Almost everyone who comes in worried about hair fall asks the same question: is this normal? Usually the honest answer is yes - but not always, and knowing the difference matters.
What normal looks like
Shedding 50 to 100 hairs a day is expected. Hair grows in cycles, and a portion of your scalp is always in the resting phase. Seeing hair in the shower drain or on the pillow is not, by itself, a warning sign.
When to take it seriously
- Hair coming out in clumps rather than strands
- A visibly widening parting or thinning at the crown
- A receding hairline
- Patches of complete hair loss
- Shedding that continues for more than three months
The most common causes we see
- Iron deficiency, especially in women. This is the single most common reversible cause.
- Thyroid problems, both underactive and overactive.
- Telogen effluvium - a heavy shed two to three months after a fever, surgery, childbirth, crash dieting or a period of severe stress. It resolves on its own.
- Genetic pattern hair loss, which needs ongoing treatment rather than a one-off fix.
- Traction from tight hairstyles worn daily.
What to do first
Before buying anything, ask your doctor for a blood test covering iron, ferritin, vitamin D and thyroid function. Treating a deficiency is far more effective than any serum if a deficiency is what is driving the shedding.
What helps alongside that
- A scalp serum used daily and consistently - results take six to eight weeks minimum
- Enough protein and iron in your diet
- Loosening tight hairstyles
- Being patient. Hair regrows slowly, roughly one centimetre a month.
If the shedding is sudden, patchy or rapid, see a dermatologist rather than starting a product.