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I'm "herding" together some posts about various common causes of excess hair shedding because it had been on my mind (and my scalp) lately. Firstly, I updated the " Friction and Shedding " post, which could also be titled, "Are your hair products ripping out your hair?" Too graphic? Secondly, The post about iron, vitamin D and hair loss - these are common deficiencies and common causes of hair loss. Thirdly, bringing back the post about seasonal shedding . Not everybody notices this. And if you have the other two causes of shedding (above) this one might be more noticeable. This is not to leave out the other causes of hair loss that are significant (illness, medication, severe stress, scalp disease). But other sources have more information than I do on those things.

I provide my sources via in-text citations and in the references at the end. This information does not replace medical consultation or blood tests. Consultation with a doctor or nurse practitioner or pharmacist should be sought for diagnosing and treating nutrient deficiencies. If you have no health insurance or your insurance does not cover diagnostic testing (which includes testing for nutrient deficiencies), ask at your local clinic or pharmacy about on-demand testing or independent lab testing, but please plan supplements with the guidance of a qualified physician or pharmacist. IRON  In pre-menopausal women, low serum (blood) ferritin is one of the more common causes of hair thinning or pattern hair loss. ©Science-y Hair Blog 2015 When you get a typical blood test - the iron test is often for hemoglobin. That is the form of iron in your blood that can carry oxygen to your tissues. If it is low, you are anemic. If you are anemic - your hair may be thinning. But recently, resea...

Updated: June 2016 There are any number of serious reasons your hair can suddenly start to fall out - illness, thyroid disease, nutrient deficiency, extreme physical stress or many other diseases or medications. These are important to consider. Hair loss is a signal of something wrong. I'm skipping the more serious problems and going right to the things you put on your hair! Let's talk about friction. You need friction to stop on roller skates, on a bicycle, in a car. Smooth ice = low friction and you just keep going when you try to stop. Rough pavement = plenty of friction to slow your motion and your tires wear down over time. Friction is an issue for anybody with more than a half inch of hair because there is a lot more to hair care than moisture or protein or whatever the bottle or shampoo or conditioner says a product is for. Some people have healthy hair that doesn't need a lot of extra help staying hydrated, but it does need extra lubrication. The longer your hair is...

Did you know that in the normal, healthy scalp the number of hair follicles in the "telogen" or "resting and falling out" stage is the higher in fall than at any other time of year? About 20% of your hair follicles have ceased growing and are preparing to fall out in fall, compared to about 10% in very early spring. So if you are losing more hair now (late October) through December, this is normal. Source:  Chemical and Physical Behavior of Human Hair  Robbins, 1994. 3 rd  Ed. Springer-Verlag, New York