Brenda sent me a fabulous question that we deal with in this industry all of the time.  She asked, "What can I do to keep my hair from falling out so much?  I have a quarter size hairball every morning from showering."

This is an interesting question with no definite answer.  There are lots of reasons we lose hair.

The first reason we lose hair is because it is natural!  Hair is constantly in one of three states: stable, falling out and growing in.  A lot of people have concern over this because it seems like too much.  The average person loses between 100-120 hairs a day.  If you hair is longer, it will feel like more because the strands themselves are longer; it would make more of a hairball.  So make sure to take that into account.

Another reason hair falls out is stress, hormones, and changes in nutrition.  It is amazing how much what is going on inside our bodies affect our hair and skin!  If you have had any of these things happen, more than likely, it will slow down and stop after the problems stop, but it will take time for your system to regulate back to normal.

Yet another reason hair falls out is medicine and medical conditions.  Thyroid issues are one of the biggest culprits.  If you have never had your thyroid checked, this is a good thing if you are continuing to see hair loss.  Anemia can also play into how your hair is behaving.  In addition to medical conditions, medicines can cause "stress" in your body, and your hair will respond.  It should also be noted that anesthesia from a surgery will also cause hair to fall out but should normalize before too long.

There are a few things that can aid you against thinning.  Nioxin, which we carry in our salon, is a wonderful bio-nutrient shampoo and conditioner that is not medicinal.  It will help nourish the follicles and keep them strong.  It is always something worth trying.  Rogaine is a medicinal product you can get at your drugstore, but you should realize that you cannot regrow hair where a follicle is damaged.  I would try the Nioxin line first.  Your other option for help would be to consult a doctor.  S/he can get to to the help you might need.

There are many reasons your hair will fall out, but please bear in mind that, unless it continues for a long period of time with no good explanation or you start to see areas of significant thinning, it is somewhat normal.

Now go forth with your new hair knowledge feeling empowered!