What Is Seasonal Hair Shedding and How to Reduce It

Get a hold of your shed with these expert tips!

You’ve probably noticed that your hair falls out at a faster rate when it’s getting colder outside. Vitamin deficiency, lack of moisture in the air, and indoor heating significantly affect hair quality, resulting in dryness and breakage.

At the same time, the fall and winter periods are associated with a less active phase of your hair growth cycle. While seasonal hair shedding is a natural occurrence, it may cause serious discomfort. Here are some useful facts about hair loss patterns in colder months to get you through the shed looking fab!

What Is Hair Shedding?

According to the certified trichologist Taylor Tinham, seasonal hair shedding occurs when our hair is in the resting phase, meaning that its growth slows down. So, when the new hair follicles are not actively developing, and individual strands are coming out, it seems like our hair falls out faster. Usually, this process lasts approximately 3 months, with increased hair loss rates during the fall and winter seasons.

How Much Hair Loss Is Normal?

If you keep noticing more hair in your brush or shower drain lately, don’t freak out! When the weather temperature drops, you should expect to see an increase in shedding, which is completely normal and is part of a healthy hair growth cycle. But, as everyone sheds different amounts of hair, you do need to understand what is ‘normal’ for you.

50-100 hairs a day is an average amount of shedding. Still, LA-based hair loss specialist Jill Lee assures that shedding more than normal is okay, especially when you shower and brush your locks. “The frequency you wash your hair correlates with the amount, too. If you wash it once a week, you’ll get much more hair in your hand than if you wash it every day,” the hair expert explains. To keep track of your own shedding pattern, you can always count the amount of fallen strands, just to be sure.

Tips to Reduce Hair Fall

Even though hair shedding tends to stop on its own, there are a couple of tricks that can help you keep your locks strong and healthy. For the hair growth expert @cassyshaircare, using the hair moisturizer to detangle her tresses is the ultimate tip to save them from breakage.

Also, it’s better to avoid hair products with lots of protein, as they make your locks hard and stiff, thus causing more shedding on wash day. Finally, don’t forget to drink enough water, take your vitamins, and eat hair-boosting superfoods, as hair growth starts from within.

There’s nothing more humbling than hair loss, as it greatly undermines your confidence and self-esteem. But remember this – the shed is temporary, yet your beauty is endless!