by Alexandra Nicole Nuralam
Hair Shedding: Here Are 5 Ways to Stop It, Once and for All
If you’ve ended up here from Googling about hair shedding after seeing a lot of your strands clogging up the drain, the first thing to know is: you’re in the right place. Secondly, it’s completely normal for your hair to shed; it’s part of the hair cycle to fall out. Losing around 100 hairs a day is normal, and it’s not until you start noticing a lot more hair in the shower, or your hair comes out easily with just gentle pressure that you should be really concerned and looking into how to stop your hair from shedding.
The woes of hair shedding—apart from worrying about going bald—is finding strands of your hair all over your furniture, your clothes and other random places. It’s frustrating and let’s face it, the extra vacuuming isn’t fun either. Here, we tell you why your hair is falling out, how to deal with it and the best ways to prevent hair shedding.
Why is my hair falling out?
Just to clarify, there is a difference between hair loss and hair shedding. On some level, hair shedding isn’t always something to worry about. On average, a person loses 50-100 hairs a day, and since we have about 100,000 to 150,000 hair follicles, this means normal hair loss is less than 1% of the strands on our heads. The life cycle of your hair has phases where it grows, rests, and sheds.
There are a number of reasons why you’re experiencing more hair loss than normal; stress, extreme weight loss and hormonal changes (like pregnancy and childbirth) are just some of the reasons why. Here are some signs to look out for:
1. You seem to leave trails of hairs in the car, on your pillow, or just from running your fingers through your hair when not brushing or combing.
2. You notice larger amounts of hair in the drain when showering.
3. A sudden decrease in density or thickness in ponytail or hair over a 3-6 month period.
But don’t panic: this is completely reversible. Read on for our tips on how to stop hair shedding.
#1: Avoid tight hairstyles
Love tying your hair in a tight ponytail? Well, it’s definitely not doing your hair any favours. It can stress follicles and lead to increased hair fall. Keep an eye out for signs you’ve got your hair pulled back too tight, like breakage near your hairline or where you secure your hair back. Tie up your hair with silk scrunchies, don’t pull it into super tight updos, and try to change up your hairstyle when you can. Alternating hairstyles not only gives you a new look but also gives your hair some time to recover.
#2: Dyeing your hair is a no go
Generally, you should avoid chemical processes to straighten, bleach or colour your hair. If you do decide to dye your hair, don’t dye it more than one or two shades lighter than its natural colour. This will reduce the amount of bleach you’re using and therefore, reduce any damage done to your hair. Bleaching and other chemical processes strip the hair of natural oils and can create thin, brittle, frizzy hair.
Another thing to keep in mind: get your coloured at a hair salon versus using box dyes.
#3: Eat your vitamins
Want healthy hair? It all starts from the inside out. Eating a balanced diet, with plenty of vegetables, lean meat, and seafood will help encourage hair growth as these contain the essential nutrients for hair health.
Foods full of vitamin C, like oranges, tomatoes, and peppers, help produce collagen, which keeps hair follicles healthy. Seeds like flax or chia are full of omega-3 fatty acids, which help keep hair healthy and strong, while also promoting new growth.
#4: Take supplements
Haven’t you heard? Taking supplements is super cool now. We love Vitabiotics’ tasty and vegan gummies that contain zinc, biotin and selenium to strengthen not only your hair but your nails and skin too. It also works as a daily multivitamin with an ingredient list that includes vitamins E, B6, D3 and betacarotene.
Another great option if you’re dealing with thinning, weak, or otherwise ‘meh’ hair: the Nutrafol Women Hair Growth Supplement. With over 21 ingredients in the formula, the supplement also contains adaptogens to help reduce inflammation and saw palmetto, which helps block DHT (dihydrotestosterone), a hormone thought to contribute to hair loss.
#5: Use scalp treatments
Scalp topical treatments are great as they contain ingredients to help treat your scalp. This hair serum from TCM brand Dr.ENZYME is made with super herbs like ginseng and ginger to nourish, regenerate and rejuvenate your scalp, giving it a boost of energy to stimulate hair follicles for fuller and healthier hair.
We’re also huge fans of Dr. Barbara Sturm’s Scalp Serum, which has hyaluronic acid and purslane which provide intense hydration, addressing the effects of dryness while boosting overall scalp health, promoting naturally beautiful, shiny hair.
Want more beauty tips? Hit that ‘Sign Up’ button at the bottom to receive the latest updates.
