Question About Shedding

[forestwizard]

I have a maybe dumb question about shedding. I know that the average shedding per day is 50-100 hairs. But since I cowash every 2-3 days, is the hair that comes out from ALL the days since I've last cowashed? Meaning when I shower I could see 100-300 hairs?

I've noticed that washing after 3 days has more hair than just 2. And on days I don't wash, I barely touch it. Ocassionally I run a wide tooth comb, but that never pulls out more than a couple hairs. It's only in the shower that I ever have major sheds.

My hair seems perfectly healthy and is growing fine, but it's still a little concerning when I see so much hair on the shower drain!

[akurah]

What you're seeing sounds perfectly normal.

As someone who has dealt with hair loss, and am still dealing with it: You can't really tell abnormal hair loss from wash days unless it's practically coming out by fistfuls. And if your hair is long, the shed amount looks worse for the length. If you're worried about hair loss--ignore what you're seeing on the floor, and look at what's still remaining on your head. If you are not seeing any visible thinning or patches on your scalp, you're fine.

Don't count your sheds--ignore them. People get hung up on the sheds, and that's not where you need to look if hair loss is a concern, and if you can't see any evidence of hair loss from looking at your scalp (thinness or patchiness) you probably don't have anything to worry about.

[EdG]

The other important statistic is that the average person has 100,000 hairs on his or her head. Combined with a shed rate of 50-100 hairs per day, the duration of the growth cycle is 3-6 years. A long-haired person sheds a lot of hair. ;)

As Akurah said, you should not worry about shedding.
Ed

[lapushka]

I have a maybe dumb question about shedding. I know that the average shedding per day is 50-100 hairs. But since I cowash every 2-3 days, is the hair that comes out from ALL the days since I've last cowashed? Meaning when I shower I could see 100-300 hairs?

I've noticed that washing after 3 days has more hair than just 2. And on days I don't wash, I barely touch it. Ocassionally I run a wide tooth comb, but that never pulls out more than a couple hairs. It's only in the shower that I ever have major sheds.

My hair seems perfectly healthy and is growing fine, but it's still a little concerning when I see so much hair on the shower drain!

If you haven't combed or brushed it for 3 days, then what comes out during the CO-wash = normal.

BUT. Some people can't have conditoner (or oil) touch their scalp or they will shed more than normal. If you have the same thing happen with shampoo, then it's fine, but if not, I'd consider giving up the CO-washes.

[Natalia_A00]

I feel that the longer you go without washing the more hair falls in the shower. It's probably hair that has already fallen but not completely, the water just "pushes" it. Also, when my scalp is oily, I shed more. If you cowash every 2-3 days I think your shed rate is normal. Also maybe it looks like 100 hairs but they're actually way less. I always notice that for me, 10 hairs together look like a whole clump.

[forestwizard]

Thank you everyone for the advice! I feel much better about it now. :)

Lapushka, it is the same amount whether I cowash or use a shampoo, though when I do a coconut oil mask, there's slightly more hairs. But I hadn't considered the difference between cowashing and shampoo, so thank you for bringing it up.

[leayellena]

Also, when my scalp is oily, I shed more.
Please tell me why this happens because this is exactly what I noticed. Thus my hair has thickened up.