How much hair loss is normal? Please read and help.

[PBunnieP]

Hello Ladies and Gents,

I've recently been really worring about well...hair loss issues. I'm only 20 yrs old so I should really be in my prime? Let me try and explain....

I have medium-fine hair but I've always had quite a bit of hair.... so much in fact that most of the time i get it heavily thinned out to remove some weight. I've also got a widows-peak [or so i self-diagnose] so top sides of my hairline receads far into my head.

Recently during showers or just brushing my hair in teh morning. I've noticed alot more hair fall out than usual, even when i casually run my fingers through my hair i'd pick up quite abit more than before. [usually i'd get 1-2 hairs but now its like 4-6 and when i shower its alot more]

I haven't noticed any "balding" spots but my crown and top areas are starting to feel a bit THIN?

I'm dont use alot of hair styling tools as most of the time i just let my hair air-dry in the summer and just run some shine serum through it afterwards.

Not quite sure what is going on, please let me know if you have any clue

Thanks tons!

 

[Redz24]

It may be stress or health related, or just a part of life unfortunately.

Maybe go see your doc, they will be able to set you on the right track.

My OH had stress related alopecia, but in his case, a bald circle formed on the side of his head with a couple random smaller spots. It fell out and grew back in within a year.

 

[nichollecaren]

as I grew older...i started to shed more hair...and I was properly freaked out!

MY doctor told me that the more I stressed out about it...the more I would lose! Get a checkup...but just a few strands a day is normal. (4-5 strands)

I'm 27 and my hairline IS thinner than it was when I was 20, mainly because I comb my hair back a lot.

hth

 

[TISH1124]

4 Strands...No way ...My Dr has always told me a normal loss is at least 75-100 strands a day...I loose 4 strands just brushing my bangs

My hair sheds like crazy at different times of the year....In the summer more than the winter for some reason...Maybe because I wash it more in the summer months....


here is a post I took from a Medical website

It is entirely normal to lose hair on a daily basis. On average, people lose fifty to one hundred hairs every day, and this is considered normal hair loss and is not any sort of problem. If you brush or wash your hair excessively, the amount of hair lost will rise. This is also normal.
We go through phases of hair growth, and about ninety percent of our hair is growing at any given moment. This growing phase lasts anywhere from two to six years. The remaining ten percent of hair on the scalp is in the resting phase, which is a phase that last about two or three months. Once this phase is completed, the hair sheds to make room for new hair.

Where's my hair Stylist Allison......weigh in girl!!!

 

[ginger9]

Honestly 4 or 5 is not a lot. I shed hair like a cat/dog!! I'd say easy in a day or after a shower I drop 10 to 20 a day. I have tons of hair but I told my hairdresser I was a bit worried but he said I was fine because I have hair growth visible all over my head, (ie. if you look at yourself in bright light you should be able to see fine shorter hairs sticking out of your head after a shower/blow dry without using any smoothing products). He told me it means my head is still replacing the ones falling out.

Get it checked out by a doctor if you are really concerned. Also the crown and top areas will thin as you age because of hair length (long hair weighs down on the scalp), ponytails will also cause thining due to the pulling of hair in the front, and also it's just part of the aging process, kinda sucks.

 

[InspiredBlue]

I had a lot of hair falling out about a year ago - in retrospect it was clearly because of stress. Now it's all growing back, so I have loads of little strands, about 5 cm's long, that stand up where I part my hair.

If you don't already take a multivitamin, starting can't hurt.

 

[RedRibbon]

I've had this recently and as stupid as this sounds, it could be your shampoo.

I checked my hair the other day and noticed a lot of split ends (I knew I was over the time for getting a trim) so I am going in for that. Also, I've been using a clarifying conditioner which had the same effect, it made me feel like my hair was thinner. I'm back using Aussie now and my hair is returning to its normal form, when I get a trim it will get fuller.

In closing, check the condition of your hair, if split ends then that causes excess breaking

 

[TISH1124]

^ I agree...and check if they are full strands or peices....Full strands is hair loss ....pieces/partial strand is breakage

 

[PBunnieP]

Thank you so much everyone for your info!

Oh no! Mines are mostly FULL STRANDS.... erm... along with a little white bit on the end? from the hair folical?

I think i'm just slightly worried about how much hair i'm loosing compared to my "normal" rate? I will keep on eye on my hair during the colder months, perhaps it could also be the weather.

RedRibbon brought up such an interesting point about Shampoo. i'm currently using Head and Shoulders on and off, mainly becuase i have somewhat oily roots and I like the minty afterfeel it gives me. But perhaps it is too strong?

As for those little re-growth hairs on top of the head, i used to see them alot when I was....16 or so... everytime i blowdry my hair those things will stick up straight in the air and mess up my do but i dont see them much anymore.

 

[clslvr6spd]

Hi tish, I am here!

Ok, 4-5 strands in the shower is nothing! if you lightly twist a 1/2 inch section of your hair and lightly run your index and thumb down the shaft and hair starts to break or pull out then yea we have a problem. but 4-5 strands is not gonna kill you, like Tish said 75-100 a day is pretty damn normal.
Do you wash your hair everyday? If you do, DONT! For one you are stripping all the essential oils that your hair and scalp need. Since I bleach my hair I wash it 3x a week. Also trying getting a clarifying shampoo, Redken makes a wonderful one. You only use it once a week or once every 2 weeks, your hair will thank you! And if you're worried about thinning or volume, use a root booster or a volume shampoo & conditioner.
If your really that worried about hair loss, take prenatal pills. Your hair and nails will grow, grow, grow!
My shower drain clogs about once a month, because of my hair & its short. That tells you how much I loose!

 

[purrtykitty]

^^Biotin supplements may also help. I take 2 a day and all my fine "baby hairs" at my hairline have thickened up and turned into regular hairs. My stylist has even noticed a difference!

 

[L1LMAMAJ]

after my showers, usually a good amount of hair comes out. i have a medium amount of hair and it's medium thin as well but i don't think it's a problem. i always lose quite a lot of hair after showers or even when i'm touching my hair when it's dry. i asked my friend about it and she says she experiences the same thing.

 

[MizzVivaGlam]

Start taking a multi-vitamin,try not to stress out or worry about it so much,switch your hair products up, and see if it helps. And I have also heard 50-100 a day is normal. I've also always heard that more hair sheds in the summer and it also grows faster in the summer.

 

[shadowaddict]

I've had this problem lately also. I'm soon to be 47 and always had such full thick hair. I've never not had a stylist comment on how thick it was or how long it must take me to dry it. Mine has started coming out in bunches in the shower as well as brushing it. As I don't work outside the home I've started only washing it once a week so I'm not messing with it as much.

I do have hypothyroidism which thyroid and other hormones can cause this but my doctor does bloodwork every three months as I'm also diabetic and my numbers are good with my current level of medication.

But reading this I am most postive now that mine is stress related, which I pretty much figured was the problem. My daughter started back to college at a new school and is having so much trouble getting adjusted. She's having panic attacks and missing so many classes. And to top that off my son who is a marine comes home next week for about 10 days and the day after he gets back to Cal. he leaves for Iraq for the second time. So yeah, I think my body is responding to the stress overload.

Thanks for the imput on this other persons post, which I'm glad they did, it's really helped me. I guess I felt just too embarrassed to ask, don't know why though.

 

[TISH1124]

^^ I am anemic so I know it counts for a lot of mine...But I am on a iron supplment prescribed by my doctor..I was told to stay away from hair products that contain alcohol

 

[RedRibbon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PBunnieP Thank you so much everyone for your info! Oh no! Mines are mostly FULL STRANDS.... erm... along with a little white bit on the end? from the hair folical? I think i'm just slightly worried about how much hair i'm loosing compared to my "normal" rate? I will keep on eye on my hair during the colder months, perhaps it could also be the weather. RedRibbon brought up such an interesting point about Shampoo. i'm currently using Head and Shoulders on and off, mainly becuase i have somewhat oily roots and I like the minty afterfeel it gives me. But perhaps it is too strong? As for those little re-growth hairs on top of the head, i used to see them alot when I was....16 or so... everytime i blowdry my hair those things will stick up straight in the air and mess up my do but i dont see them much anymore.

Hey,

If it's a clarifying or de-greasing shampoo then your hair will feel thinner, that's what has happened to me lately. Usually I use a clarifying shampoo and then a shampoo for moisture and that leaves my hair feeling normal. I've noticed recently that I've been using clarifying shampoo alone and it has made my hair feel a lot thinner and more has been falling out so I will be using two shampoos from now on. As you say your shampoo is for oily roots, it could be clarifying and clearing your hair a bit too much, try mixing it up with a moisturising shampoo too

 

[TISH1124]

^^ I agree I can only use a Clarifying Shampoo maybe 1x a month on my hair...it seems to make it very brittle and I have tried many different brands...I try to always use a Moisturizing Shampoo...and I have been using a Moisturizing Shampoo that removes Calcium Buildup so I am still evaluating it as of now


Clarifying Shampoo
Most clarifying shampoo products contain acetic acid. A chemical compound, though mild as far as acid goes, is known for its de-scaling abilities. Acetic acid is found in vinegar, which everyone knows is good for removing scale buildup in coffee pots, tea kettles, and other household objects. Similarly, the acetic acid found in clarifying shampoo aids in removing buildup found on hair.
Clarifying shampoo is not known for its conditioning abilities. In fact, while clarifying shampoo is great for aiding in the removal of unwanted buildup of oil, styling products, and other grime, it can dry the hair out if over used. Most stylists recommend cleansing oily hair with a clarifying shampoo once a week and dry hair once every two to three weeks.
A product does not necessarily have to be labeled as a clarifying shampoo for it to do the trick. Check the ingredient label on the back of any shampoo for the presence and location of acetic acid. The closer to the top of the list, the more it contains. Any shampoo product that contains acetic acid will act as a clarifying shampoo. The key to keeping buildup at bay is to use a different shampoo than your daily product at periodic intervals. There are a wide range of clarifying shampoo products available from drug store retailers and salons.
People who swim frequently should consider using a shampoo product that is formulated to remove chlorine, which can dry the hair out and in some cases turn the hair a tarnished color. Clarifying shampoo is good for swimmers-hair, but should always be followed up with a conditioner to keep the hair soft.

 

[RedRibbon]

Hi Tish,

That was really helpful, I've found that recently my hair has been taking longer to get greasy but feels thinner so it must be the shampoo. The thing is I have used Pantene's normal clarifying shampoo and also their Ice Shine clarifyer and it is that which causes me problems. I always use oil on my hair before washing and so feel that the clarifyer will get rid of the oil but I've learnt now that the moisturising shampoo does the same

I can't believe it contains acid and that's what strips your hair, I'm so naive

 

[TISH1124]

My hair is so fragile when it comes to products...I cannot use any products with Alcohol in them...Like holding hair spray etc...I am always checking the ingredients...It makes my hair dry and brittle...But Black hair is so fragile anyway IMHO...I used to always have the chemist in our lab make me shampoo.conditioner, wrap lotion etc.. with no alcohol ... Now that I don;t work their anymore I have to read labels like crazy

 

[RedRibbon]

Yeah I have to agree with that, I have friend who is so anal about what she puts on her hair but her natural hair is pretty long and it looks so good.

My hair used to be fragile because I never got it cut but it turned a corner when I did, now I know why it's misbehaving because it needs another cut.