Recently I heard from someone who said that her excessive and worrisome hair shedding had been going on for about a month and a half. Not only was the shedding very bad, but it had seemed to change her hair’s texture and she felt that her hair was thinning out. However, when she had this checked out, she was told that the hair loss was probably “just normal hair shedding.”

She really didn’t buy this. She asked, in part: “is there any such thing as normal hair shedding? It’s not really normal to have hair all over my clothes and falling out all over the place, is it? I could see not being concerned if this happened for a few days, but I’m not going on a few months. How long does this have to go on before someone will take it seriously?”

Is It Ever Normal For Your Hair To Shed Excessively? There are times when a bit of seasonal shedding may not be anything to worry about. At certain times during the year, it can be typical to lose more hair. But this usually ends on it’s own relatively quickly. And it’s usually just a little additional hair. Sometimes, you may have a little reaction to new hair loss products or regimens, but usually this shedding will stop once you remove the offending product.

And there are hair loss conditions that cause shedding (like telogen effluvium) that sometimes end on their own without the need for extensive treatment. But, if this condition goes on for too long, it can sometimes turn into chronic telogen effluvium (CTE) where the hair loss and shedding can go on for much longer and can sometimes require treatment to remove the trigger that is causing the shedding in the first place.

What If I Know That My Hair Shedding Isn’t Normal? Sometimes, I’ll have people who tell me that they know their hair loss and shedding isn’t normal for them. In short, they just know that something is wrong. I often hear comments like “I’ve had seasonal shedding before and I know that this is different. There’s much more hair coming out and this is lasting for a much longer time than is typical. I’m very concerned about this but no one is listening.”

I truly feel that most people know what type of loss is normal for them. If this is the case for you, you’ll sometimes need to continue to take the initiative and continue searching for answers. I know that this can get very frustrating and discouraging. But if you know that your shedding is excessive for you and is effecting your hair volume, it makes sense to look at some of the external causes like AGA (androgenic alopecia,) autoimmune disorders, hormonal issues, medical concerns, or issues of the scalp and skin. And if your specialist isn’t listening, you may have to find a new one.

While you’re looking for answers, you can be gentle with your hair, keep your scalp clean (not washing your hair or washing it less really doesn’t spare you any shed hairs,) stimulate your scalp to ensure prompt and healthy regrowth, and cut down on inflammation of the scalp and hair follicles as best as you can.