Seasonal Shedding?

[MoonMaiden]

Hi everybody, I am in New York and here summer is just about to end.. The past two weeks ive experienced a crazy amount of shedding which, its bothering the hell outta me. Ive asked one other person who said they are losing a lot at this time. Are any of you ladies losing a lot in this current month. Is there any way of stopping it cuz im afraid all my efforts that ive put in will wash down the drain literally if it doesn't stop soon. I'm already freaking out like did it get thinner. it had too OMG!! lol :(:(

[meteor]

If the ponytail circumference hasn't changed, I wouldn't worry about it! :flower:

To answer your question, yes, I'm under the impression that I'm shedding more than usual right now, but I can't tell if it's seasonal or if it might be related to overall health or hormones/cycle... I think it's pretty common to have quite a bit of variation in shedding rates as well as new growth rates, which is why ponytail circumference is a good indicator, because it averages different factors out.

If it bothers you, you can definitely see your doctor and get blood panel checked to make sure everything is OK, especially if you notice any other symptoms.
I really hope your shedding will stop soon! :flower:

[LongCurlyTress]

Hi MoonMaiden...I am also having alot of shedding recently. I was thinking it might be seasonal, but also I think my shedding might be due to excessive tangling and breaking while detangling with conditioner in the shower. So, today, I detangled after the shower and used some John Freida Frizz Ease -- hair serum.. and noticed alot less shedding. My ponytail has gone from 4.5 down to 4.25 so not alot but still it's less thick. Hoping it calms down. I hate shedding too! ;(

[Nadine <3]

Yes, like clock work I shed twice a year just like a dog! Once in fall and one in spring, the rest of the year I have a very low shed rate. I can wear an updo all day and night, take it out and only find 2 shed hairs. During a shower I'll loose 10-20. Nothing to worry about.

[Groovy Granny]

Just today I noticed a lot of shedding during my shower; then again I forgot to use my BBB before.
I'm not concerned; my health is fine...just crazy weather and seasonal changes here....and I recalled a mention of seasonal sheds.
With others noticing it too, then it must just be that time of year :)
I have never had my hair this long or paid attention to shedding before lol

[meteor]

Yes, like clock work I shed twice a year just like a dog! Once in fall and one in spring, the rest of the year I have a very low shed rate. I can wear an updo all day and night, take it out and only find 2 shed hairs. During a shower I'll loose 10-20. Nothing to worry about.

Wow! :bigeyes: I'm exactly the same with seasons, except I need to multiply those shedding numbers by 10 or 20. But that's pretty normal for me.

[Hypnotica]

I shed during spring but it seems to not affect overall thickness.

[LongCurlyTress]

I also think that the longer my hair gets, one strand can look like it is alot more when it is all curled up and sticking to my shower wall so it doesn't go down the drain!! I clean up my wall of furball when I am done with my shower but that clump of hair sure looks ominous at the time. My new hairs/halo are growing in silver. ;( :rolleyes:

[RavenRose]

Anytime there is a big seasonal change- usually fall and spring I shed horribly...

[DollyDagger]

I only really have taken notice of it in the fall time and not so much the spring. I dont think its started for me yet this year. I can say that im sweeping up way less hairs than i used to since starting CO washing though.

[wilderwein]

Oh today I noticed increased shedding! I was wondering the same, so probably yes, it's the seasonal shedding!

[TrapperCreekD]

Funny you should mention shedding, I've noticed an uptick in hairball size in the last week and a half after hardly shedding anything for months.

[AutobotsAttack]

I've also noticed an extreme amount of shedding. During spring time is wasn't even NEAR as much as it is now. But it's approaching fall and I'm sure it's because of that. Hopefully. :)

[lapushka]

Yep, I just noticed past wash. It's around September again, which is usual for me.

[Nadine <3]

Wow! :bigeyes: I'm exactly the same with seasons, except I need to multiply those shedding numbers by 10 or 20. But that's pretty normal for me.

lol! I think it's just because I don't have a lot of thickness. The less hairs you have, the less sheds you'll have, at least that's my theory. I think I measured my ponytail to be somewhere around 2 inches :P

[Saldana]

I apparently do a heavy shed every late summer/early autumn. The first couple of times it happened (well, it probably happened before, but my hair was too short to notice) I pretty much freaked out about it. Now, I just sigh and make a mental note to clean the vacuum cleaner brush more frequently. :)

[Beatrixity]

This past week I've shedding A LOT. I'll continue to monitor my shedding, but I'm suspecting it is seasonal. I shed a lot before transitioning into soapnut and ACV only and haven't shed a lot since then up until now.

[Twinkletoes21]

This may be a weird question but does anyone take photos of what their typical hairball/shed looks like? Is there a thread that shows that?

[turtlelover]

I've never noticed seasonal shedding, but CO washing and using sulfate free shampoo too often makes me shed like mad! I have very oily skin/hair and I need my sulfates at regular intervals.

[lapushka]

This may be a weird question but does anyone take photos of what their typical hairball/shed looks like? Is there a thread that shows that?

Yep, I think we have a thread on that.

[MoonMaiden]

*sigh* thank you ladies, at least i feel a little better im not the only one, im still shedding like mad after months and months of not really shedding. Im afraid im guna lose all my thickness -_-, showering has become depressing I hope it stops for all of you and me as well soon

[Eiderduck]

Me too - I shed spring and autumn without fail.
I'm more worried by the breaking ends due to peroxide hair abuse though...

[lapushka]

Yep shedding, and still shedding. Thank goodness I only really detangle once weekly (comb/brush). Mid-week I separate strands to get a few sheds out. I generally don't shed anymore before then between a wash and mid-week. But once mid-week hits until hair is fully detangled pre- and post wash. OMG! Watch out. I shed like a beast!

[Anje]

Good timing on this thread. I seem to be making a lot bigger hairballs than usual!

[DollyDagger]

Affirmative. Seasonal shed is underway..:P with no regard to the fact that its been hotter these past few days then it has been all summer!

[hennalonghair]

Yes indeed good timing.
Autumn is my worst season for shedding . On me that is.
My hair texture changes and much of my curl falls and each season I panic a bit but it happens every year.

Another thing I noticed this summer is that my hair doesn't like being bunned if it's too hot and humid out. The back of my head just sweats and starts getting itchy.
Not good signs so I'm wearing braids until the cooler weather

[Sarahlabyrinth]

I have never noticed any seasonal shedding - am I the odd one out?

[omega]

I have never noticed any seasonal shedding - am I the odd one out?

Me neither :)

[parkmikii]

I don't know if it's seasonal or not but I too noticed bigger hairballs lately at my once a week detangling.

[Laur]

I'm not sure if it's seasonal shedding (looking at my blog posts I seemed to have been complaining about heavy shedding in the spring the last time I was here), or if it's stress related. I'm about 3 months into a new job, and the internet says 3-4 months after a really stressful event you can see increased shedding. My ponytail circumference is the same, but the last time I washed (Sunday) I counted the shed hairs and had more than 200 (!). :scared: :shudder: :bigeyes: :shocked:

So I'm hoping it's just seasonal stuff. Otherwise, I'll be bald soon!

[Pat Wright]

Thank you, everyone! I thought I had done something terribly wrong, and couldn't figure out what it was! I guess I never paid attention to the seasonal shed.:doh:

[Fethenwen]

Good timing on this thread. I seem to be making a lot bigger hairballs than usual!

Same here! Had to log in here in the forums just to see if it is being discussed, heh, I am not surprised that it is :D It does feel better knowing that others are going through the same phase.

Almost starting to freak out, for some reason the last two falls I did not notice much seasonal shedding. But this fall I definitely have it again, and it has come back with a vengeance. Iiisch :( Hope it stops soon, I started using strong birch leaf infusion in hopes of strengthening my hair so that it won't be that severe.

[Xavien_Grey]

Logged in cuz i was wondering the same thing, at first i thought it was b/c ive been experimenting wearing it up for the past couple weeks, which im sure has exacerbated the problem. But overall im still finding more sheds than breakage so its normal. Still, its frustrating.

*Fethenwen, does birch help you? I tend to bring my rosemary inside this time of year and use it with some peppermint, but ive never tried birch leaf.

[jel]

I normally don't have increased seasonal shedding, but am currently going through a major health-induced hair loss that started in August. Seven years ago a similar thing happened, I thought it was just a seasonal shed, but after a couple of months and losing an inch of ponytail circumference, I went to see a doctor. It transpired that my ferritin levels had gone down to the lower end of the "normal" range, and they were supposed to be around the middle of the range to support healthy hair growth. The Dr prescribed me some iron supplements, the shedding ceased and my hair starting regrowing.

Well, this time I did not wait and had the blood test - my ferritin is even lower than the previous time (plus, I now have diabetes and am following a strict diet). Back on the supplements since last week, and I hope the results will start showing soon.

Tl;dr: some people do experience a normal seasonal increase in shedding. If the hair loss is measurably excessive, do have your health checked out!

[lapushka]

Tl;dr: some people do experience a normal seasonal increase in shedding. If the hair loss is measurably excessive, do have your health checked out!

Fantastic and good response that you didn't wait. If you suspect something more's going on, then yes go see a doctor and have it checked out. Good advice!

[valkyrje]

Glad to hear I'm not the only one shedding a bit too much. I wouldn't normally be alarmed, but I've finally managed to decrease my shedding rate and it saddens me to lose what I've achieved.

[rkathleen]

I was losing tons of hair last winter. It was my first upstate NY winter and it was terribly cold, but I also had lots of job stress. The doctor thought it was stress, the hairdresser thought it was the season. It got much better over the spring and summer, and it has come back over the past couple of weeks. The season is changing, but my job has also gotten very intense lately, so I'm not sure which to blame!

[Finallymajor]

new here but I'm glad this was posted. I was wondering why I was shedding so bad but its starting to cool off where i am. I kept thinking...am I stressed? haha

[Fethenwen]

I normally don't have increased seasonal shedding, but am currently going through a major health-induced hair loss that started in August. Seven years ago a similar thing happened, I thought it was just a seasonal shed, but after a couple of months and losing an inch of ponytail circumference, I went to see a doctor. It transpired that my ferritin levels had gone down to the lower end of the "normal" range, and they were supposed to be around the middle of the range to support healthy hair growth. The Dr prescribed me some iron supplements, the shedding ceased and my hair starting regrowing.

Well, this time I did not wait and had the blood test - my ferritin is even lower than the previous time (plus, I now have diabetes and am following a strict diet). Back on the supplements since last week, and I hope the results will start showing soon.

Tl;dr: some people do experience a normal seasonal increase in shedding. If the hair loss is measurably excessive, do have your health checked out!

Oh gosh! I do hope my ferritin levels are alright. My shedding has not seized, and I am starting to get worried. But I do not have any symptoms of iron deficiency, or can your ferritin levels be low without having any symptoms (besides shedding lots of hair)?

I am starting to suspect that perhaps it is more likely that I have some funky fungal thing going on. My scalp is also very itchy from time to time, and I absolutely have to wash it every second day or it will itch like crazy.

[jel]

Oh gosh! I do hope my ferritin levels are alright. My shedding has not seized, and I am starting to get worried. But I do not have any symptoms of iron deficiency, or can your ferritin levels be low without having any symptoms (besides shedding lots of hair)?

I am starting to suspect that perhaps it is more likely that I have some funky fungal thing going on. My scalp is also very itchy from time to time, and I absolutely have to wash it every second day or it will itch like crazy.

I didn't have any other symptoms apart from the shedding. Could you see a Dr, get both blood and scalp tested?

[Arete]

Pretty sure a small kitten died in the shower xD. Definitely started my seasonal shed. It's a little later than normal. normally, it starts the first week of October.

[yahirwaO.o]

Oh I realize since October started my shedding became a little bit noticiable. Usually spring is way more dramatic and my hem kinda remains still is nice, but I really dont want to loose the shape i've been working so faithfully.... im probably gonna micro trim 2 times next month.

I want some lenght and a full hem, shedding can make a inny tinny trouble.

[CRX<3]

Bringing this old thread back from last year. Anyone else noticing increased shedding? I shed like crazy at the moment, will I be bald at Christmas? XD probably not. But it's annoying!

[Xavien_Grey]

It's begun about a week early for me as well, usually hits first week of October - but I have a hypothesis that, at least in my case, it's caused by either product build up or lack of scalp stimulation. I say this only bc when I was WO I never hit my spring shed. Anyone else experience this?