If you're researching hair loss, then it's highly probable that you've come across information which indicates that loosing around 100 hairs per day can be normal and nothing to worry about. You may have also read that numbers which start to climb higher than this can indicate issues or shedding conditions like telogen effluvium (TE) or androgenic alopecia (AGA.)
Many people are confused by or doubt these reassurances because if you've ever seen 100 strands of hair on the floor or in the drain, then it looks like an alarming amount that most certainly doesn't appear to be normal or typical levels. So, what is really typical? And how can you know if you should be worried or not? Although I'm certainly not a doctor or specialists, I do have an opinion on this based on experience and research, and I'll try to address these concerns in the following article.
Keep In Mind That The "100 Hairs Per Day" Numbers Are Based On The Percentage Of Hair Strands Already On Your Head:In actuality, it's considered to be "normal" for ten percent of the hairs on your head to be in the resting or shedding phase at one time. And this is where that 100 number comes from. It's based on the belief that, on average, most people have around 100,000 strands of hairs on their head.
Of course, not everyone has precisely 100,000 strands when they see and get concerned about their shedding. If you've been loosing hair for a while, then you may have considerably less than this. Also, people who have fine or thin textured hair will sometimes have more stands of it. Redheads average less strands and blonds tend to have more. Really, it's both the texture and the amount of hair that contributes to it's over all appearance.
Still, the exact number of hairs that are "normal" amounts for you and are based entirely on the percentage of strands that you currently have. So, if you have less than 100,000 hairs (and how are you going to count them?) then that 100 number is potentially not accurate. But, if you have more, theoretically you could lose more than 100 hairs per day and still be considered normal.
There Are Times When It's Normal And Not Worrisome To Loose More Hair Than Usual:There are certain times of the year (usually spring and fall) when people tend to have seasonal shedding that is relatively short lived and nothing to worry about. You could see more hair loss or shedding during these periods but often this doesn't last for very long and regrowth comes quickly so that this loss isn't even noticeable.
Also, sometimes following illnesses, stress, or medical procedures you can see some short term telogen effluvium that comes and goes quickly. Most people don't panic during these occurrences as many of us have had this happen before. It's usually when the increased loss goes on for a while and affects our bottom line that we become worried.
In My Opinion, Averages Or Arbitrary Numbers Do Not Give You Enough Information. You Usually Know What Is A Typical Range For You:I completely understand nervously counting your hairs and hoping that your number is under 100 because I've done this myself. But I've come to believe that this exercise is kind of pointless. Because you don't really know how many strands you started with to then figure out what is ten percent of that number.
And honestly, most people know in their hearts what is usual for them. If you are losing troublesome amounts of hair for more than days, and not weeks, then you likely suspect that something is wrong. Some people aren't alarmed because they have always been high shedders and they know that this isn't going to affect their hair's appearance. Other people can lose well less than 100 hairs per day and really begin to thin or notice changes in volume.
I believe that focusing too much on the numbers and not enough on what you are seeing and experiencing is problematic in that it can keep you from taking he action that might have made a difference and meant that you got early treatment if there is indeed a problem. Sometimes, there truly isn't a problem because you're looking at temporary changes. But sometimes there is and you're hoping that since you are close to that 100 hair range, there's nothing you could or should do. I always tell people to focus on what they know is normal for them and to go from there.
How do I know all of this? Because I lived it. I absolutely knew that 100 hairs per day was not normal for me (although I often shed much more than that.) In my quest to end my hair loss, I looked at my triggers, my iron, my thyroid, my adrenals, my hormones, and my scalp's health in my quest to end the nightmare. It was a long, hard, frustrating journey which all but wrecked my self esteem but I finally found something that helped quite a bit. You can read a very personal story at /
