Self-test: am I losing too much hair?

2023 Author: Gabrielle Mercer | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-21 12:25

Do you lose a lot of hair while combing? But when should you actually worry that something more serious is causing it, and what else is completely normal? A self-test will tell you more!

After washing your hair, while brushing or on the pillow, there is a lot of hair that actually makes our main hair thicker and more voluminous and should not just say goodbye. But still you sometimes get what feels like tufts out of the comb or out of the shower drainpipe. And because of the amount you might be wondering whether it has not increased in the course of the last few weeks and whether that is still normal at all?

For men, this experience is often part of everyday life. In many cases, receding hairlines are already widening in their twenties, and thinning hair is not uncommon on male heads. The situation is completely different for women: thick, beautiful hair is part of the female ideal of beauty and if this is said goodbye, this is often accompanied by psychological problems. The question is repeated: How much hair loss is normal and when should you contact a doctor?

How much hair loss is normal and when should I see a doctor?

It is completely normal for us to lose hair at all: our hair roots are subject to a cycle of growth in which the roots are supplied with nutrients, as well as a resting phase and when the supply is stopped, the hair falls out. You lose up to 100 hairs every day. If it is more and over a longer period of time, then you should seek medical advice.

Self-test: am I losing too much hair?

For five days, collect all the hair that is falling out or that you find in your apartment (especially in the bathroom!). Use five envelopes for this - one of their own for each day. Then you count them off and compare. Because on the days when you wash your hair, the number should be higher than on other days. However, if the hair loss is the same every day, then you may actually lose too much hair.

Why am I losing so much hair?

Reasons for excessive hair loss can be, for example, a lack of vital substances, an excess of male hormones, a dysfunction of the thyroid gland or hormone fluctuations after having a child or after stopping the pill. Or maybe there are external influences, such as pollutants from the environment or medication taken. A genetic predisposition can also be the cause or the natural hair density also decreases with age (as at the beginning of menopause).

In young hair, however, you shouldn't rely on shampoos or tinctures from perhaps questionable sources, but rather consult a hair specialist right away.