Beauty
9 Reasons Why Your Hair May Be Shedding Too Much and How To Prevent It
Losing a couple of strands of our hair is a regular thing that happens to everyone. We lose a few here and there, especially when we brush our locks or get out of the shower. However, what happens when you notice that there is more hair in the drain or in your brush than used to be. When you see the larger than usual amounts of hair being left behind, of course, it is going to cause you to panic. But there’re a few ways you can prevent an excess of hair from falling out, find out what you could be doing to cause it, and even help your hair grow back.
Continue reading about shedding, why it happens, and how you can prevent it.
1. Shedding 101
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If you have straight hair, it’s a good idea to brush or comb the hair at least once a day. This will keep the hair moisturized and tangle free. Naturally, you’re going to lose some hair in your brush, since this is pretty normal. Why, did you know that everyone is losing around 30 to 50 strands of hair on a regular basis, to begin with? This might sound like a lot of hair, but on average, a person has anywhere between 100k to 150k strands of hair on their head. So that doesn’t sound like a lot at all, now does it?
When it comes to shedding, people with thick curly hair are going to shed more than someone with thin hair. The primary reason behind this is because curly hair folks tend to do more abuse to the hair (styling products, hot tools like a blow dryer, curling iron, or straightening iron) and damages the follicle.
If you tend to panic when you clean out the drain of the tub and see a huge wad of hair, stay calm! That wad of hair doesn’t necessarily reflect the amount of hair you’ve lost, but instead it reflects the mass of the hair.
2. Curly Hair Woes
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Curly hair tends to be the most problematic when it comes to hair types, simply because the texture is so coarse. This is because the oils aren’t able to flow down the curls as easily as a woman with straight hair. This dryness results in having to use heat styling tools and hair products, both of which will damage the hair and lead to more hair falling out. You might lose more hair than a thin haired person, but don’t worry, you’re still good.
3. Experiencing a Hormonal Imbalance
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We’ve all had those days when we don’t feel quite right—like there is something a little off. Most of the times we just brush it off without giving it much of a second thought; however, if you’ve noticed that you’re losing more hair than usual and feeling a little strange, you might want to look at your hormones as the culprit. Extreme cases of shedding could result in a problematic thyroid, pregnancy, stress, and just good old-fashioned aging.
If you find that the reason for your hair loss lies is the result of a hormonal imbalance, you’ll want to follow your healthcare provider’s advice regarding the matter. You just might find that their advice could lead to your hair coming back thicker and more lustrous than ever.
4. Washing Your Hair Too Much
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Washing your hair every time you shower seems like a logical thing to do, right? However, in your quest to feel nice and clean, your shampoo could be doing more damage to your hair than good. When you wash your hair too much, it could scrub away a lot of the natural oils that helps keep your hair feeling silky and prevent it from looking brittle.
Fun fact: Did you know that the more you wash your hair, the quicker your hair will become oily again? By not washing your hair for a day or two could feel like torture, but if you’re able to go without for a few days, you’ll see a change in your scalp and how the oil redistributes itself on your scalp.
5. Seasonal Hair Shedding
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Seasonal shedding isn’t something that only Fido experiences—your head sheds through the different seasons too! A lot of women notice more hair loss later in the autumn. Scientists believe that women grow more hair in the summer to protect their scalps from the blazing sun and ultraviolet rays. When the autumn comes, and that extra protection isn’t needed, it is believed that is why we shed more hair in the autumn than usual.
6. Heat Styling Tools
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Whether you use a blow dryer, curling iron, flat iron, or hot comb, any heat you add to your hair, it is going to dry it out and damage the follicle. We won’t deny that a good blow out looks amazing, and there’s nothing like beachy waves to make you feel like going out and having a bit of fun, but, at what cost? When you use heat products too often on your hair, you’re ruining the proteins that make up your hair. When you use these heat products on a regular basis, you’re weakening the hair structure, breaking the tips, and creating frizz.
7. Dying Your Hair
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When you dye your hair, you’re basically killing your hair. If you’re going for a complete color change, it’s going to do some serious damage really—especially if you do it too quickly. Your hair becomes damaged when dying it because it uses chemicals to break down the pigments in your hair and it sucks out all of the moisture from your hair. Ideally, you’ll want to color your hair as little as possible to avoid major hair shedding. If you’re someone who loves to experiment around with colors, we recommend that you wait for at least four to six weeks before you color your hair again.
8. Your Diet
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The food you eat and put into your body on a regular basis is going to have some sort of role to play in the way your body works. You could live on vegetables, or you could be a fast-food maven, but these choices could be the culprit behind your hair loss. When you don’t get enough protein in your diet, you’re going to start feeling weak, and that also goes for your hair. It will start falling out because it doesn’t have the strength healthy hair does.
Also, when you consume too many processed foods or even too much Vitamin A, your hair will suffer. The extra chemicals that are found in the processed food can kill your hair follicles (or at least make it less stable for healthy hair to grow) and too much vitamin A via a supplement is toxic enough to cause hair loss.
When you are mindful of what foods you’re putting into your body, your body will be happier and healthier too!
9. Tight Hairstyles
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We cannot deny that slick ponytails, taught buns, and excellently coifed braids are to die for; they can actually wreck your hair—namely the scalp and follicles. Think about it—it takes a lot of pulling, brushing, combing and who knows what else to get your hair in a sleek style that is held in place with an elastic band. When you put your hair through that much trauma, you’re actually invoking hair loss because it harms the scalp and follicles.
Instead of going for that ponytail or the bun, why not go for something that is easier on your hair like a loose braid. Not only will it help keep the scalp and ends healthy, but it’ll also prevent harm coming to your scalp and follicles.
