Hair Loss: How Much is Normal?

In today’s guide, we’ll understand how much hair loss is normal, potential causes, and when you need to speak with the surgeon.

How Much is Normal Hair Loss?

Surgeon like the NHS suggest that we shed around 50 to 100 hairs daily. So, if you spot a few strands in the shower or clothes, there’s no need to stress about it. Losing a few hairs each day is quite typical. However, the problem can be when you see big clumps or bald spots, requiring you to consult health surgeon, like a trichologist, at the earliest.

Around 9% of our follicles are usually in the resting stage. It means they can fall out easily during normal activities, like when brushing or washing. Additionally, it can be worth noting that hair loss and shedding are not the same. For this, a health professional can only help identify the specific condition and its causes. So, taking action early is crucial to maintain your hair health.

Hair Loss Symptoms to Watch Out For

In several ways, hair loss can appear. Varying from individual to individual, hair loss primarily depends on what’s causing it. It can take time for you to notice them. A few symptoms that can mean you are experiencing hair loss include:

• Gradual thinning on the top of the head. This is a common type of age-related hair loss. Men often experience a receding hairline and women notice a widening part. Or, in some cases, frontal hairline thinning.
• Some people notice circular or patchy bald spots on the scalp, beard, or eyebrows, including itching or pain.
• Sudden hair loosening from physical or emotional shock can cause hair to fall out in excess during combing or washing, also leading to temporary overall thinning.
• Certain conditions and treatments, like cancer chemotherapy, can cause hair loss across the entire body.
• You may notice patches of scaling on the scalp, commonly with broken hair, redness, swelling, or oozing. Yet, this can also be a sign of ringworm.
• Additionally, flaky and itchy scalp, traction alopecia, and frontal fibrosing alopecia are also considered symptoms of hair loss.

In any case, it is best to visit a hair transplant clinic london, helping assess the hair health and provide effective solutions.

Is Your Hair Loss Normal or Excess?

While there is not any other way to confirm if your hair loss is normal except visiting health professionals like a trichologist, you can do a self-analysis at your home as well. Among such common methods is “pull test,” helping measure the severity of hair loss.

Trichologists take small sections from different parts, approx. 40 or 50 strands, and gently tug in a pull test. For active hair loss, six or more strands should fall out.

You can do this by yourself using the following steps:

• First, ensure you have thoroughly cleaned and dried your hair.
• Beginning with a small area, run your fingers through it.
• Gently tug as you reach the ends of your hair strands.
• If you get more than 6-7 hairs in your hand after each tug, you may be going through what’s known as telogen or anagen effluvium.
• In each tug, not more than 10 hairs per 100 strands should come out, or, you may need to visit a health professional.

Causes and Factors Leading to Hair Loss

While losing a few hairs daily is nothing to be concerned about, increased symptoms, like patches or spots, can be associated with a health condition or stress. Causes or factors that can lead to hair shedding or loss are:

• Natural causes, like heredity and age.
• Pregnancy or labour.
• Hormonal changes, including menopause.
• Certain medical conditions.
• Sudden weight loss.
• Recovery from a surgery or illness.
• Deficiencies of nutrition.
• Experiencing trauma, like the recent death of a friend.
• Significant changes, such as losing a job, divorce, etc.

Over time, the follicles grow back and excessive shedding stops as your body readjusts to the new situation. In around 6 to 9 months, the symptoms should decrease and hair be back to its normal density.

What Should You Do to Prevent It?

Here are a few tips you can consider to prevent hair loss:

• Be careful with your hair, particularly when using a device. For instance, when brushing or combing, you should not be rushing. Instead, you can use a wide-toothed comb as they can help reduce pulling.
• Avoid hot rollers, curling irons, hot oil treatments, and other such harsh methods. Go easy on styles that can put too much pressure, such as rubber bands, barrettes, or braids.
• Consider reducing alcohol intake, smoking, and other similar behaviours.
• You should not expose your hair for too long in the direct sunlight and other sources of ultraviolet light.
• For medications and supplements, it might be worth confirming with your surgeon if they might cause hair loss.
• As excessive washing and bleaching can also increase hair loss and related symptoms, you also need to avoid them.
• Moreover, opting early for hair loss treatment for men may help manage the condition and prevent further hair thinning.

When Should You Visit a Surgeon?

However, there is not a good time to visit the surgeon. Whether you have thinning, patchy or bald spots, a thorough assessment by a trichologist or dermatologist can only help you know the exact health condition and its solutions. If you feel confused or stressed about how much hair you are losing daily, you can consult your surgeon immediately.

Conclusion

We lose some hair every day. Shedding around 50 to 100 strands daily is considered normal. But if you notice more than the usual amount or other symptoms such as bald spots, it might be worth visiting a surgeon. Moreover, paying attention to diet, medications, stress, and lifestyle is crucial too, as these factors can also impact overall hair health.

As one of London’s top hair transplant clinics, Zestige Private Healthcare offers advanced hair loss treatment. Zestige specialises in advanced solutions to restore your natural hair. Led by James Hawthorne, our surgeon team guides you through every step to help you achieve the expected results.