It can be very stressful to lose hair, whether you are in the shedding phase or are already experiencing it. If you are unsure of what may be causing your type of hair loss, you should first seek medical attention or professional guidance. A licensed professional will be best able to assist you in identifying the appropriate treatment.
However, shedding occurs when your hair is still growing but more hairs than usual fall out each day. Hair loss is primarily caused by external factors.
Generally speaking, hair loss and hair shedding refer to different things and require different treatments; here’s how to tell them apart.
The Hair Growth Cycle
In order to distinguish between hair loss and hair shedding, you must know your hair’s growth cycle. The cycle is split into three stages: anagen, catagen and telogen – or, more simply, growth, transition and shedding.
A normal hair loss cycle allows for as much as 100 hairs per day. If you notice more than that, you might worry that you are losing a lot of hair. In the telogen phase, which comes to an end when hair sheds, new hair grows in to complete the cycle before it begins again.
Only 9% of your hair follicles are in the telogen (shedding) stage at any given time, while 90% of them are in the anagen (growth) stage. As a result, it usually goes unnoticed because you typically have ten hairs growing for every one you lose.
What is Hair Shedding?
Hair shedding refers to telogen effluvium, wherein the proportion of hairs in the shedding phase increases to 30% or more. As a result, you might notice hair thinning.
Hair shedding typically occurs when the body has undergone some form of stress and can usually be noticed around three months after the trigger event. The growth cycle should resume and the hair will regrow after the trigger or stressor has been eliminated.
What Causes Excessive Hair Shedding?
Excess hair shedding can have a variety of causes, including concentrated periods of stress, weight loss, Vitamin deficiency, or as a repercussion of a recent illness. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, excessive hair shedding is common in people who have experienced any of the following:
- 20lbs or more loss in body weight
- Giving birth
- Experiencing intense periods of stress
- Undergoing an operation
- Recovering from an illness – particularly if a high fever was experienced
After your body recovers from the initial stressor or cause of shedding, the excessive shedding ought to stop.
What is Hair Loss?
When the hair stops growing entirely, a condition known as anagen effluvium occurs. Hereditary hair loss, immune system deficiencies, over-styling, hair dye, and chemotherapy are a few causes of hair loss that are distinct from those of hair shedding, aside from stress. If you begin to notice patches on your head with noticeably thinner hair than normal, or if you have bald spots, you are more likely to be experiencing hair loss than excessive hair shedding.
While there is currently no cure for these types of hair loss, there is some proof that chemo-induced anagen effluvium can be treated. In most cases, hair loss will be reversible and start to regrow once the treatment is stopped, just like telogen effluvium.
Knowing how to accept and cope with hair loss is crucial to overcoming the condition, regardless of whether you struggle with hair shedding vs. hair loss. If you have any questions about headwear for hair loss, please get in touch with our knowledgeable and friendly team as soon as possible.
Please refer to the following thorough guides to hair loss for a closer look at the many different types of hair loss.
Diet & Lifestyle
Diseases & Treatment
Hair Product
Hair Fall Vs Hair Loss
Hair loss is a common occurrence that is thought to affect almost everyone. Try searching your pillow the next time you wake up if you don’t think this is true. You have a good chance of discovering a hair next to you on your bed. It’s suggested to follow a good and healthy diet along with reducing the level of stress and anxiety in your life. Apart from this, hair fall has been associated with the weakening of the hair that’s usually caused by various chemicals or heat. Maintain some knowledge of the ingredients in shampoo even while using it.
Whereas hair loss is believed to be a result of hereditary factors or genetic factors, medical conditions like thyroid, diabetes, hypertension, anxiety, pollution, stress, deficiency-induced hair loss, etc.
Normal hair fall is never a concern for anyone. However, when the rate surges and causes excessive hair loss, it becomes cause for hair damaged concern. Hair fall is visible on strands but Hair Loss is visible on the scalp.
So, it is very crucial to understand that hair-centric problems need proper healthcare attention at the earliest. The more you’ll delay, the uglier it can turn into. Therefore, the disease or condition that is causing the hair loss must be treated right away in order to control it. Similar to this, if a deficiency is the cause of your hair loss, it should be treated with supplements or medications. If you have male or female pattern baldness, have it treated as soon as you notice it.
As a result, it is advised that you seek the advice of a licensed and skilled dermatologist who can direct you toward the best course of action. Your dermatologist may advise drugs like Minoxidil, which has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, depending on the type of hair loss you are experiencing. Other treatment options might include:
- Platelet-rich-plasma therapy
- Hair transplantation
- Laser hair therapy
- Other medicines like Finasteride and Spironolactone
- Corticosteroids
Hair-related issues are very prevalent in the modern world. One should consult a licensed dermatologist to have the problems diagnosed if they notice an uneven or significant loss of hair.
How to Reduce Hair Shedding and Loss.
If you are experiencing shedding or loss, there are steps you can take to address the issue:
Topical Hair Care
Keeping up with regular scalp care is essential to encourage growth and reduce hair shedding and loss. As a general rule, take better care of your scalp than you do your hair by exfoliating it once a week and replenishing its moisture and you can also use the hair mask to keep its moisture.
Scalp Massage
Although studies have shown that scalp massages can have a significant impact on your scalp’s health and, in turn, enhance the appearance of your hair, they may initially seem like a pure indulgence.
Stress Reduction
Obviously, it is much simpler to say than to do. To help reduce stress-related shedding (and improve your general wellbeing), concentrate on reducing stress in your daily life. How you choose to blow off steam will naturally depend on your lifestyle, schedule, and what brings you joy.
Supplements
As we previously mentioned, a deficiency in biotin can result in issues with the scalp, including hair loss. While it is possible to take isolated biotin supplements, there are many combination supplements for strong hair, skin, and nails that are available and might be more effective and cost-effective.
Visit An Expert
If you’re not sure what’s causing your hair loss, it’s best to visit a professional before committing to one mode of treatment. Get to the bottom of it by visiting your dermatologist or a nearby trichologist. Not to mention, Kingsley explains, “Knowing what you are dealing with significantly reduces stress and worry.”
These professionals will probably investigate your medical and family history, assess your diet and lifestyle, check the health of your hair and scalp, and perhaps even perform a blood test to determine what factors may be contributing to your hair loss.
Hair Thinning Vs Hair Shedding
As a condition known as hair thinning, it is characterized by a decline in hair density and thinning of individual hairs after shedding normally. The hair follicle eventually shrinks and vanishes if untreated. In men with male pattern hair loss, DHT-sensitive scalps are a contributing factor in hair thinning. The possibility of a genetically programmed restriction on the number and length of hair growth cycles is another aspect of male pattern hair loss. To stop progressive hair thinning, the medication finasteride lowers DHT levels in the bloodstream.
Finasteride allows for prolongation of the hair growth cycle, but it has limited value in the stimulation of hair growth. Additionally, despite taking finasteride for more than 15 years, we’ve seen a lot of patients who gradually lost a significant amount of hair. This doesn’t mean that the finasteride didn’t work, it just means that there are other variables which cause hair loss to continue in spite of the drug. If they hadn’t been taking finasteride, their hair count would probably have been much lower.
Contrary to popular belief, female pattern hair loss is much more common. There may be a link between genetic factors and the condition, which affects 50% or more of women over 50. Female pattern hair loss is diffuse, resulting in a decrease in hair density and a widening of the hair part, which is referred to as a “Christmas tree” pattern.
Takeaway
Even though they are frequently used interchangeably in speech, hair loss and hair shedding are very different things. Daily light shedding is to be expected, but an increase in shedding may be something you want to look into as it can quickly lead to hair loss—another condition with a long list of causes and treatments. If you’re unsure if you’re experiencing hair loss of some sort, consult a dermatologist or trichologist to get an evaluation.
FAQs
Is My Hair Falling Out Or Just Shedding?
Shedding is when your hair is still growing, but more hairs than usual fall out each day.
Does Hair Shedding Mean Balding?
Male or female pattern baldness is different from hair loss. Typically, it’s a temporary condition that will pass. Learn how to determine if your hair is shedding too much, what might be the cause, and what you can do to fix the problem.
Do Hair Grow Back After Shedding?
The excessive shedding stops as your body rebalances. The hair usually resumes its normal fullness within six to nine months. But shedding of hair can last a long time if the stressor persists in your life. Long-term excessive hair shedding can occur in people who are under a lot of stress all the time.
How Long Should Hair Shedding Last?
The resting phase occurs when the hair is neither growing nor falling out, which lasts 2 to 3 months. Exogen. The shedding phase occurs when hair falls out, which can last for 2 to 5 months.
