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Do you ever look at your hair brush and think ‘I could make a wig with all this hair?’ Well, did you know that we lose around 100 hairs a day? Some people may lose less, some may lose more. But it’s completely normal! We don’t lose them all at once, they gradually fall out throughout the day. You’ll mainly notice them whilst brushing and shampooing. Natural shredding is completely normal and is part of the hair growth cycle. Each strand of hair goes through a 4 stage cycle. 1.Growing phase - this can last between 2-7 years depending on the length of your hair. 2.Transition phase - this can last about 10 days. 3.Resting phase - this tends to last about 3 months. Around 10-15% of hairs are in this phase. 4.The new hair phase - the part of the resting phase where the old hair sheds and a new hair continues to grow. When should you be worried about hair loss? If you notice an increase in hair loss, this is when you should start paying attention. There are many different triggers that can cause hair loss. Stress One of the biggest triggers is stress, significant stress pushes large numbers of hair follicles into a resting phase. Vitamin Deficiency Iron - with a lack of iron in your system, your body will send oxygen to support more fundamental organs. This takes priority over sending nutrients to the hair follicles, which may lead to hair loss. Vitamin A - too much or too little vitamin A can result in hair loss. Biotin (Vitamin B7) - is considered the optimal hair and skin vitamin Vitamin D - is essential to hair growth as it stimulates the hair follicles and helps maintain thickness of existing strands. Vitamin D deficiency may be a possible cause of alopecia areata. Alopecia Alopecia areata is also known as spot baldness. It often results in a few coin sized bald spots on the scalp. In few cases, all of the hair on the scalp or all body hair is lost and loss can be permanent. Alopecia areata is an auto immune disease with no cure. Traction Alopecia Traction alopecia is hair loss that’s caused by repeatedly pulling on your hair. Wearing your hair in a tight bun, ponytail or braids really pulls on your hair. Traction alopecia can be reversed if you stop pulling your hair back so tightly. So while sticking your hair up in a bun is practical, try doing a looser messier bun/ponytail. Hormones Hormones are the most common cause of hair loss. DHT is the hormone behind hairloss by miniturizing hair follicles, causing them to stop growing and eventually falling out. Post Partum Post pregnancy hair loss is related to the drop in estrogen after giving birth. Estrogen level are high during pregnancy and estrogen increases hairs ‘resting phase’. Post pregnancy hair loss is usually temporary only lasting for several months. Weight loss Excessive weight loss can throw the hair follicles into their ‘resting phase’, where many hairs are shed. Medication Hair loss is a common side effect of many medications. Drugs can cause hair loss by interfering with the normal cycle of hair growth. Most of the time hair loss is only temporary and should stop once you’ve adjusted to or stopped taking the medication. Ageing Hair loss during menopause is the result of a hormonal imbalance, the levels of estrogen and progesterone drop. Most menopause related hair loss does slow down over time. What you can do to help If your hair loss is concerning you, I’d advise that you make a doctors appointment - especially if you are losing hair rapidly or at an early age (teens or twenties), you have pain or itching with the hair loss or if the skin on your scalp under the involved area is red, scaly or otherwise abnormal. If you feel like you don’t require a trip to your GP, there are several things you can try. Change your diet by eating a balanced healthy diet. Start taking vitamins. Look for products containing Iron, Vitamin C, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D3, Copper and Zinc. Change up your hairstyle. Avoid styles that put too much strain on the hair. I’d also avoid the use of extensions as they can add unnecessary weight. I’d also advise minimum use of heat tools. If you are going to use straighteners or curlers, please use a heat protection spray. So many people don’t!