Women’s Hair Shedding Versus Women’s Hair Loss

When a woman suddenly loses a lot of hair, as opposed to the average loss of 50-100 hairs per day, it is referred to as hair loss. The medical term would be Alopecia (and, it’s important to note that there are 3 types of alopecia). Most women typically lose between 50 and 100 individual hairs each day.

Hair shedding is a natural process in which some hairs fall out and new hairs grow in, depending on which hair cycle that hair is currently in.

Hair loss occurs when the balance between growth and fallout is interrupted—when less hair grows in, and more hair falls out.

Hair shedding is not the same as hair loss. As mentioned above, shedding your hair is completely normal. It is when the balance of losing approximately 50-100 hairs per day becomes excessive, that we know it’s classified as hair loss.

The three cycles of hair growth are as follows:

ANAGEN: The anagen phase (AKA the growing phase) can span from two to eight years. Approximately 85% to 90% of the hair on your head falls into this phase.

CATAGEN: Hair follicles shrink during the catagen phase (AKA the transition phase), which lasts for about two to three weeks.

TELOGEN: It takes two to four months for the telogen phase (AKA the resting phase) to complete. At the end of this stage, the hair starts to fall out.

What types of hair loss are there?

1. Anagen effluvium
2. Telogen effluvium
3. FPHL – Female pattern hair loss (androgenetic alopecia)

Anagen effluvium is caused by drugs, medication, or medical treatments that poison a hair follicle during the growth phase (like chemotherapy). This is why people can lose their hair during chemo, get what’s colloquially called “chemo hair,” or have a mixture of both.

Telogen effluvium: This condition develops when more hair follicles reach the telogen phase, which is when hair begins to fall out.

The most prevalent variety is androgenetic alopecia, often known as female pattern hair loss (FPHL) or baldness. The hair becomes thinner on the sides and at the top of the head.

Which kinds of women are most likely to experience hair loss?

Anyone can experience hair loss no matter their age, lifestyle, or hair-styling habits. However, these are the women who are most prone to hair loss: 

• Women over the age of 40.
• Women who have thyroid problems.
• Women who are malnourished/not getting enough nutrition in their daily food.
• Women who are pregnan.
• Women who have recently given birth.
• Women who are in menopause.
• Women who have undergone chemotherapy and those who have been affected by other medications, drugs, or medical treatments.
• Women who often wear hairstyles that pull on the hair (like tight ponytails always in the same spot, tight braids that pull on the hair, weaves which pull on the hair, or other tight styles) or who use harsh chemicals on their hair.

How do you treat hair loss? 

There are a number of treatments for women’s hair loss, as there are no one-size-fits-all solutions. 

• Some women find that changing their diet and taking supplements (such as biotin, B12, or high-quality multivitamins) can help restore their hair. Supplementation is huge, as we don’t get enough vitamins and nutrients from the foods we eat nowadays. Unveil has a supplement with all the vital nutrients your hair and skin need for overall wellness, from the inside out.
• In cases of pregnancy or recent pregnancy, the hair usually comes back on its own with time. You can speed this process up again with supplementation or with a topical solution such as our Unveil No.3 Hair Thickening Serum.
• For hair loss caused by tight hairstyles, braids, ponytails, or weaves, hair loss can often be stopped or reversed by stopping wearing those hairstyles or using harsh chemical treatments on the hair.
• Minoxidil (Rogaine®) is also approved for treating FPHL. The only drawback is that you must take it exactly according to directions or it may not work, and you must use it indefinitely. Meaning, if you stop taking it, your hair loss will continue. 
• Certain shampoos, conditioners, hair serums, and sprays can also help prevent hair loss or restore the lost hair. They often have specialized ingredients which target hair loss and help strengthen the hair that is already there. 

Many women who undergo medical hair loss, who are doing chemotherapy for example, wear wigs or turbans during their treatment. Since their natural hair is usually unable to grow during treatment, they generally choose to wear a wig that matches the way their hair looked before treatment, to not draw attention to any change in hairstyle. Others go for colors they’ve never dared to dye their hair before, or switch between short and long styles for fun.

Long story short, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach here! 

The founder of Strut, Helena Gibson, created Unveil Restorative Hair Care. This is a line of restorative hair loss treatments/products with proprietary blends of active ingredients, such plant stem cell cultures and tetrapeptides to strengthen existing hairs and promote hair growth. We are so sure you’ll love our products that we stand behind them with a money-back, satisfaction guarantee! Our products are also free of toxins, known carcinogens, and hormone disruptors, and they also support your overall restorative wellness.