Autumn Hair Shedding

Blog by Guest Contributor, Aderans Hair Centre Trichologist Elizabeth

After the huge amount of sunshine we have had this year moving into autumn is coming as a real shock. Not only are we having more rain and shorter days, but for some of us there is more hair in our brushes and blocking up the plug hole than usual. What is going on?

Well, I want to start by reassuring you that seasonal hair loss is in fact a thing. Like other mammals who change their fur twice a year, we humans have similar seasonal changes. This is to help the body regulate temperature.

But why is this happening?

Hair grows in a cycle. Firstly, the anagen phase where the hair grows for up to 7 years, but this does vary from person to person. That’s why some people can grow their hair past their behinds and others struggle to get the length to their shoulders. This is genetically pre-deposed. Secondly the hair rests in the

catagen phase, which lasts for a number of weeks and thirdly the telogen phase where the hair sheds and the cycle returns to the beginning again.

During the summer months, our hair is punished with high radiation exposure and high temperatures, especially if you haven’t protected your hair with a hat or protective cream. So, as we move into autumn the number of telogen hairs can increase. This type of loss is recognised as seasonal effluvium and will usually slow down after 1 – 2 months. With this type of shedding, even though you are seeing hair loss, there shouldn’t be any real change in the density of your hair and as we move into winter the hair usually recovers quickly with greater hair growth, again to regulate the body’s temperature in the colder months.

Here are 5 top tips to aid this recovery:

Keep scalp cleansed with appropriate shampoo, Mediceuticals have a fall range for this type of hair loss, which is available here at Aderans!
Use a scalp stimulator to remind the follicle to return to the anagen phase of the hair growth cycle. Mediceuticals Cellagen or Numinox are excellent products for this purpose.
Eat a diet rich in protein. Hair is made of a protein called keratin and hair needs a lot of energy to grow so a balanced diet can give the body the fuel it needs for productive hair growth.
Coldwater massage can stimulate the scalp to bring a better blood supply which will provide all the nutrients and oxygen it needs. All this requires is a rinse of the hair in cold water and a one-minute massage, repeated four times. Your scalp should feel alive after the fourth rinse, then condition your hair and style it as usual.
Don’t worry about the hair shedding during Autumn, it will put itself right. However, stress can exacerbate any hair shedding so it is important to try and stay balanced where possible.

If you feel the shedding hasn’t settled down after 2 months it may be that there is another underlying reason or deficiency for the hair loss, so seek professional help from a trichologist or your GP.

Elizabeth x