Beauty Blunder 13: What Is Normal Hair Loss?

Question: Hey Sara, I've recently switched to lighter color sheets, and I've noticed a lot of hair around my pillow when I wake up.  There aren't any chunks on the bed, and my hair doesn't feel different.  I just want to know, what's the normal amount of hair to lose?

Answer: Who knew what lighter sheets could do to a person?  For a while, my boyfriend was concerned with the trail of tresses I left around his room.  "You seem to be losing a lot of hair," he said to me.  Suddenly, I felt like a shedding dog.  "It's normal hair loss," I told him.  "We all lose a bunch of the stuff every day." As he was still unconvinced, I looked around for a handful of his hair, which I did not find, cursed the sheets, gathered my lost strands, and hobbled away like a crazy woman in denial. The truth is,


over 63 million people in the United States alone suffer from abnormal hair loss.  However, every one loses some amount of hair every day.  Each individual hair strand goes through a three part growth cycle, which includes hair growth, fall, and replacement.  It has been said that normal hair loss includes the shedding of anywhere from 35-150 hairs per day.  If you're like me, a dark haired woman, our normal shedding can appear more obvious because each and every strand is more visible.

If you feel that you're losing more hair than the average person, simply ask your stylist if anything seems different, and mention it to your doctor who may be able to help.

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Was this post helpful?  What are your stories of hair loss or thinning?  How did it make you feel?