How many strands a day is normal?

Fifty to a hundred, peaking on wash days — and autumn shedding is common. More important than the number is whether the hair growing in is as thick as the hair that fell.

Can post-partum shedding be treated?

Post-partum shedding is usually self-limiting and resolves within six to twelve months. Treatment shortens that time, keeps the scalp healthy and prevents a second cause layering on top. There is no need to simply wait it out.

Does tying my hair up cause loss?

Tying it tightly, always in the same place, yes — it is called traction alopecia and mainly affects the hairline and temples. Tight braids and daily high ponytails are the usual culprits. If it hurts when you tie it, it is too tight.

Does hair therapy grow new hair?

It improves the condition of the scalp and of the hair still growing. It does not reactivate a closed follicle. That is why assessment comes first: the examination shows where active follicles remain — and where they do not.

Hair loss: how to tell what is normal, and what to do

How many strands a day is expected, when shedding becomes a warning sign, and the most common causes in adult women.

Reviewed August 2026 · Nelma Faleiro

Losing hair every day is normal. Each strand has a cycle: it grows for years, rests for months and falls to make room for another. The average is between 50 and 100 strands a day — more on wash days, fewer on others. The problem is not shedding: it is shedding that is not replaced.

Three signs that matter more than counting strands

Your ponytail changed thickness. It is the most reliable home measure there is — far better than counting strands in the drain. Your parting widened. If the centre line has become more visible over recent months, density has been lost. New hair grows in finer. That is miniaturisation, and it is the most important of the three, because it means the follicle is weakening rather than simply resting.

The most common causes in adult women

Telogen effluvium — diffuse shedding that appears two to four months after a trigger: childbirth, surgery, restrictive dieting, illness, bereavement, intense stress. Hormonal change, especially thyroid, perimenopause and menopause. Nutritional deficiency, particularly iron and vitamin D. Genetic predisposition, showing as progressive thinning at the crown. And scalp causes in themselves: seborrhoeic dermatitis, folliculitis, product build-up, and traction from tight braids and ponytails.

Why changing shampoo rarely fixes it

Because shampoo acts on the shaft and the surface, while shedding begins in the follicle, below the skin. A good shampoo can improve scalp condition, and that helps. But if the cause is hormonal, nutritional or inflammatory, no cosmetic solves it alone. That is why a scalp assessment starts with a consultation and an examination, not with a product recommendation.

When to see a doctor

See a dermatologist if there is patchy loss, a lesion, a wound, persistent scalp pain, sudden heavy shedding, or shedding alongside other symptoms — fatigue, weight change, changes to your cycle. Hair therapy is an aesthetic service and does not replace medical diagnosis. The two work best together: medical treatment acts from within, therapy acts on the scalp.