If you’ve noticed a few hairs on your pillow in the morning, a few in the shower drain, or even a few on your shirt throughout the day, you may be alarmed. Well, don’t be. About 90% of the hair that grows on your head is in the growing phase. The other 10% is in the resting phase and will fall out to leave room for new hair growth. It’s important to know if you’re dealing with normal shedding or actual breakage so that you can address the issue and get closer to your hair goals.
What is Shedding and How Can I Avoid it?
The average person sheds between 50 and 100 hairs a day. Excessive hair loss could be caused by different things such as weight loss, giving birth, recent surgery, stress, and more. Here are a few things you can do to reduce shedding:
Rest
Excessive hair loss can be due to something as simple as stress. Before you initiate medical help, take a look at your lifestyle. Are you stressed out? Is there anything you can do to relieve stress?
Evaluate Your Hair Routine
If shedding happens mostly in the shower, take a closer look at your products. Use sulfate-free products, lukewarm water, and a high quality reparative conditioner. Avoid hairstyles that require a lot of tension like braids or tight ponytails.
Adopt a Healthy Diet
Adopt a balanced diet that includes essential vitamins like D and E, omega-3 fatty acids, biotin and anti-oxidants to promote hair health, and plenty of vegetables in each meal.
What is Breakage and How Can I Avoid It?
Broken hairs are shorter than shed hairs because only parts of the hair breaks off unlike shed hairs where the whole length of the hair falls out. Also broken hair will not have a white tip which is a characteristic of shed hairs. A few things that can cause breakage are:
• Dry, brittle hair
• Excessive and rough combing
• Protein and moisture imbalance
• Damage from extensions
• Harsh hair care products
Now that you know what you’re dealing with and how to treat it, you can address your hair’s issues and move toward your health, growth, and retention goals. If you’ve dealt with a horrible bout of shedding or breakage, leave your story and any advice you may have in the comments.
