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HotRag
July 2nd, 2009, 02:07 AM
Recently our temperature in my country doubled, very sudden.
At the same time, my shedding doubled, this week more than doubled.

Could this be due to heat and sweating?

Or what?

Could bacteria live in sweat, causing shedding, or can sweat alone make hairs shed?

I use neem and other bacteria/fungus controlling herbs every wash (once a week) but maybe I should wash more often in this sweaty weather?

Maybe it is normal shedding, but it should not be now if so, I use to shed more spring and fall.

Has anyone experienced this? It does not feel very good of course, especially not since I count hairs (and collect hairs).
I have an excel diagram over shedded hairs, and last week does not look good :(
Not VERY much shedded hairs, I use to shed very little. This more than doubled amount, is 45 hairs, usually is 20 hairs per day.
But it is clearly suddenly more, having the database and diagram to look at.

Nothing in stress or diet has changed. I feel good. Even better than before, in both body and soul.

HotRag
July 2nd, 2009, 02:16 AM
I will try to spray neem decoction on my scalp, between washes. I can fell there are more sebum on my scalp during this weather, and it does smell somewhat less nice than usual.

I still would like thoughts and comments to my first message though. I do not know what is the cause to the shed.

LutraLutra
July 2nd, 2009, 02:35 AM
I don't know about shed, but my hair growth has stalled since it's been really hot in the UK. I don't like the heat, so maybe my body doesn't either.

HotRag
July 2nd, 2009, 03:59 AM
Yea... body is not used to this heat, and then it comes rather suddenly. I think the sudden heat is harder for the body to get used to, than if it is hot all the time.

I made a neem decoctation now, and it felt very good to spray on my hot sweaty scalp.
Tried some on my legs too, to see if it is good against ticks. The oil should work better, but spraying on dog and scalp every second day, is not so nice.

CrowningGlory
July 2nd, 2009, 04:07 AM
During January/February (our hottest months) I noticed increased shedding. For several days I actually counted the hairs lost and it ranged from around 75/day to 150! I mentioned it to the lady in our local health food shop (who also has gorgeous long hair) and she said it was due to the humidity. Whether it was or not I don't know but the shedding has certainly settled down now.

If I only lost 45 hairs a day I'd be happy!

HotRag
July 2nd, 2009, 04:38 AM
During January/February (our hottest months) I noticed increased shedding. For several days I actually counted the hairs lost and it ranged from around 75/day to 150! I mentioned it to the lady in our local health food shop (who also has gorgeous long hair) and she said it was due to the humidity. Whether it was or not I don't know but the shedding has certainly settled down now.

If I only lost 45 hairs a day I'd be happy!
Interesting that you have the same experience. I hope it is due to the heat only.

But, if so, I still wonder what with the heat causes shedding.
I can't think it would be the humidity, but maybe I am wrong.

I think it has something to do with the sweat.

My DH said that it maybe could be the same thing as animals that shed twice a year (to get thin fur for summer, and isolating thick fur for winter). I do not know if it really could be that my body wants to get rid of hairs due to the heat.

Sam-I-Am
July 2nd, 2009, 07:33 AM
I don't know why it is, but my shedding drastically increases in the summer too. And it starts suddenly so it's very noticeable. I also wear my hair up 99% of the time in the summer so the shed hairs don't have a chance to fall out on their own, which probably also makes the shed seem more drastic.

In the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, USA area, our lowest temperature doesn't go below 75 F/24 C from mid-June to early September, and the highs range from 95-105 F/35-40 C. It's HOT!

Snakecharm
July 2nd, 2009, 07:38 AM
I've noticed pretty consistently over the past few years that I hit a point during the summer when all the sudden I shed by the handful for a week or two. I've compared notes with my best friend, who has much shorter (just past the shoulders) hair and she experiences the same thing. I truly think it may be the body's attempt to shed hair and keep the head/brain cool during hot weather. (We've been having 100+ temps here lately.) I will say that I don't experience any truly notable thinning during this period and that things go back to normal once it cools off.

HotRag
July 2nd, 2009, 07:41 AM
I don't know why it is, but my shedding drastically increases in the summer too. And it starts suddenly so it's very noticeable. I also wear my hair up 99% of the time in the summer so the shed hairs don't have a chance to fall out on their own, which probably also makes the shed seem more drastic.

In the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, USA area, our lowest temperature doesn't go below 75 F/24 C from mid-June to early September, and the highs range from 95-105 F/35-40 C. It's HOT!
We had about 15-18 C here, much rain on and off, and suddenly it has gone up to 28-33 C with no rain for three weeks.
I sweat constantly :(

(I guess if the body gets used to it, weather will rapidly change to rain again.)

Brianna
July 2nd, 2009, 09:05 AM
It's been very warm and humid here too, lately, and I've noticed a definite increase in my shedding as well. I figure it's a seasonal shed of sorts, so I try not to worry too much. :)

HotRag
July 2nd, 2009, 09:22 AM
It's been very warm and humid here too, lately, and I've noticed a definite increase in my shedding as well. I figure it's a seasonal shed of sorts, so I try not to worry too much. :)
But it's not very fun to keep statistics over shedded hairs at the moment :mad:

But I really hope it is something seasonal or so, and NOT increase or not stop.

BTW, I just discovered that my dog has started to shed AGAIN. I thought he was finished more than a month ago. Maybe that is due to weather also.

Jason
July 2nd, 2009, 09:40 AM
I definitely shed the most in summer. I had a terrible shed last summer that prompted me to cut three inches. I've noticed an increase in shedding over the last couple of weeks but nothing as bad as last year. It hasn't been hot here yet at all so I'm hoping my shedding doesn't increase once the temperature finally warms up (if it ever does this summer).

My guess is that you're experiencing seasonal shedding that will stop in time.

Zombiekins
July 2nd, 2009, 09:53 AM
When I arrived back in town after spending two weeks away the temps were hitting 100+ routinely (where I was for the two weeks was still cool, so I managed to extend my late spring a bit) and whaddya know? I've got clumps of hair coming out left and right. I don't know if it's because I'm not brushing it every evening (the heat makes me rreeeaaalllly lazy), or if it truly is because of the sudden heat making my body want to shed excess stuff - but my sheds have most definitely doubled, probably even tripled. Just running my hands through my hair brings out more hairs than before.

It sucks, but your shed is probably just weather related too.


BTW, I just discovered that my dog has started to shed AGAIN. I thought he was finished more than a month ago. Maybe that is due to weather also.

I feel your pain. My cats have been shedding like mad. And no matter how much I brush them I just can't keep clumps of their hair from floating away after every pet. Grr.

Dyan
July 2nd, 2009, 10:09 AM
I think it's just part of the natural cycle of things. :) Virtually all mammals gain a heavier coat during the winter and then shed that during the summer. Granted our shed cycle may not be as pronounced as that of our pets, but my guess is that there are similarities.

HotRag
July 2nd, 2009, 10:14 AM
I feel your pain. My cats have been shedding like mad. And no matter how much I brush them I just can't keep clumps of their hair from floating away after every pet. Grr.
I have a setter, so it is not as much fur as some other breeds, like Golden retriever or German shepard.

But... the hairs is all over anyway, they like to sneak into food or just one hair into my computer mouse, so it will not work until demounted and cleaned.

Rubber brush get's the hairs from him before they fall, but I have to brush very long time.

He has also succeeded taking mud baths in our natural pond, and then rush right into the house (also into MY bed). Muddish paw prints all over. :mad: Thank god he has not took any more mud baths the last days.

HotRag
July 2nd, 2009, 10:17 AM
I think it's just part of the natural cycle of things. :) Virtually all mammals gain a heavier coat during the winter and then shed that during the summer. Granted our shed cycle may not be as pronounced as that of our pets, but my guess is that there are similarities.
I hope for this, yes.
I sprayed some neem decoction on my hair earlier, and it felt very good. I don't know if it will help in any way, but it sure felt good, better than water only.

If I keep stastistics over shedded hair for 2 years, I will see the trend of shedding, and amount of shedded hairs per day, based on the whole years total.

Rohele
July 2nd, 2009, 10:30 AM
I wonder if this was responsible for my increase in shedding for the last month (which has seemed to slow down a bit now, or so I am hoping). I bothers me that I can't figure out why it has been happening (I had a whole bunch of bloodwork done when it started which all came back normal, so I am stumped - I haven't been ill, although I have been experiencing some stress of late).

We had a spike in temperature at the end of may/early june and at the same time I noticed way more hair than usual coming out (so of course I started counting them). I was averaging about 50 - 60 hairs a day (which is within "normal" ranges) but it seemed about double what was coming out before. I think I also sunburned my scalp at the same time, because it became completely painful to move my hair around, and my scalp was itching like crazy. Add to that the fact my hair seems flatter or thinner or something over the last while (which I not sure isn't due to better hair care decreasing the "poof" factor) and I'm completely scared.

I had never even heard of seasonal shedding before I came here or really noticed my own shedding, but I'm way more hair focused now.

We've been the same way temperature wise as you HotRag - with 15 degree changes from one week to the next (it will go from 15 degrees up to 30 the next few days, and then back to being cool - I think this has got to be hard on one's body).

enfys
July 2nd, 2009, 03:00 PM
I don't know about shed, but my hair growth has stalled since it's been really hot in the UK. I don't like the heat, so maybe my body doesn't either.

Same here. The British aren't made for this heat.

I'm shedding more too, I normally can be a bit lazy about pulling hair from my brush and the plug but I really can't at the moment.

feralnature
July 2nd, 2009, 03:11 PM
In the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, USA area, our lowest temperature doesn't go below 75 F/24 C from mid-June to early September, and the highs range from 95-105 F/35-40 C. It's HOT!

I live south of you, near Austin, Texas...but an hour east from Austin and out in the woods. Thirteen of the last 14 days have been in the 100s. We had several days about 105 F and two days were 108 F. We are in a very serious drought for the last several years, it just never rains and large trees are dieing. My hair is growing fine though and I am not shedding. I am a Texan from many generations back so must be used to it. I would surely die in the cold weather up north though!

Isilme
July 2nd, 2009, 03:48 PM
lat year in august we had a heat wave and I shed a ton! What helped me was to keep my scalp clean and eat hair vitamins.

HotRag
July 3rd, 2009, 03:00 AM
lat year in august we had a heat wave and I shed a ton! What helped me was to keep my scalp clean and eat hair vitamins.
I live just outside of Kode, by the sea (can see Tjörn from here :D). So it's just 40 km from Gothenburg. You must have even hotter there than here, I have some wind from the sea. Very little wind thought, just when I want it (I don't like it in other weather).