When you start finding a bit more hair on the shower floor, or in your hairbrush, is it time to panic? The average person will lose anywhere from 50 to 100 strands of hair per day, and sometimes it’s 150. But if you feel like you’re losing it faster than usual or the amount you’re losing is bordering extreme than there may be an issue.
A good way to tell is to take about 60 strands of hair between your fingers then run them through the hair. Usually, you’ll pull out about 5-8 strands out of the 60, but any amount higher than 15 hairs could be the early signs of a problem.
The thing with hair is that everyone’s is different. But for most of us, 90 percent of the hair on our heads is in a growing phase. The other 10 percent is in a resting phase and will fall out to make room for new hair.
If you pull out more than 15 strands of hair than it means more than 10 percent of your hair is in the resting phase. If this is occurring to you, then it’s still not quite time to worry.
Consult your doctor or seek help from a specialist for advice on how to approach it.
Even if you think you’re losing a lot of hair, it still doesn’t have to be something to panic over. There can be many different reasons and even causes for it. No need to fear the B word just yet.
Physical stress can also play a significant factor in hair loss. If you’ve recently endured any physical trauma, like surgery, a car accident, or even had an illness such as the flu, it can cause temporary hair loss.
It’s triggered by stress and when it occurs is called telogen effluvium. It often can become noticeable three to six months after the trauma has happened which is why it can easily be overlooked as a reason.
Emotional stress can be just as provoking as physical stress when it comes to hair loss. However, it’s less likely to cause it than physical stress.
It can happen after things such as divorce, the death of a loved one, or pretty much during any event which will cause you emotional stress.
More often than not though it won’t cause hair loss, it will fuel a problem that’s already there. If this is your issue, then try things like workout routines like joining the gym or taking a yoga class.
Take the appropriate actions to help relieve your stress and anxiety. Therapy and support are also an option if necessary.
For women, pregnancy can also trigger hair loss. It’s a part of physical stress as well as hormones. Pregnancy-related hair loss is seen more after the baby is born rather than during pregnancy.
If this could be the reason then it’s still no reason to panic, it will soon grow back.
Too much vitamin A can also play a part in hair loss. According to the American Academy of Dermatology says that overdoing vitamin A in any form (usually in supplements/vitamins) can trigger hair loss.
The daily amount of vitamin A for adults and kids is 5,000 International Units (IU) per day. Some supplements can contain anywhere from 2,500 to 10,000 IU which is too much.
Lack of protein could also be responsible for your hair loss. If your diet is lacking in the protein department than your body may turn to rationing protein by shutting down your hair growth.
This can happen about two to three months after your initial protein intake drop.
Make sure you take your diet into account before you jump to the B word for your hair loss. Try adding more fish, meat, and eggs into your diet and see if there’s a difference.
For women, hormones play a significant, usually annoying part of life. Just as hormones from pregnancy can promote hair loss, things, like switching or stopping birth control, can also have an effect.
The change in the hormone balance which occurs when women begin menopause can also have a hand in hair loss.
Your problem may be the fact that you’ve either switched or stopped taking your birth control than consult your doctor on ways to go about it. Regardless, it’s still temporary, and your hair will grow back.
Everyone is bound to experience some temporary hair loss at some point in their lives. How you handle it is key. Don’t jump to any conclusions and worry yourself into a panic.
Make sure you do your research and consult a specialist if you think it’s becoming a problem.
