My hair is falling out a lot: what can I do?

Do you think lately "my hair is losing a lot"? Have you had times when you have especially thought about it?

The causes for abnormal hair loss can be several. In this article we will talk about them, but above all, we will understand how hair grows and dies.

In addition, we will solve some curious questions in relation to the hair (when the most falls, if it grows back or no, etc.), and we will propose 4 tips to stop hair loss, so that you will not be tormented by this again theme.

My hair is falling out a lot: why?

Usually, we have about 120,000 hairs on our heads. Throughout the day, it is normal to lose hair; in fact, we lose an average of 50 to 100 hairs a day. Luckily, these are being replenished. If we are also in a especially stressful time, this amount of hair loss increases.

You may wonder, "Why is my hair falling out a lot?" The causes can vary greatly, although the most frequent are: stress, poor diet, postpartum, lack of protein, excess vitamins, hormonal issues, possible anemia, hypothyroidism, sudden weight loss, antidepressants and other types of drugs, and aging.

Although these are the most frequent causes, there are more (and some of the above can even occur at the same time). Each person is different and should go to a specialist in the event that the fall is excessive, as we will see later.

In the next section, we explain the phases of hair growth.

Hair growth: the phases

How long does hair grow? Each hair has a growth process that differs in a series of phases: the first, which is the stem capillary, is characterized by the fact that it grows approximately 1 centimeter and a half (it is the anagen phase or increase). This first phase lasts between 2 and 6 years.

Later, in the catagen or transition phase, hair growth stops for around 2 and 3 weeks. This is followed by the third phase, called the telogen or elimination phase; In this phase, the hair falls out and is released from the hair follicle. This occurs so that new hair can be born.

But what if my hair falls out a lot? In relation to the previous phases, what happens is that the growth phase is reduced (that is, it shortens), and the fall phase arrives earlier.

Should I be concerned if my hair falls out?

Depends. It is normal and common for people to lose their hair daily (to a certain extent). However, If we see that this fall is excessive, then we can start to consider the option of going to a professional (At least so that we can resolve our doubts and clarify their origin).

How do we know if the drop is "excessive"? First of all, observing; look at your brush, the floor of the sink, the shower, the pillow, the clothes... we must pay attention to whether or not there is a lot of hair in these areas. We can also touch our heads, to detect if there is a lack of density in our hair. Thus, in these cases, we must go to a specialist, ideally a dermatologist.

Can this fall be controlled?

If you are already at the point of thinking “my hair is falling out a lot”, and you have verified that the amount is indeed excessive, it is logical that you ask yourself the following question: can I control it?

It depends on the case, although generally, it is something controllable and therefore, that it can be treated, through different procedures, products, etc. As we said, the professional is always the one who will advise us the best.

However, although it is controllable, it is true that the sooner this hair loss is treated, the better (that is, from the first symptoms).

How to stop hair loss?

Maybe you think "my hair is losing a lot", or you simply want to prevent this from happening. In any case, here are some tips to prevent and stop hair loss.

1. Keeping the scalp clean

It is essential to not lose hair, to keep the scalp clean (that is, without fat). So, wash it a minimum of times a week (experts recommend washing it every 2 days, although there will be people who need to wash it every day). Also you can choose to use specific shampoos (for example an anti-hair loss shampoo).

2. Protects the hair follicle

As we said, if the hair follicle dies, the hair stops growing forever. That is why it is important to protect our follicles, especially when they are subjected to the action of free radicals.

These, for their part, accelerate hair loss and reduce its growth. So, we must maintain good oxygenation and nutrition of the follicles. For this there are specific products, with ingredients such as: melatonin, ginkgo biloba and biotin.

3. Nourish your hair

If you want the thought of "my hair is losing a lot" to finally disappear from your head (pun intended), choose to follow this other advice: nourishes your hair well, from root to tip, including your scalp.

This you will get through shampoos, conditioners and specific masks, but also through a good diet and living as calmly as possible (that is, avoiding stress).

In the specific case of food, the ideal is for it to be balanced; that is to say, that it includes proteins, vitamins and minerals, fundamentally. On the other hand, nuts and vegetable fats, in particular, help a lot to grow healthy hair and look healthy.

4. Go to a professional

Finally (and it doesn't have to be the last thing to do) we must go to a professional, in the event that the amount of hair that falls out is really excessive and that the problem lasts a long time.

The dermatologist will be the best specialist to help us solve our problem, so let's go to a good professional and follow his / her recommendations.

This is important since, in the case of having a "serious" hair loss problem, the fact of detecting its cousin signs can help us to avoid that in the future our hair falls much more and we reach alopecia or baldness (especially in the mens).

Does the hair grow back?

Do you continually think “my hair is losing a lot” and are you worried that you will end up losing it? Just relax; hair always grows, unless you have a serious disease related to the skin or the hair itself. Thus, the hair only stops growing when the follicle is completely dead.

In any case, when you know the origin of your fall, you can start the appropriate treatment; the sooner you start it, the more likely you will not lose all your hair.

When do we lose more hair?

Although each person is a world, it is especially in summer when we lose more hair. This is due to the “extra” external aggressions that our hair receives, such as the hours of sunlight (which can cause burns on the scalp).

The fact that in summer our hair “burns more” (specifically, our scalp burns), can make our hair fall out more in autumn.

So, if you think that "my hair is losing a lot", and especially in summer, it is important that you go to a professional, and also try to reduce external aggressions to your hair (the dryer, the heat, etc.).