How to Know if You’re Losing Too Much Hair
Sep 15, 2020
Hair growth is something that we don’t typically think about in the same way we do other signs of aging. This could be because many people go through life without having the experience of hair loss.
Hair growth is something that we don’t typically think about in the same way we do other signs of aging. This could be because many people go through life without having the experience of hair loss. Shedding is a normal part of the hair growth cycle, causing us to lose between 50 and 100 hairs a day. If you notice more than this on your pillow or in a clean hairbrush, you may wonder if you’re losing too much hair. Here, we discuss the difference between shedding hair and hair loss, as well as what you can do if your hair growth pattern changes.
Hair Shedding Vs. Hair Loss: How to Tell the Difference
If the body sheds more than the norm of 50 to 100 hairs a day, are you experiencing hair loss? Not necessarily. There are various instances in which hair shedding may become temporarily excessive. These include:
- Significant weight loss
- Having had a high fever
- Hormonal disruption such as stopping birth control pills, pregnancy, childbirth, or menopause
- Having experienced an illness
- Excessive bouts of stress, such as job loss, divorce, or losing a loved one
- Having had surgery
Excessive shedding may begin a few months after a triggering event and may last a few months. When shedding is the reason for hair thinning, the problem usually resolves over six to nine months, as the body returns to homeostasis. On the other hand, if the trigger or stressor does not go away, the body cannot readjust and hair shedding can continue for months or years.
Where excessive shedding is thinning triggered by too many hairs falling out, hair loss involves some sort of disruption in the hair growth process. Reasons that this may occur include:
- Genetic predisposition
- Immune system conditions
- Harsh chemical hair products or services
- Very tight hairstyles
- Certain drugs or medical treatments
In some instances, such as chemotherapy as a medical treatment, the normal hair growth cycle may resume after some time. Once the cause is stopped or interrupted, hair can once again grow. Fortunately, hair growth that is permanently disrupted can be addressed with medical treatment. Dr. Ragi helps patients regain thicker, longer, healthier hair using the ARTAS® Robotic Hair Transplant system. This high-tech approach to hair replacement can achieve faster, more robust results with less discomfort and downtime.
Learn more about robotic hair replacement therapy. Call our Teaneck, NJ office at 201.836.9696.