The Great Fall Fall- anyone?

[augustspy]

In reading past posts searching for information on seasonal shedding I found a poster label Fall shedding, The Great Fall Fall. Recently my shedding picked up right at the turn of Fall. I would think spring would be a more natural time to shed, not fall when you need to build a pelt. Anyone else start shedding now to verify this?

AG

[CopperHead]

Yep, I'm shedding too. I usually don't shed very much at all, but I am now.

[Elenna]

I'm shedding too. I'm not losing handfuls, more like fingerfuls of hair. Wonder how long it will last. I'm trying to be super careful but will hair fall out anyway?

[burns_erin]

I shed at almost the end of spring, so my shed has just about finished up. I wonder if it has something to do with temperatures? i think i also get faster length growth at the shedding time. only long term attention and measuring will tell though.

[Silver & Gold]

Fall has always been my shed time too. It seems counter-intuitive to me as well. I believe my daughter-in-law has the same experience. The only thing I can imagine that might make biological sense is if the shed went along with a lot of new hair growth as well. And of course this would not be obvious until many months later when a halo of baby hairs appear.
Anyway, you're not alone to be sure.

[augustspy]

Yep, I'm shedding too. I usually don't shed very much at all, but I am now.

I was reading that Seasonal Sheds are usually not over the top average amount of hair to lose in a day. So this would mean not more than 100 a day to qualify as a seasonal shedding. So if one is searching for a reason for her shedding she might not go running around looking for answers if the shedding doesn't elevate higher than this in the Fall or Spring. How much is your shedding count? I am at 50 nonwash and just over 100 with wash. *distressing*

AG

[augustspy]

I'm shedding too. I'm not losing handfuls, more like fingerfuls of hair. Wonder how long it will last. I'm trying to be super careful but will hair fall out anyway?

You know what I notice with this shedding that makes it weird, lots of fine nape hairs. Really fine, fine hairs that I know are coming from my hair line. You?

AG

[augustspy]

I shed at almost the end of spring, so my shed has just about finished up. I wonder if it has something to do with temperatures? i think i also get faster length growth at the shedding time. only long term attention and measuring will tell though.

Yes, I agree with the Spring shed concept of heat and needing to throw off hair as an unnecessary heavy layer for the coming summer. But I don't get the Fall shed pertinence. ??

I also feel my hair is growing faster as this shed arises. hmmmm. Right-O on the measuring to know for sure.

AG

[augustspy]

Fall has always been my shed time too. It seems counter-intuitive to me as well. I believe my daughter-in-law has the same experience. The only thing I can imagine that might make biological sense is if the shed went along with a lot of new hair growth as well. And of course this would not be obvious until many months later when a halo of baby hairs appear.
Anyway, you're not alone to be sure.

Thank you for your post. Don't want to say I am enjoying the company as this would be, er, um,... unkind, BUT I feel not so distraught. You seem to have a lot of hair. Does this mean you shed more when you shed? I also have fine blond hair with the 150, 000 follicles over the 100,000 for brunettes. This means I grow thickly and shed mountains. Do you?

AG

[augustspy]

I'm shedding too. I'm not losing handfuls, more like fingerfuls of hair. Wonder how long it will last. I'm trying to be super careful but will hair fall out anyway?

Yes, me thinks that hair will fall anyway once in telegen. But I also am being very careful with it.

Fingerfuls. Much better than handfuls. Have no idea how long it will last. Did you have any other precipitating experience other than the arrival of Fall? My shedding made me run to the doctors for a Ferritin test. Seems my ferritin was worthy of shedding. 63. Ideally for hair some like it 70- 90. I am aiming for 125. As a treated hypothyroid person I have to stay on top of this.

AG

[Silver & Gold]

Thank you for your post. Don't want to say I am enjoying the company as this would be, er, um,... unkind, BUT I feel not so distraught. You seem to have a lot of hair. Does this mean you shed more when you shed? I also have fine blond hair with the 150, 000 follicles over the 100,000 for brunettes. This means I grow thickly and shed mountains. Do you?

AG

I'm not sure I have all that thick of hair. I think the curl pattern is deceptive. I would say my hair is about average in every way. Neither fine nor course, neither thick nor thin. What I have noticed is during most of the year I can barely detect any shedding at all but when I do shed it seems so dramatic in contrast. It's a bit shocking to wash my hair and actually feel the hair coming out when I rinse. Fortunately I've been through the cycle enough times in my life not to panic about it. I know the shedding eventually stops.

[JessTheMess]

My Fall shed started about 2 weeks ago. It has since slowed down a bit.

[augustspy]

My Fall shed started about 2 weeks ago. It has since slowed down a bit.

This is precisely when mine started! What a quick Fall Fall you had! May we all be so lucky.

AG

[Elphie]

The only thing I can imagine that might make biological sense is if the shed went along with a lot of new hair growth as well

Forgive the comparison to my dog, but this is exactly what happens for her. I have a keeshond who has a dense, white undercoat. She has a massive shedding season in fall to blow out her old coat to make room for the new coat coming in for winter.

I would guess there is a similarity in what happens to humans.

[kunibob]

Wow, I didn't know such a thing existed!! I noticed that my ponytail thickness has decreased very suddenly, and I couldn't figure out why -- maybe this is contributing to it? (I hope that's all that's going on!)

[CopperHead]

I was reading that Seasonal Sheds are usually not over the top average amount of hair to lose in a day. So this would mean not more than 100 a day to qualify as a seasonal shedding. So if one is searching for a reason for her shedding she might not go running around looking for answers if the shedding doesn't elevate higher than this in the Fall or Spring. How much is your shedding count? I am at 50 nonwash and just over 100 with wash. *distressing*

AG

I've never counted. I just throw it away, but my brush usually has only a couple of hairs in it, and now it has much more. I don't think it is anywhere near 100. I have never shed that much. I also went through a traumic event in July, so some of it is due to that.

[spidermom]

The last big shed I noticed was end August/early September 2005. Since then it's been pretty much the same from day to day.

[Elphie]

I can't say I'm losing any more hair than usual. About 20-25 strands a day.

[Slug Yoga]

Yep, I noticed much more shedding, so I went on supplements to try to decrease it. Even though it probably is seasonal.

[mira-chan]

Shedding now too. My fall shed is mid September to mid October. I've tracked this for the past 3 years and it's been the same every year.

[Carolyn]

I've read that people can have a really big shed every 7 years. Something about cycles of 7 years for the body. I had a huge shed last fall and haven't noticed any changes since that happened. So if you are having a really big shed maybe it's part of a 7 year cycle for you?

[Elenna]

Did you have any other precipitating experience other than the arrival of Fall? My shedding made me run to the doctors for a Ferritin test. Seems my ferritin was worthy of shedding. 63. Ideally for hair some like it 70- 90. I am aiming for 125. As a treated hypothyroid person I have to stay on top of this. AG

Nothing out of the ordinary happened. I'm just noticing this shed.

[chrissy-b]

I've been shedding since the middle of August. Not a whole lot, but more than I have since the beginning of the year. It has tapered off in the last week or so, but still losing more than I usually do.

[Carina]

I shed like crazy right now.It all started about a month ago.I really hope that it will end soon.

[Honey39]

Yep, am moulting/shedding hair at the moment, have been for about a week and a half now! It's not massive amounts, but I notice it because my clothes always have hairs on them, which they don't normally.

It's reassuring to read this thread, and realise that this is perfectly *normal*!

[zaftig2k]

I don't really get that much seasonal shedding. Meaning no more at this time of the year than any others.

[Arctic_Mama]

It feels like I am shedding more, too, but it's hard to tell if it's just that I am combing and oiling so it is coming off in my hands instead of the brush. Oh well.

[FlyBabyTina]

I shed alot all the time and I always have. I have never noticed a seasonal pattern.

[<She>]

I started shedding about 2 weeks ago and it's now decreasing, thankfully. I had a serious shed, before that I would shed about maybe 30-50 hairs on average, but these 2 weeks my carpet was covered with my hairs and I was collecting handfulls every 3-4 days. It was concerning.

I speculate that maybe this phaze of the hair growth cycle has a connection with the colder and harsh weather, the different food that that in the summer; the heating appliances in our home making the hair and scalp dryer, leading to breakage and the strand falling from the scalp.

[willowcandra]

I am shedding (what's new?) I had stopped for a while. Hoping it's just seasonal. The cats are shedding too right now so fingers crossed.

[Curlsgirl]

I had a pretty big one last Fall too but it was later than this year and more. This time I started about 3 weeks ago and it is easing off now already. :shrug:

I should add I have pretty thick hair though and I never really notice a difference thickness-wise. I have always figured I shed more because I have more hair. It would make sense right?

[Tai Shan Fan]

I'm shedding more than my cat at the moment :rolleyes:

[augustspy]

I've read that people can have a really big shed every 7 years. Something about cycles of 7 years for the body. I had a huge shed last fall and haven't noticed any changes since that happened. So if you are having a really big shed maybe it's part of a 7 year cycle for you?

Perhaps so. 7 times 7 = 49. Right where I now sit. Thank you for the idea!

AG

[sky]

No, I don't shed much at all, and it doesn't seem to vary, either.

sky

[Elenna]

I wish that the shedding would stop. My hair looks thinner :-( I may have to change from a II to a I at this rate.

[mira-chan]

My shed seems to have stopped now, as per usual. I shed squirrels through most of September.

[Speckla]

I shed so much in the spring that I clog the tub drain. It isn't so bad this fall.
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[Neoma]

This is a really old thread. I hope that it's OK that I'm reviving it. I need to talk about what I believe is a "fall shed."

I have had fall sheds before. But I don't remember any being as dramatic as this one. I am losing fingers full of hair every day. I find them as I'm shampooing, as I'm combing, as I'm cleaning out my brush and comb... Hair, hair everywhere, except where it's supposed to be -- on my head!

I've been struggling with thinning hair for a while now. I chalk it up to menopause, since all the blood tests have come back normal.

The Invati system helped, then I got tired of paying for it and started using other products more frequently.

I also think that LUSH New helped. I still have some of that -- perhaps I'll start using that again.

Anyway... The hair loss has never been this dramatic before. Is anyone else going through this? Has anyone found documentation on seasonal sheds for humans?

:flower:

[melusine963]

I've never paid attention to what time of year I shed the most in, but reading this thread makes me think I should start.

[redsonjared]

I shed loads, no matter what the season! This means I have a constant halo of new hairs. All adds to the frizz :rolleyes:

[bunzfan]

I do seem to be shedding more than usual but nothing to worry about, i was wondering the same thing as you if its the seasons.

[kidari]

I had my usual growth spurt from May to about July and then started shedding a ton in August. The shedding is slowing down now. Between the growth spurt and the shed, my ends are fairytailing lol is that a word? You guys know what I mean : )

[hermosamendoza]

Yes I usually start shedding about now but since I'm pregnant and on my vitamins It's just normal hair loss not the fall shedding that I usually get. Oh joy come December when I start to shed lol

[Neoma]

Thank you all for your response. I'm glad to know that I'm not alone. (Though I wouldn't wish shedding on anyone, except for really evil people.) :flower:

[Fabulosity]

I started shedding two months ago, and it has been pretty heavy. I have baby fine hair, and not a lot of it, to begin with, and this shed has been stressful. I have no health issues and eat plenty of protein. I am hoping that it will stop or at least slow soon. It isn't handfuls of hair, but a constant drop, hair everywhere, every time I touch my hair. I keep it in braids or up all of the time, but when I take it down, voom! 50, 60, 80, 100 hairs at once.

I have gone from almost a ii in thickness to a medium i I would say. I had just gotten to waist, too, for the first time in my life. I'm hoping I won't have to cut back.

Thank you for bumping up this thread, it is helpful to read about others going through the same thing. I, too, am going through menopause, and am wondering if that is part of this.

[akilina]

I am in a constant state of SHEDDING! It is awful.
Basically this is my hair life...shed all thru winter, spring, summer, and fall.
Then I chop it all off basically once a year. I wish I knew a solution. I will not chop from here on out..well..I will try to but my ends are SO thin.
I don't know why this happens to me at all. I wish I could pin point it.

[Neoma]

I started shedding two months ago, and it has been pretty heavy. I have baby fine hair, and not a lot of it, to begin with, and this shed has been stressful. I have no health issues and eat plenty of protein. I am hoping that it will stop or at least slow soon. It isn't handfuls of hair, but a constant drop, hair everywhere, every time I touch my hair. I keep it in braids or up all of the time, but when I take it down, voom! 50, 60, 80, 100 hairs at once.

I have gone from almost a ii in thickness to a medium i I would say. I had just gotten to waist, too, for the first time in my life. I'm hoping I won't have to cut back.

Thank you for bumping up this thread, it is helpful to read about others going through the same thing. I, too, am going through menopause, and am wondering if that is part of this.You're welcome, Fabulosity. I hope that you find a solution. :flower:


I am in a constant state of SHEDDING! It is awful.
Basically this is my hair life...shed all thru winter, spring, summer, and fall.
Then I chop it all off basically once a year. I wish I knew a solution. I will not chop from here on out..well..I will try to but my ends are SO thin.
I don't know why this happens to me at all. I wish I could pin point it.
I'm sorry to hear that you experience a constant shed, akilina.

Have you had any blood tests, etc.?
:flower:

[Silverbrumby]

My shedding has dropped off since I started MSM but it could be other factors. Might be the perimenopausal shed has stopped for now.

[Hairizona]

My hair starts to shed most heavily in the late spring and into summer- it also does not grow during that time. I shed the least in the fall into the winter, and that is also when my hair really gains in length.

[Elithia]

I've noticed an upswing in shedding since the weather started getting colder. It makes me cranky. :)

[spidermom]

I've been shedding for several weeks now, and it only recently got hot around here, so I'd say it's a summer shed.

[khan]

I've been shedding a lot since it's gotten cooler. More than a normal shed - maybe it's the 7 year thing. Plus, I just think it's weird, we're Mammals for pete's sake, aren't we supposed to shed in the summer & thicken up in the winter!?

:rolleyes:

[MaiCarInMtl]

I started shedding a lot more at the end of July for about a week or so and then it went back to normal (which is still a lot). It just recently started up again (about 2 weeks ago) and I am starting to freak out! I ave noticed a difference in circumference. I'd say a good 80&#37; of the hairs coming out have the little white bulb at the end and are really long. Maybe they're at the end of their life cycle?

I had blood tests done last December and the Dr never called back - that usually means everything is alright (otherwise, they call to schedule an appointment). I'm actually going to call today to see if I can be sent for another series of blood tests.

I'm under a decent amount of stress lately, I am just getting mentally worn down and I feel sad/tired/frustrated and I am highly irritable lately. I know what my main stressors are, but there's nothing I can do about it. I just feel really unhappy these days... Sorry, I don't mean to vent here.

Eating is actually going really well: I've made some changes but I am actually trying to eat the vast majority of my fruits and veggies raw (I'd say I've gone from 40% to now 80% raw). I eat lots of protein and get plenty of water.

I recently switched back to shampoo bars after I noticed the shedding picking up when using conventional hair products. The ACV rinse is also helping with some of the flaking I was experiencing.

So I really don't know what is going on. Maybe it is that 7 year thing in combination with other things...

[longNred]

August was pretty bad for me, routinely complaining to my DHB that I was "shedding like a crazy person".... but it seems to have stopped, or significantly slowed (knocking on wood). I also recently dropped down to washing once a week instead of 2-3. so THAT may have something to do with it as well. who knows. I'm just happy I can easily pick up the few hairs on the bathroom floor rather than getting out the vacuum every day.

[celebriangel]

I had a big shed this time last year, and I'm having one this year as well. From what I remember, it lasted about 4 weeks and didn't seem to make much of a dent in my thickness, oddly. I think maybe I just shed loads of hairs all at once that had been saved up and not much afterwards...I also remember fast growth.

I'm glad. When it started happening again this year I panicked for the first few days!

[itdontmatter48]

I am also shedding, but thought it was from an amateur who french braided my hair to tight for my daughters wedding, hopefully it will stop here soon. My pony is much thinner than just this summer.

[millyaulait]

For at least two months I've been eating better, sleeping better, being more gentle with my hair aaaaaaand...

I'm shedding so much. Sigh. :(

I feel like I'm doing everything right, but I'm getting nowhere. I can see it thinning, especially at the front.

It's not breakage or anything, the root & bulb is on every fallen hair.

[MissCoco]

Chiming to say that I'm going through the terrible Fall shed as well since a couple months ago (and so is my mom, actually!). I was also going through some stress, so it doubled the effect this year...went from 5"+ to only 4" in circumference :( Oh well, at least I have tons of re-growth now (even though they look like crazy flyaway hairs, which is kind of annoying) :shrug:
I'm just trying to treat my hair as gently as possible and keeping it under control with frequent (soft) oilings and protective updos. Fingers crossed that it'll calm down soon (for myself and everyone else too)! :)

[gthlvrmx]

My hair just felt thicker just last monday and then i start new medication. then my hair got thinner. itd be nice to believe its a fall shed, but if i DO have a fall shed its going along with the medication :( boo.

[Neoma]

I am really upset. I have never experienced a shed like this one. When I gently squeeze the excess water out of the length of my hair after I shower, I end up with an handful of hair. If I comb my hair, I end up with a comb full of hair. The bathroom drain clogs every time I shower because of my shedding.

Yesterday, when I checked the back of my head in the mirror because I wanted to see my updo, I noticed that the thinning spot was highly visible from the back.

Starting tomorrow, I'm going back to my Invati routine. I hope that I can, at the very least, save the hair that I still have.