Losing a few hairs when you shower or brush your hair is completely natural, and even expected. But how much hair loss after shower is normal?
Especially if you have long hair, it can be alarming to see the amount of hair that is left in the shower. Let’s look into how much is too much, and what you can do to support your hair health.
How Much Hair Loss After Shower Is Normal?
Although the shower can show up a lot of hair loss, it is almost certainly not as drastic as it looks.
People with healthy hair generally lose up to 100 strands of hair a day, and usually they don’t even notice this!
Hair, like skin, is constantly rejuvenating itself, so you will find that your hair brush fills up with dead hair after a while.
We also lose hairs around the house, in bed, at work, out and about – just all day every day, really.
It’s nothing to worry about; this is a totally normal process and part of the body’s natural habits – new hairs grow in place of those shed ones.
However, if your hair loss is suddenly increasing, or you are noticing bald spots, it may be time to get yourself checked out.
There are a great many dermatologists and doctors who can help – it may be something as simple as a deficiency in minerals that can be easily fixed.
Here’s a video that explains a little more about hair shedding:
What Is An Alarming Amount Of Hair Loss?
Anything up to 100 strands a day, or even up to 150, is perfectly normal and nothing to be concerned about.
However, if you suddenly notice an increase in your hair loss, you may start to be concerned.
The medical term for excessive hair shedding is telogen effluvium (just in case you wanted to know that so you can sound smart to all your friends!)
Lots of factors can influence how much hair you are shedding, including:
- Weight loss
- Post partum recovery
- Stress
- Post-operative stress
- Recovering from an illness, particularly if there was a fever
Generally, if your hair loss is caused by one of these factors, it will normalise itself and get back to normal fairly quickly.
However, hair loss can also be hereditary, caused by tight hairstyles, or can indicate a problem or infection on the scalp.
If you are concerned about the amount of hair you are losing, find yourself a good dermatologist – these guys can find out what is causing the hair loss and will help you find solutions.
Do You Lose More Hair If You Wash It Less?
You may be a daily washer or you may go for less frequent washes – whatever works for you, we’re all different.
The amount that you wash your hair does not affect the amount of hair that you lose, however. The hairs still drop out daily!
You may not notice the hair loss if you are not washing it every day, as the shower is a place where we seem to notice hair loss the most.
But, hairs will still be coming out in your hairbrush, and in your every day routine – washing the hair is not what causes it to come out.
You may also notice, when you do get around to washing it, that you notice more hair loss than usual as the shower will help to remove any that are clinging on attached to the other hairs!
Is Short Hair Better For Hair Loss?
You may think that cutting your hair short will minimise the hair loss you experience – and it seems to make logical sense.
However, cutting your hair will not affect how many hairs your body loses on a daily basis. They will be less noticeable, but that’s about it.
The body sheds the hairs – which, technically, are already dead – and grows new ones every single day, no matter how long or short the hair is.
Cutting the hair will not reduce the amount of shedding, though it may be less likely to clog up the shower plug!
Just wear your hair however you like it and however it feels comfortable – and don’t worry too much about loss.
Can Tight Hairstyles Cause Hair Loss?
In short, yes. Tying up your hair all day every day can cause hairs to become stressed and start to fall out more than usual.
There is even a medical name for this condition – it’s called traction alopecia. Thankfully, there are things you can do to mitigate this effect!
- If you can, try to avoid wearing a tightly pulled-back hairstyle every day. If you must do so for work, give yourself a break during evenings and weekends.
- Loosen the tightness if you can, especially around the hairline which is where the damage will be most noticeable.
- Change it up. Wearing different hairstyles, even if it has to be tied up, can help to give your hair a break from the same position.
- Try a chemical relaxer. Many salons offer this service, so you will be able to find the right treatment for your hair.
- If you are trying out a weave, go for sewn-in weaves not those that use bonding glue, as this will reduce the stress on your hair.
- Cornrows can cause hair loss if they are left in for too long – switch it up every few months, and go for a more relaxed style.
If you notice any signs such as hair thinning, scalp pain or little crusts building up, change your tight hair immediately.
Most of the time, hair will grow back after traction alopecia, as long as you spot the signs and change your hair quickly enough.
For a little more information, have a look through this detailed article.
Final Words
Losing hair is as natural and normal as skin cells shedding – and most of the time you won’t notice it.
The shower is often the place we notice our hair loss the most, and it can be quite startling! Hopefully you now have a better idea about what is normal and what you need to worry about.
