Why always talk about shedding?

[UK Boy]

When people talk about hair loss products and their hair loss in general on here I always wonder why so much emphasis is put on the amount of shedding that they do or don't experience.

As far as I've always understood it is normal for everyone to lose up to 100 hairs a day, they are just hairs that have finished their cycle. Surely the only way to know if your hair loss is getting better or worse is to check for the progression of miniturisation?

[dgman21]

Its not normal for people with mpb to lose 100 hairs a day. Thats per spencers book.

[UK Boy]

I've spoken to Trichologists and hair restoration doctors and also Googled it. Anything up to 100 hairs per day is generally considered normal hair cycling. Are you saying that's not true or are you saying that typically people suffering from MPB lose more per day? The reason I bring it up is because you get guys saying stuff like "I only shed 1 hair today - must be because of the TRX2" but this doesn't seem to all add up, if it's typical for anyone to lose between 30 - 100 hairs a day?

[Mirage]

I believe that the proper definition for "shedding" is the amount of hair loss exceeding the amount that you typically lose in a given day. Thus, if you usually lose 100 hairs per day and start a hair loss medication such as Propecia, and now start losing 175 hairs per day, you are shedding 75 hairs. Don't know if this is the correct definition but that is how I look at it.

[VictimOfDHT]

Why ? I'll tell you about my shedding. 3-4 months ago you couldn't tell I was experiencing hair loss. Now, the front is really thin. It all happened in about 3 months.

[mattj]

I've spoken to Trichologists and hair restoration doctors and also Googled it. Anything up to 100 hairs per day is generally considered normal hair cycling. Are you saying that's not true or are you saying that typically people suffering from MPB lose more per day? The reason I bring it up is because you get guys saying stuff like "I only shed 1 hair today - must be because of the TRX2" but this doesn't seem to all add up, if it's typical for anyone to lose between 30 - 100 hairs a day?

I never believe anyone who claims they don't lose any hair (or only lose a few hairs) over the course of a day.

I think the normal rate of hairs shed in a day will vary from person to person. What's important is whether the follicles are cycling normally - if the hairs are growing back, and in what condition they're in when they grow back. Are they miniaturizing? Of course obviously excessive shedding will be a sign of hairloss.

[jasinfla]

Hey mattj, hope that you're doing good. Is there an actual way of looking at one's hair, without a microscope or anything, to tell miniaturizing? Recently I looked at my hair very closely and it looks as the hair like is on top of each other and makes like clumping type thing? Not sure if this could possibly be a sign. Also, don't know if it's just me but it looks like a darker color spot along this split line in my vertex. Sorry to the original poster, I don't want to take away from the post.

Thanks.

[dgman21]

I'm saying people suffering MPB should lose less than 100 hairs a day...so we can keep what we have ..the shedding sucks

[wilymon]

When you spend 20+ years with a nice head of hair, you can tell when something is wrong. I think every one of us know what "normal" shedding is because we experience it for years before we experience the unmistakable signs of hairloss. When individuals talk about shedding, I figure they know their hair better than anyone. They know when something is not right with their hair.

[mattj]

Hey mattj, hope that you're doing good. Is there an actual way of looking at one's hair, without a microscope or anything, to tell miniaturizing? Recently I looked at my hair very closely and it looks as the hair like is on top of each other and makes like clumping type thing? Not sure if this could possibly be a sign. Also, don't know if it's just me but it looks like a darker color spot along this split line in my vertex. Sorry to the original poster, I don't want to take away from the post.

Thanks.

It's easiest to tell at the hairline, which you can get a good close look at in the mirror. Miniaturized hairs will tend to look shorter, thinner, and often lighter in colour than the healthy hair.

Wilymon, I agree to an extent, but often something will trigger a person to scrutinize their hair more than ever. Maybe a comment from someone (which is groundless) or a photo which shows them in light that they wouldn't normally see themself in. This can sometimes cause someone to start seeing changes which are non-existent, just due to spending extra time in front of the mirror.