my opinion is to check if there are any medical conditions that should be addressed. For me, that wasn't the case.

Genetics - some thinning happens almost to everyone, men and women to some degree as we are getting older. In women it rarely gets significant and usually there are clear signs. I have none so far. But who knows, it still may be the case. If so, there is always minoxidil, which is a comforting thought.

Other reasons include: stress, lack of vitamins and minerals, lack of sleep, aggressive hair dye and heat exposure, seasonal shedding, end of growth cycle of a lot of hair all at once, stars alignment, any combination of thing listed above and apparently a thousand other things. There is no credible way to identify which it is.

Once we eliminate medical reasons, the only thing we CAN do is start taking better care of ourselves and our hair. And then wait, as any changes in hair show only several months after they happen due to hair growth cycle.

For me, 70 strads/ day has not caused any change in thickness at least since September (6 months) nor have I any bold spots/ changes of hairline etc. Recently I noticed massive regrowth all over my scalp. I also think I shed a bit less lately, but still a lot.

What helped me, not to reduce hair loss but to look at it in a calmer and more reasonable way, was that I changed my job. Really, no amount of money is worth insane traveling and stress. And I started running almost every evening. I figured if I was going to go bald soon, I should at least try to get in a better shape to compensate for it =).

I would also highly recommend valerian tincture prescribed to me by a trichologist and adding mint leaves to tea recommended by my 87 yo grandmother. She's been through war as a young girl, grown 3 children, a dozen grandchildren and has really seen it all.

Oh and everyone, who cannot understand hair counting: I wish you to never truly understand why we do it. This being said, please, bear with us, hair counters, this is an important problem to us and it is scary. Your support and empathy really helps.

Thank you SO much for your help and understanding. I'll definitely try the tincture. I can buy it and some organic mint tea in the pharmacy, I'm sure they have it. Thank you!:blossom::flower::flowers:

[Wusel]

Maybe you are experiencing "Summer Shedding". Just a few weeks ago I was freaking out because I was losing what seemed to be a TONNE of hair every time I washed or detangled my curls. It was so much that every time my shower drain would clog. This week though it seems to have tapered off now though and I'm back to losing a about 5 to 10 hairs when I detangle. It was horrible before though! Every time I touched my hair clumps would come out. I swore I was going bald! Since it was bothering me so much I looked up a lot of remedies for shedding and one of them that almost everyone seemed to find working for them was crushing cloves of garlic and adding it to their shampoo and conditioner. I never ended up trying it because my shedding stopped. But maybe it may be useful to you. Good luck.

Clogged shower drain... I know what you're talking about... I've bought a plunger because of this... We have spring here in Germany and it's getting warmer fast so I hope it's seasonal... Thank you!:flowers:

[cat11]

^I got this thing you put above your drain that catches the hairs so you have to clean your drain less... I was glad to see the hairs don't accumulate in it that fast.

I always thought it would be unhealthy to start counting my hairs. Everything sheds.

[Ilenora]

I never thought to count how many I lose O_o I will have to try counting them! Except, I just washed my hair only 4 days after my last wash (usually I wash it every 7-8 days) because my mother wanted it clean for trimming, and I didn't put any oil in, and it's gone very fluffy and tangly like hell :( The more tangles, the more hairs I lose so perhaps now isn't a good time to try counting.
I clean my brush out every single time I brush and the combination of my morning and evening brushes is quite a large pile...

[hanne jensen]

I shed about 20 hairs a day. Not very much which gives me hope that I can achieve extreme lengths.

[vega]

I lose about 5 hairs a day as I'm a tight curly my sheds get caught up in the curls but have always been miniium in the shedding

[Begemot]

I once tried to count my shedding but didn't have the patience... But I would estimate it to be 30-100, sometimes more and sometimes less.

[Mimha]

I wonder if there is a certain personality type who counts shed hairs. I would never-ever do that. To me it would be a waste of time. What would be next? Counting shed skin cells? Toenail clippings?

I've seen a lot of threads like this float by over the years. I can't decide, do people count their shed hairs and then get worried? Or do people count their shed hairs because they're already worried?

I'm not worried. Hairs reach the end of their growth cycles and shed out. New hairs grow in. That's how it works.


Hi Spidermom.

If somebody had told me a few years ago that I would one day be crazy enough to start counting my shed hair EVERY DAY DURING ONE FULL YEAR, I would have laughed my head off ! :D :D :D

But life is not a predictable thing, and sometimes, we have to go through hardship, and experience things that we had never thought could happen to us. That's what happened to me when I underwent long lasting health problems that brought me to extreme exhaustion. I started losing my hair by handfuls, like never before in my life. That's what finally brought me to the doctor. And that's also what made me discover that I was sick since many years, and I could start to do something to recover my health... thanks to my hair ! :) (or I should better say : thanks to my vanity, ha ha ha :D).

So to answer your question : people usually start to worry, and then, they want to look for a solution to their problem. If their problem is hair loss, they will want to know to which extend it is normal or not... and they start to count. It's just a normal and logic behavior. Of course, counting should not become an obsession, but this is another problem.

Anyway, I never thought about counting my shed hair before I came to LHC, last September. I discovered that many people were interested to know about hair loss, because they sincerely worried for their health too. So I started investigating internet and realized that there were so many different statistics and figures that it was almost impossible to know where one stands. And I decided to make my own research... on myself (who else could I have asked THAT? Lol). My approach has nothing to do with a hair obsession, but with personal curiosity : I would like to understand how my own body works, what are its rhythms, what is "my normality", just for the sake of learning... and because the more I live, the more I experience, and the more I am in awe with what our body can do for us if we respect it.

You may find it crazy and think I spend my time on a vain and maniac activity... or you may as well find it interesting as a scientific approach on hair loss, freely shared by an LHC member who spends her own time experimenting for the benefit of all. This is just a matter of point of view. :wink: What is more, I don't see anything inappropriate in studying further a hair related subject within the frame of a hair related forum... Actually, I find your words quite offensive for the concerned people who come to this thread to find advice and support. And how I think it useful to spend my free time - counting my shed hairs or drink beer and watch TV - is my own business. There are plenty enough other threads for you if hair loss is none of your concern.

[meteor]

^ I agree, Mimha. I would also go as far as say that the most important challenge in all hair-related research is hair loss and finding hair loss solutions.
General hair care is nice, but, after all, it's really just about simple hygiene of shampoos & conditioners, easily interchangeable and usually somewhat inconsequential for hair's quality in the grand scheme of things, whereas hair loss is in a very different category altogether: it is an actual symptom and a health issue and also a serious enough aesthetic concern that it affects confidence and mental health of millions of people around the world.

Counting hairs is what dermatologists and trichologists still sometimes do as part of their testing. I think it's pretty useful to have a general feel of how much you shed on average - if one finds counting hairs boring, it's good to know how big your average hair ball is (adjusting for length gains), so you can catch dramatic changes early. If one catches hairloss early, it's great because it's like an early warning signal: you can get bloodwork done and find underlying health issues to solve, and it's easier to stop it at an early stage, too (with minoxidil, for example). :flower:

Back to the original post, Wusel, I think the norm is different for different people, some of us are heavier shedders than others. 90 hairs is still well within that normal range of 100 hairs per day, but if it's significantly more than your usual daily shedding, I'd go see a doctor, especially if you have any other symptoms. Hairball grows dramatically with greater length - you can literally ball up a few long strands and they will look like a lot and cause unnecessary worrying. Ponytail circumference changing or staying within your normal range is a much better indicator, IMHO. :)

Best of luck to you, Wusel! :love: I really hope it's false alarm! :flower:

[divinedobbie]

I only counted once and that was when I was shedding lots, and lots for me was about 50 hairs when I brushed my hair in the morning (more hair fell out during the rest of the day that I was unaware about). Usually though, I would guess I shed about 10-20 hairs every morning when I wash and brush and some more throughout the rest of the day.

[Near]

I honestly do not count my hair losses—but I should start doing that. When I detangle and comb, I estimate about twenty or so stands of hair are lost, but I cannot be entirely sure as my hair is pretty thick and it all wads into one decent sized hairball.

[Wusel]

^ I agree, Mimha. I would also go as far as say that the most important challenge in all hair-related research is hair loss and finding hair loss solutions.
General hair care is nice, but, after all, it's really just about simple hygiene of shampoos & conditioners, easily interchangeable and usually somewhat inconsequential for hair's quality in the grand scheme of things, whereas hair loss is in a very different category altogether: it is an actual symptom and a health issue and also a serious enough aesthetic concern that it affects confidence and mental health of millions of people around the world.

Counting hairs is what dermatologists and trichologists still sometimes do as part of their testing. I think it's pretty useful to have a general feel of how much you shed on average - if one finds counting hairs boring, it's good to know how big your average hair ball is (adjusting for length gains), so you can catch dramatic changes early. If one catches hairloss early, it's great because it's like an early warning signal: you can get bloodwork done and find underlying health issues to solve, and it's easier to stop it at an early stage, too (with minoxidil, for example). :flower:

Back to the original post, Wusel, I think the norm is different for different people, some of us are heavier shedders than others. 90 hairs is still well within that normal range of 100 hairs per day, but if it's significantly more than your usual daily shedding, I'd go see a doctor, especially if you have any other symptoms. Hairball grows dramatically with greater length - you can literally ball up a few long strands and they will look like a lot and cause unnecessary worrying. Ponytail circumference changing or staying within your normal range is a much better indicator, IMHO. :)

Best of luck to you, Wusel! :love: I really hope it's false alarm! :flower:

Thank you, meteor. :blossom::flowers:Today it was a bit less than 90 I think. And my guitarist told me that my braid looks very thick. That made me really happy...

[Seventy7]

I don't think I ever counted my sheds, but I do keep an eye on the size of my shedball. It doesn't seem too big to me.

I guess I would count them if I think there could be a problem. But it would not be the number that's interesting to me, mostly the changes the number goes though.

[hennalonghair]

I don't count hairs and will never count hairs. It can lead to a very unhealthy obsession. There is a member here at LHC who is so obsessed with hairloss that it's the ONLY thing she talks about. I'm not sure how anyone can truly enjoy their hair with that type of obsession and because of that I don't think I will ever start. I've got more enjoyable things to think about.

I've read that it's normal to shed 60 to 100 hairs a day and that will triple whenever you wash it.

[slynr]

No counting for me. I just can't do it. I don't want to take the slide to what I would feel would be obsessing. I do enough for my hair as is. If I really got worried about hair loss I guess maybe I would start measuring my pony circumference. At this point I only let myself measure length about every 3-4 months if that. I take periodic progress pictures instead.

[hennalonghair]

M
Wusel,

I've been going through a period of shedding for 6 months starting from last September. I counted my shed hair and came up with an average of 70 hairs/day. Up to 60 on non wash days and up to 100 on wash days, probably more because I did not include single strands that I lost during the day (I like wearing my hair down).

Before September I never used to pay attention. For all I know, I've always lost that much. But it does feel like A LOT. And yes, it is scary as hell.

During my extensive online research of the cause of my imminent baldness I realized there are three types of hair loss reasons: medical, genetics, and the rest.

So the first thing to do in my opinion is to check if there are any medical conditions that should be addressed. For me, that wasn't the case.

Genetics - some thinning happens almost to everyone, men and women to some degree as we are getting older. In women it rarely gets significant and usually there are clear signs. I have none so far. But who knows, it still may be the case. If so, there is always minoxidil, which is a comforting thought.

Other reasons include: stress, lack of vitamins and minerals, lack of sleep, aggressive hair dye and heat exposure, seasonal shedding, end of growth cycle of a lot of hair all at once, stars alignment, any combination of thing listed above and apparently a thousand other things. There is no credible way to identify which it is.

Once we eliminate medical reasons, the only thing we CAN do is start taking better care of ourselves and our hair. And then wait, as any changes in hair show only several months after they happen due to hair growth cycle.

For me, 70 strads/ day has not caused any change in thickness at least since September (6 months) nor have I any bold spots/ changes of hairline etc. Recently I noticed massive regrowth all over my scalp. I also think I shed a bit less lately, but still a lot.

What helped me, not to reduce hair loss but to look at it in a calmer and more reasonable way, was that I changed my job. Really, no amount of money is worth insane traveling and stress. And I started running almost every evening. I figured if I was going to go bald soon, I should at least try to get in a better shape to compensate for it =).

I would also highly recommend valerian tincture prescribed to me by a trichologist and adding mint leaves to tea recommended by my 87 yo grandmother. She's been through war as a young girl, grown 3 children, a dozen grandchildren and has really seen it all.

Oh and everyone, who cannot understand hair counting: I wish you to never truly understand why we do it. This being said, please, bear with us, hair counters, this is an important problem to us and it is scary. Your support and empathy really helps.

Valerian tincture was prescribed? As in a prescription ? That's interesting because it's usually a holistic treatment for anxiety or as a sleeping aid. It tastes extremely bitter but can knock you right out if you're not careful. I'm more surprised that your doctor recommended it.
I use peppermint a lot for stomach and breath issues and it definitely does help with scalp issues.
Worrying about this will only make it worse. At the moment you are definitely in the 'norm' range.

[mssummerrose]

I've never counted. I would guess around 30.

[Wusel]

Wash day.
I stopped counting at 200...:-(:-(:-(:cry::cry::cry::cry::sad:sad:sad
Is this normal?

[meteor]

Wash day.
I stopped counting at 200...:-(:-(:-(:cry::cry::cry::cry::sad:sad
Is this normal?

^ I don't know. But for me it is. I counted once after washing hair - and it was 300 plus (I stopped counting, too). Wash days are high manipulation days (all the washing, massaging, detangling...) so it's normal to see a lot more hair come out - some of that hair maybe shed a while ago but was "stuck" in the mane until then.
Different people may have different "norms", I guess. But if it bothers you or if it's an unusually high amount for you, I'd definitely see a doctor and do a check-up. :flower:

[Wusel]

^ I don't know. But for me it is. I counted once after washing hair - and it was 300 plus (I stopped counting, too). Wash days are high manipulation days (all the washing, massaging, detangling...) so it's normal to see a lot more hair come out - some of that hair maybe shed a while ago but was "stuck" in the mane until then.
Different people may have different "norms", I guess. But if it bothers you or if it's an unusually high amount for you, I'd definitely see a doctor and do a check-up. :flower:

Thank you. I hope it was only because of the washing. I massage my scalp quite well when I wash and when I did the Inversion Method two months ago I noticed much more shedding too. Do you think I should stop massaging?

[Illryeth]

I lose around 50, but if I have a really stressful week I end up losing a LOT more... and with the more I stress about it, the more I lose :( Trust me my dear, try to stop worrying about it, and it may help!

[meteor]

Thank you. I hope it was only because of the washing. I massage my scalp quite well when I wash and when I did the Inversion Method two months ago I noticed much more shedding too. Do you think I should stop massaging?

I don't know for sure, but I think only the hair that was already shed (but stuck in the mane) or was ready to shed comes out with massage, unless the massage is too rough and pulling out hairs. If you are massaging firmly but gently, I don't see how it can hurt, while it can help stimulate blood circulation to scalp and also help cleanse scalp more thoroughly by dislodging waxy sebum and shed skin cells, IMHO.

[aurorae]

I honestly have no idea as i detangle my hair mostly wash day.But prior to my hair journey if i were to guess with all the ripping a comb through my strands i'd say 70- 100

[oddelabop]

It's not fair to be so hard...
Because as I said, I'm traumatized.
Have you ever been in the situation of being afraid to loose all your hair?
Because of a hormonal problem?
Did you ever run your fingers through your hair and 200 came out? 200 times per day? So that a dermatologist gave you a high percentage cortisone cream to put on your head three times a day?
I'm not mental or a "certain personality type" because I start counting hairs when see that I start loosing too much. That's what my dermatologist recommended and I don't do it every day.
I'm happy for you that you take it so easy and never had such problems. But don't be cruel with people who feel different because of different experiences.
And, no, my toenails and skin cells needn't be counted. So, please stop being ironic and cynical...


Hi wusel, I understand these feelings as I went through a particularly stressful time in my life and I remember even slightly nudging my pony tail there would seem to be endless amounts of hair falling out. It took about two to three weeks to stop and then it calmed down. It thickened out after about four or five months.

I remember the anxiety it caused afterwards I hated doing anything to my hair im fear that th shedding would start again so I began obsessively counting and counting. It's not silly or mental to do these things! It's just a natural response to losing something you hold dear.

I would say the amount you lose is normal so try not to think about it. What I do is remove the hair out of sight (namely flushing it down the toilet) before I can obsess about it (out of sight out of mind)!! Only you know your own head so if the shedding is excessive to what you are used to, perhaps do as others suggest and measure your ponytail circumference every now and then and in the mean time focus on being calm! Stress makes it worse.

Again! That being said if sounds completely normal to me!


edit: you say you massaged your hair on wash day? That always increases sheds as in manipulates follicles which will probably be shed in a couple of days or so.

[Wusel]

Hi wusel, I understand these feelings as I went through a particularly stressful time in my life and I remember even slightly nudging my pony tail there would seem to be endless amounts of hair falling out. It took about two to three weeks to stop and then it calmed down. It thickened out after about four or five months.

I remember the anxiety it caused afterwards I hated doing anything to my hair im fear that th shedding would start again so I began obsessively counting and counting. It's not silly or mental to do these things! It's just a natural response to losing something you hold dear.

I would say the amount you lose is normal so try not to think about it. What I do is remove the hair out of sight (namely flushing it down the toilet) before I can obsess about it (out of sight out of mind)!! Only you know your own head so if the shedding is excessive to what you are used to, perhaps do as others suggest and measure your ponytail circumference every now and then and in the mean time focus on being calm! Stress makes it worse.

Again! That being said if sounds completely normal to me!


edit: you say you massaged your hair on wash day? That always increases sheds as in manipulates follicles which will probably be shed in a couple of days or so.

Thank you very much. I try not to stress about it and remove the hair. I vacuum every day so I don't see the sheds on the floor. And I've reduced the counting...
The problem is, I always blame myself for every ten hairs I loose.
I imagine that I don't eat well enough (even though I'm almost obsessed with eating enough good for hair food), that I work too much and have too much stress, that my shampoo is wrong, that I don't sleep enough... I blame myself all the time because I imagine that I do something wrong... But as a single full time working mother I simply can't do everything right. I can't sleep much, can't avoid stress, can't read all the time about shampoo ingredients...
But I know what would make me happy and smile all day is getting my long hair back... And I'm afraid that I'll never get it as long as it was before the cut again...

[Wusel]

UPDATE:
It's around 30-50 hairs per day now... I'm relieved... No idea why it stopped, I didn't do anything. So relieved... :)

[parkmikii]

I usually lose around 20 hairs per day, but I have a lot of shedding in wash days..

[Wusel]

I usually lose around 20 hairs per day, but I have a lot of shedding in wash days..

What do you mean by a lot on wash days? How much approximately?

[Fiorentina]

I never count because I don't care.

[lapis_lazuli]

I never count because I don't care... or rather, I don't keep track because I can eyeball it and know what looks normal.

I don't have a regular detangling schedule. Some days I'm more thorough than others, and some days I don't at all.

I went back and counted what I lost finger-detangling today: 11 hairs (just from this morning putting my hair up and I won't touch it again until tomorrow). That would be on the lower end; it definitely varies a lot. Whatever shed accumulation I've missed during the week all comes out on wash day.

[Fornarina]

When I washed with shampoo and conditioner or made NW/SO I lost app. 15 hairs a day. Now with the mayonnaise treatment roughly every month it is only 2-4 hairs per combing, and I usually comb one time a day, though I know it would be better to do two times: morning and evening before going to bed.

[foreveryours]

Too many. I don't count them anymore. Using weight is much less tedious