To some extent, hair loss is normal. “On average, a person sheds between 50-to-150 hairs a day,” Hannah Gaboardi, a highly experienced trichologist and hair health expert tells us. But losing more than your normal, and experiencing an overall thinning of the hair can be worrying. “One should pay attention when the amount of hair shedding exceeds their typical daily experience,” she says of the threshold that varies from person-to-person. “Additionally, an increase in scalp visibility, accompanied by sensations of tingling or soreness, warrants careful consideration – as it may signal the onset of a less common form of hair loss.”
To understand what might be behind your hair loss, we consulted more hair experts for insights. However, Gaboardi recommends seeking professional care before self-medicating or spending on treatments. “One should see an expert if they are experiencing a lot more hair loss while brushing and touching their hair, and if hair strands start hanging off clothing and clogging showers.” A person should also seek advice “if they are experiencing scalp pain and noticing bald spots anywhere across their scalp and body,” she adds.
The common causes of hair loss and expert tips related to them
1. Traction alopecia
“Traction alopecia is hair loss that has resulted from repetitive stress or tension on the hair follicle which compromises its ability to produce and sustain long, strong, healthy hair strands,” explains the consultant trichologist Nicola Smart. “Hairstyling practices are ultimately to blame here with tight ponytails, braids, clip-in hair pieces and weaves being very much the culprits. The more consistently the follicle is abused, the more likely it is to diminish, slowing and preventing blood flow and nutrients to the bulb and subsequent hair shaft.” The result is fine, fluffy pieces of hair or areas of sparseness.
Afro Caribbean women are particularly at risk because they are “more likely to express, celebrate and accentuate their beauty with intricate styles and designs,” says Smart, and “due to the fragility of African hair types from its elliptical follicle shape, this type of styling can lend itself to hair loss”.
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Tip: Get to know your hair
“Educate yourself on your own hair so you have a better idea of its limits,” advises Smart. “Get a good grasp of its physical characteristics such as density (how many hairs/follicles you have) and diameter (how thick it is). As well as how it behaves, for example, its porosity levels and elasticity. By learning more about your hair, you can learn to avoid doing things that it doesn’t like.”
Then, “be mindful of how you handle your hair, which means once it’s in that ponytail, loosen it just one last time to ensure it isn’t too tight and avoid doing any intricate styling when you are in a rush,” continues Smart. “Insist that braids, extensions and weaves are installed loosely and if they prove too tight, remove them without hesitation. Resist the urge to constantly ‘slick’ hair tightly into a style and finally, change it up. One of the key issues with traction is the repetitive tension so attempt to avoid this by varying styles.”
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2. CCCA
CCCA, which stands for central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia, is another type of hair loss, especially common in Afro Caribbean hair types, which tends to present as a gradual circular pattern of thinning on the crown of the head. This is what is sounds like the actress Viola Davis was describing when she spoke about her own hair loss struggles, telling Vulture magazine that she woke up to a “big splash of bald on the top of my head”.
A genetic component is likely, but the predisposition is exacerbated by the traditional use of hot combs, chemical relaxers and excessive tensions from braids and extensions. CCCA can lead to permanent hair loss, due to scarring of the hair follicle, so needs treating and the reduction of such styling quickly once identified.
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Tip: In the first instance, change your style
If you are struggling with very fine hair or areas of sparseness, how you wear your hair can help minimise its appearance. “In general, if you have finer hair, don’t grow it too long,” suggests hairstylist Neil Moodie. “The longer it gets, the weaker the hair gets and so it can tend to look lank, straggly and not healthy. Instead, focus on creating layers within shorter styles, to get a bit more height. I wouldn’t recommend really short layers though because they can highlight the fineness of the hair.”
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Less can also be more with fine hair. You might assume that using lots of volumising products will help but it can actually show how fine your hair is by lifting it up. Instead, keep styling to a minimum and focus on adding moisture to your regime to maintain the elasticity of each hair. Plus, to conceal sparness, try changing your parting or use a tinted product, such as Color Wow’s Root Cover Up, to fill in any gaps. And speak to your GP or a trichologist if you are concerned about excessive hair shedding.
3. Stress and lifestyle factors
Stress can have an impact on almost every aspect of mental and physical wellbeing and our hair is no exception. Stressful circumstances raise levels of the hormone cortisol, which triggers your natural ‘fight or flight’ response. This, in turn, “negatively impacts your hair growth cycle”, says the trichologist Anabel Kingsley, by channelling your body’s resources elsewhere (to the muscles and brain for example) and by “affecting nutrient absorption, messing with hormone levels and impacting the health of your scalp”. It can lead to a hair shedding condition known as telogen effluvium, whereby the hair’s normal growing and shedding cycle is disrupted, causing there to be less hair in the growing phase, and more in the resting and shedding phases. In this case, once the stress-causing lifestyle factors are addressed, the body should recover from the disruption on its own.
Hair thinning may also be a sign of iron, vitamin D and B12 deficiencies, or a lack of protein in your diet. The latter is especially noteworthy as the protein keratin provides the strength and structure of hair, which is why vegetarians and vegans may find their hair becomes less full and glossy after making the switch if they are not careful.
Tip: Prioritise your health (and consider supplements)
Alongside recognising times of stress in your life, monitoring your diet to ensure it contains enough protein and iron can help both your health and your hair, as can adding more omega-3 oils (found in oily fish like salmon and seeds including chia and flax) into your meals. Check for deficiencies with a blood test via your GP, and focus on getting the aforementioned nutrients from your food first and foremost, but know that supplements can also be helpful, such as Viviscal’s Hair Growth Supplements.
“I always notice much healthier hair growth after women take them,” says Moodie, “as well a slight increase in speed of hair growth and a reduction in shedding. It has allowed my clients to grow their hair to lengths they were unable to achieve”.
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4. Illness or health condition
Up to 80 per cent of permanent hair loss is due to genetic factors, so it is worth speaking to your parents to see whether thinning hair runs in your family, for example in the form of male or female pattern hair loss. In some cases, though, hair loss is the result of a medical condition, such as alopecia areata, which is caused by an autoimmune disorder. Importantly, this is different from the traction alopecia explained above.
A link between coronavirus and hair loss has also been made. A survey by the UK’s Institute of Trichologists (IoT) – a professional body for those who treat hair and scalp disorders – found that 79 per cent of its members had seen cases of ‘post-Covid hair loss’ in their clinics. Consultant trichologist and chair of the IoT, Eva Proudman, tells The Guardian this can be due to the high temperatures and loss of appetite that are symptoms of the virus, causing temporary excessive hair shedding. However, pandemic-induced stress could also have caused many cases of telogen effluvium, as outlined above.
Tip: speak to a doctor
It is worth consulting your doctor for guidance if you are struggling to identify the reason for hair thinning or if your hair loss is becoming substantial. That way you can not only discuss your general health and identify your stress and hormone levels, but also receive expert advice on whether something more serious is to blame.
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5. Pregnancy and menopause
Hormonal changes from pregnancy not only affect your skin, they also have an impact on your hair. When you are pregnant, the glow your complexion seems to have is mirrored in how glossy and thick your hair tends to be. Unfortunately, post-pregnancy, it can feel like it is falling out at an unprecedented rate. Again, it’s due to telogen effluvium, whereby hairs that were kept in the growth phase move all at once into the telogen (shedding) phase, creating substantial hair fall.
Cameron wears Ralph Lauren dress, photographed by Will Davidson
Hormonal changes during the menopause can also lead to hair loss. “With ageing, nearly everyone has some hair loss and the rate of hair growth slows,” explains Moodie. “Hair strands become smaller, have less pigment and many hair follicles also stop producing new hairs. So the thick, coarse hair of a young adult eventually becomes thin, fine, light-coloured hair.” This process is accelerated in perimenopausal women, where the consequent fall in female hormones – especially oestrogen that is important in promoting hair growth – coupled with the rise in testosterone can cause hair to thin and not regenerate.
Tip: Don’t panic
It is crucial to understand that this supposed process of growth and loss is part illusion. Your hormones rise during pregnancy, affecting your hair growth cycle, and delaying shedding in the process. This means the hair you would naturally lose each day builds up, leading to seemingly thicker hair. When your hormones return to normal, your hair-loss cycle reboots, making you experience what seems like significant hair loss but is actually a build-up from the past nine months.
Even when hair loss is more permanent, which is linked to ageing and the menopause, periods of accelerated hair loss during this time are likely to calm and become manageable as with the process’ other symptoms.
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6. Over-use of hot tools
Overuse of heat styling tools, such as your hairdryer, curling tong and straighteners, can make your hair dry, prone to breakage and consequently more likely to fall out, especially if you use them every day. This is because when too much strong, dry heat is applied it weakens the hair shaft. Dry, frizzy hair caused by heat damage can also become more difficult to style, yet tackling this side effect (as many of us do) by using our hot tools even more often, will only exacerbate rather than solve the issue.
Tip: Control the heat
“I highly recommend everyone uses heated hair tools that have a temperature gauge, so you can lower it,” says Moodie. “This will cause less stress to the hair shaft.” Ghd’s Helios Hairdryer and Dyson’s Supersonic are two great examples, while avoiding going over the same section of hair with a temperature-controlled pair of straighteners or curling iron can help minimise the damage too. You should also double the protection by using a heat defence spray and towel dry your hair gently but thoroughly before picking up your tools to minimise the time spent using them.
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7. Over-colouring
Dyeing your hair too often, especially if you are using bleach, can also lead to hair loss. “When hair is over-processed”, explains Moodie, “it will generally snap off and break due to hair being damaged by the chemicals for too long. This causes the hair to completely lose its elasticity.” Hair that has been over-dyed is often dry and straw-like, with choppy, uneven layers and lack of volume caused by strands that have snapped, which can also make thinning more obvious.
Tip: Take a break
If you frequently dye and style your hair, try taking a break from these habits for a month or so to see if they are the prominent cause of your hair loss. Semi-permanent colour or highlighting and balayage techniques can also be less harsh on your hair, so seek a hair consultation before your next colour appointment to see what options are out there. Hair conditioning treatments, such as Philip Kingsley’s Elasticiser and Briogeo’s Don’t Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask can also help improve the condition of your hair after a trip to your colourist, by keeping it really hydrated.
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8. Aggressive brushing
Brushing your hair thoroughly will stimulate your scalp, which can encourage hair growth, so it’s important not to skip this step of your hair care routine. However, you must be gentle. If you tend to tug and pull your hair, or hear ripping sounds as you are brushing it, you are likely to be applying too much pressure or combing in the wrong manner, which will cause breakage and lack of hair growth. The same is true if you tend to brush your hair as soon as you step out of the shower, as your hair is most fragile when wet.
Tip: Use the right tools
“Look for a brush with rounded, plastic prongs and a vented, cushioned base,” such as the Philip Kingsley Vented Paddle Brush, suggests trichologist Kingsley. This will help to detangle your hair and give you control as you brush without the need for excess force.
You should also always comb from the ends, using your hands to secure your hair as you do so to avoid pulling, and then move slowly upwards. If you are struggling, use a detangling spray (and reassess whether you need to use more conditioner in the shower) alongside a wide-tooth comb to minimise breakage. This technique can be especially useful for curly hair that tends to frizz when overly brushed, as you can counteract the knots and tangles that cause breakage without compromising your style.
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9. A change in season
“Research has also discovered that hair loss can be seasonal for some people,” Moodie continues. “Around 10 per cent of a person’s hair can go into a resting phase when hair can fall out. Women apparently experience slightly higher rates of hair fall during the month of July, which, in turn, sees the effect of hair falling out in mid-October or November.”
Tip: Get regular trims
Having regular trims will help maintain healthy hair as the longer you leave it between cuts the more likely it is to split and break, especially at the ends, accentuating the appearance of thin hair. Taming your ends through even an ‘invisible haircut’ can make a significant difference while you wait for any shedding to pass.
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