Skin Health Skin Care & Cleansing Products Hair & Scalp Care 25 Reasons Your Hair Might Be Falling Out By Cathy Nelson Cathy Nelson Cathy Nelson is a health and wellness writer who splits her time between Tampa and metro Detroit. Learn about our editorial process Published on February 22, 2023 Medically reviewed by William Truswell, MD Medically reviewed by William Truswell, MD Facebook LinkedIn William Truswell, MD, is a board-certified facial plastic surgeon and otolaryngology (head and neck) surgeon. He is president of the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and treats skin cancer patients as part of his practice. Learn about our Medical Expert Board Print Table of Contents View All Table of Contents What's Considered Abnormal? Reasons Why Treatment Having excessive hair fall out, or shed, can be upsetting and stressful. However, it is common, and in most cases, it is also temporary. There are multiple reasons (including physical and psychological) that can cause you to shed more hair than usual. This article looks at what happens when hair falls out excessively, why this can occur, and where to seek treatment. Catherine McQueen / Getty Images Hair Shedding vs. Hair Loss Hair shedding is different than hair loss, which is when hair stops growing. Reasons for hair loss include male or female pattern baldness, certain medications, and harsh chemical hair products. Depending on the cause, hair loss may or may not be temporary. When Your Hair Falls Out, What’s Considered Abnormal? Losing around 50–100 hairs daily through combing, brushing, washing, and styling is normal. When excessive hair shedding occurs, it's known as telogen effluvium. Someone with telogen effluvium can lose 300–500 hairs daily. Telogen effluvium is common, seen more frequently in women, and usually happens two to three months after a triggering event. It typically doesn't last more than six months, but if it does, it's considered chronic. Although telogen effluvium doesn’t typically lead to baldness, it may lead to hair appearing thin, especially around the temples and crown of the head. The Hair Growth Cycle The hair growth cycle has three phases: The anagen (growth) phase, which can last for years The catagen phase, which lasts for about 10 days and occurs when hair stops growing and separates from the follicle The telogen (resting) phase of two to three months, after the hair falls out Telogen effluvium occurs when large numbers of hair follicles push into the resting phase. 25 Reasons Your Hair Might Be Falling Out Physical, mental, or emotional stress, along with certain medications, can cause larger-than-normal amounts of hair follicles to push into the resting phase of the hair cycle. When this occurs, as much as 70% of scalp hair can fall out, often in handfuls, around two months after the trigger. Conditions Medical events and conditions that can lead to hair falling out include: Thyroid imbalances Illness, especially with a high fever COVID-19 infection Inflammatory conditions affecting the scalp, such as eczema or psoriasis Vitamin or mineral deficiency, especially iron deficiency in women Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) HIV infection Hair shedding due to an illness such as COVID-19 typically improves three to six months after recovery. However, in the case of hormonal or nutritional imbalances, deficiencies, or medical conditions affecting the scalp, hair shedding is likely to continue if the underlying condition is not treated. Body Changes As with medical conditions, physical changes that stress the body, especially if they cause hormonal changes, can lead to excessive hair shedding. This usually happens a few months after the stressor occurs and stops when the body's hormone levels have readjusted. Bodily changes that can cause hair to fall out include: Childbirth Losing more than 20 pounds Hormonal changes from stopping or starting birth control pills Perimenopause and menopause Excessive hair shedding after childbirth is very common due to the hormonal changes a woman undergoes. It usually starts two months after giving birth, peaks four months after that, and stops when the body's hormones readjust, with the hair regaining its normal fullness in six to nine months. Psychological Changes Events that cause great emotional stress can cause hair to shed excessively, usually a few months after the stressful event. Examples include: Going through a divorce or breakupLosing a loved oneLosing a job or homeRecent surgeryRecent severe injury Excessive hair shedding can become long-term if you continue to experience high levels of stress for an extended period. Medication Excessive hair shedding is a side effect of some medications. Medications that may cause hair to fall out include: Oral retinoids (prescribed for acne) Warfarin and other blood thinners Birth control pills Beta-blockers Statins Depression medications Anti-thyroid drugs CGRP medications for migraine Anti-seizure drugs Never stop taking medications on your own. Always talk to a healthcare provider before discontinuing any medication. Excessive hair fallout from taking medication is usually temporary. Hair may stop shedding when you stop taking the medication. If you believe medications are causing your hair to fall out, talk to your healthcare provider about changing dosages or finding an alternative medication. Steps to Take to Initiate Treatment Talk to your healthcare provider if an abnormal amount of your hair is falling out. You may need to see a dermatologist (a doctor specializing in skin, hair, and nails) who can tell you whether you are experiencing hair shedding, hair loss, or both. If your hair is falling out more than normal, it's important to determine the cause; in some cases, you may need a blood test or other tests. Most of the time, no treatment is necessary, and your hair will return to its normal growth cycle. Summary An excessive amount of hair fallout is known as telogen effluvium. This can have many causes, including medical conditions, physical and psychological causes, and certain medications. In most cases, telogen effluvium is temporary and resolves without treatment. However, you may need to work with your healthcare provider to find and treat any underlying conditions that are causing your hair to fall out. 10 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. American Academy of Dermatology Association. Do you have hair loss or hair shedding? Malkud S. Telogen effluvium: A review. J Clin Diagn Res. 2015 Sep;9(9):WE01-3. doi:10.7860/JCDR/2015/15219.6492 NYU Langone Health. Types of hair loss. American Osteopathic College of Dermatology. Telogen effluvium hair loss. American Academy of Dermatology Association. Hair loss: who gets and causes. Nebraska Medicine. 7 strange symptoms of COVID-19 including rashes, COVID toes and hair loss. Harvard Health Publishing. Thinning hair in women: why it happens and what helps. MHR Clinic. How to reverse hair loss from medications – blood pressure. Robbins Headache Clinic. CGRP questions/answers. Brain and Life. How to deal with hair loss caused by medication. By Cathy Nelson Cathy Nelson has worked as a writer and editor covering health and wellness for more than two decades. Her work has appeared in print and online in numerous outlets, including the Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Medical Expert Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? 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