How Much Hair Fall Per Day Is Normal? Should You Be Worrying?

How Much Hair Fall Per Day Is Normal? Should You Be Worrying?

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Are the hair strands on your comb or floor bothering you? It’s possible that you’ve been worrying without reason. Yes, a little bit of hair fall everyday is absolutely normal!

However, you need to know whether your hair fall should be taken seriously and how much hair loss in a day is actually beyond normal. This article will address all these questions and more.

Our Ayurvedic Doctor Speaks

“All hair goes through a natural cycle of growth, rest and fall. Hair growth is dependent on our Ayurvedic Prakriti (genetics), age, nutrition, metabolism, and lifestyle.’’

-Dr. Zeel Gandhi, Chief Ayurvedic Doctor (Bachelor of Ayurveda, Medicine & Surgery), Vedix

What Is The Total Count Of Hair On The Human Scalp?

The count of terminal hair on a human scalp ranges from 80,000 to 120,000 strands. Healthy hair in a human grows at a rate of 0.35 mm/day approximately [1].

Life Cycle Of Hair

The growth of hair starts in a hair follicle. From the beginning of growth to falling out, your hair undergoes four stages in its life cycle:

1. Anagen (Growing Phase)

The anagen phase comprises the entire period of hair growth up till the time a hair strand remains on your head. Each hair strand lasts for about 3-7 years. During the anagen phase, your hair may be able to grow up to a length of 3 feet.

2. Catagen (Transition Phase)

During the transition phase, your hair strand detaches from the dermal papilla as your follicle shrinks. The catagen phase lasts for about 14-21 days.

3. Telogen (Resting Phase)

The resting phase is when the new hair begins to grow in the follicle, while slowly pushing out the old hair from it. The telogen phase lasts for about 3 months.

4. Exogen (New Hair Phase)

This is when the old hair sheds off your scalp and new hair continues to grow. The exogen is the end part of the telogen phase.

"At any given time, around 90% of your hair is in a growing phase, while the other 10% is in the resting phase," says Dr. Zeel.

When your hair goes through the anagen phase for a reasonable duration and then gradually reaches the exogen phase, it is considered to be normal hair fall.

New Hair Phase

22% of COVID-19 patients were found to be losing hair a few months after being infected, according to The Lancet study called ‘6-month consequences of COVID-19 in patients discharged from hospital’. However, doctors have said it is temporary and linked it to the stress caused by the virus rather than the disease itself. [2]

How Much Hair Fall Is Normal In A Day?

According to the American Academy of Dermatologists, we can consider the falling of 50 to 100 strands as normal [3]. And, the hair fall is more noticeable in people who have longer hair strands.

“All hair goes through a natural cycle of growth, rest and fall, much like the leaves of the trees. As seasons dictate the leaf’s fate, our hair growth is dependent on our Ayurvedic Prakriti (genetics), age, nutrition, metabolism, and lifestyle,’’ says Dr. Zeel Gandhi, Chief Ayurvedic Doctor at Vedix.

Average Estimates Of Normal Hair Fall In A Day:

 

How much hair fall is normal in a day?

50-100/day

How much hair fall is normal for women?

50-100/day [4]

How much hair fall is normal for men?

50-100/day

How much hair loss is normal for a teenage girl?

50-150/day

How much hair fall is normal during hair wash?

150-200/wash

How much hair fall is normal while combing?

50-100/day

How much hair fall is normal in summer?

50-100/day

How much hair fall is normal in winter?

50-100/day

How much hair fall is normal in monsoon?

50-100/day

How much hair loss is normal in menopause?

>100/day [5]

How much hair fall is normal after hair wash?

50-100/day

How much hair fall is normal after oiling?

50-100/day

How much hair loss is normal after pregnancy?

>100/day

If you are experiencing more hair loss than the quantity mentioned above, read about how to deal with it here and consult your doctor to find the root cause.

Causes Of Excessive Hair Fall

While shedding a few hair strands in a day is normal, severe hair fall can be caused by several medical and emotional factors. [6] Some of these may include:

1. Pregnancy

2. Stress

3. Menopause

4. Lack of nutrition

5. Cancer or other serious illnesses [7]

6.Tragedy

7. Use of too many chemicals and hair styling products

8. Covid-19 after effects [8]

hair fall causes

Ayurvedic View Of Normal Hair Fall

Ayurveda believes that the health of your hair depends on the equilibrium of tridoshas, Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. “In normal conditions, the Vata hair type is a bit weaker than Pitta hair type, while Kapha hair type is stronger than both,’’ says Dr. Zeel.

In the lifespan of an individual,

  • The period from birth to puberty is generally governed by Kapha dosha, during which nominal hair fall is observed.
  • The period from puberty to the age of fifty is governed by Pitta dosha, during which a moderate level of hair fall can be expected in ideal conditions.
  • The period after fifty years of age is governed by Vata dosha, during which severe hair fall occurs, as the hair becomes weaker.

When Should You Be Concerned About Your Hair Fall?

When you observe noticeable hair thinning due to excess hair shedding, it is the indication that your hair is entering the exogen phase too early or your doshas are imbalanced.

Other signs that indicate abnormal hair fall and hair loss may include the following:

  • Hair starts disappearing gradually on top of the head (receding hairline on the forehead).
  • Circular or patchy bald spots start occurring in the areas of the scalp, beard or eyebrows.
  • Hair loosens up suddenly and falls out in clumps.
  • Skin diseases like ringworm, psoriasis, etc. cause patches of scaling over the scalp. It leads to the swelling of hair follicles and eventually hair loss.

hair fall and hair loss

Preliminary Tests To Check If Your Hair Fall Is Normal

Pull Test

Take about 60 hair strands in between your fingers. Gently, pull the hair as you run your fingers through it. If you have 5-8 hair strands in your hand, you can consider it as normal hair fall. But, if you lose about 15-20 hair strands, then it indicates an abnormal hair fall.

Comb Test

Lean over a light-colored bed sheet and comb your hair from the back of your head to the front of your scalp in the forward direction. After a minute of combing, count the hair strands on the bed sheet. If you see more than 10-15 hair strands, then you may have abnormal hair fall.

Vedix Tip: Prefer using a wooden comb instead of plastic combs for your hair. This reduces hair breakage caused by static electricity from plastic combs.

Hair Fall In Women Vs Men

Around 70% of men may experience hair loss in their lifetime, while that is observed to be only 40% in women[9].

Men are more prone to androgenic alopecia , which can be inherited genetically. It is the hair loss caused by Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) hormones[10]. DHT hormones, which are synthesized from testosterone, block the blood vessels in hair follicles, and stop the nutrient supply for hair growth. This eventually leads to follicle shrinkage and hair loss.

Even women may experience DHT hair loss, but not as heavily as men because of their different genetic disposition. However, women experience increased hair fall during events such as pregnancy and menopause. Sometimes, postpartum hair loss can last as long as a year in new mothers [11] [12] [13].

In men, hair loss can be noticed as thinning scalp hair, receding hairline, and sometimes as a horseshoe-shaped pattern with the crown exposed. In women, we observe hair loss as general hair thinning (especially at the crown region).

hair loss

Hair Shedding Vs Hair Loss

Hair loss is different from hair shedding in several ways. In order to opt for timely treatment and to know whether you should consult a doctor, understanding the differences is important. Here are a few ways to identify:

Hair shedding

Hair loss

Generally temporary and lasts for a short period

Could be permanent or last for a long time

Causes include stress, childbirth, fevers

Causes could be hereditary or a result of serious illnesses like cancer

May stop on its own

Requires proper treatment

FAQs About Normal Hair Fall In A Day

1. How Much Hair Fall Is Too Much?

If you observe more than 150 hair strands falling out throughout the day, you can consider it as abnormal hair fall. It is recommended to consult your doctor to find out the underlying causes of your hair loss. Sometimes, hair loss could be an indication of serious illness in the liver or imbalanced thyroid conditions.

2. What do more than 100 hair strands look like?

Generally, it looks like very large clumps of hair on your pillow, comb or shower hole. Excessive thinning or balding could also mean that you are losing more than 100 hair strands in a day. To understand how it appears visually, you can click here.

The Last Word

  • Losing 100-150 hair strands per day is absolutely normal and not a reason for worry.
  • Factors like underlying medical conditions, age, pollution and excessive stress, can accelerate your hair fall and lead to severe hair loss at times.
  • Temporary hair shedding can also be caused by pregnancy or menopause.
  • It is important to understand the signs of abnormal hairfall like balding or receding hairline. Consult your doctor if you observe excessive hairfall that persists over a period of time.
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