Medi Tresse started the “Ask Dr. Wendel” series to address the questions that the staff and I most frequently hear from our patients. We meet every day with women who are wondering if their hair loss is “normal.” So, today’s question is, “What is considered ‘normal’ hair loss and when should I be worried?”

Everyday hair loss in women is, to a certain extent, absolutely normal. Everyone loses between 50 and 100 strands daily, depending on how much hair you have, your age, hormones, and your hair's natural growth cycle. Hair shedding is a natural bodily process experienced by every human being. It’s actually necessary to create space for new hair follicles to grow. Normally, there is a balance between the amount of hair that grows and the amount that falls out.

Hair loss is considered abnormal when a significantly greater amount of hair falls out than there is coming in. Losing more than 100 hairs per day is not a common occurrence and if you’re noticing a more visible scalp, mounds of hair in your shower drain, on your pillow or in your hands, it could be a sign of excessive hair loss. Still not sure? Use this test as your gauge: wrap your hand around a section of your hair (between your fingers) and slowly drag your fingers through the hair. A small amount of single hair strands should end up in your hands, but if there’s an excessive amount (say, more than 10 individual strands), that’s typically viewed as a lot and means you are losing more hair than you should be. If this is the case, you may want to start looking into hair loss treatment options.

The best solutions start with seeing a medical team specializing in female hair loss and rejuvenation. If you want to find out for sure about your possible hair loss, we welcome you to contact us for a private, confidential consultation with our empathetic all-female staff.

Posted by Mary Wendel, M.D.