What is Seasonal Hair Loss and How to Stop it?

If you're a pet owner, you may be used to seeing the amount of pet hair on the furniture increase as the weather warms up. But what about human hair? Do humans also shed their "coats," so to speak, during the summer?

Yes, actually, we do, and at other points during the year, too. Seasonal hair loss is a real thing, and the good news is that it's a totally normal phenomenon. Generally, seasonal hair loss isn’t cause for concern.

How Long Does Seasonal Hair Loss Last?

As the name implies, seasonal hair loss is seasonal or temporary, generally lasting for a few weeks, though some people may experience it for a couple of months. If you feel like your seasonal hair loss has gone on longer than that or has become more severe, reach out to your healthcare provider.

Is Seasonal Hair Loss a Myth or Reality?

Yes, seasonal hair loss is a real thing, but it varies from person to person, both in terms of timing and severity. Most people experience seasonal hair loss in conjunction with the warmer months, with shedding peaking in the late summer or early fall, though some people can also experience a peak in the early spring.

How Common is Seasonal Hair Loss?

There's no exact figure for how many people experience seasonal hair loss, as some people may not even notice it's happening even when they're experiencing it. That being said, there's good reason to believe that seasonal shedding is incredibly common in all mammals, including humans, thanks to a natural event called seasonal telogen effluvium.

Recognizing Seasonal Hair Shedding

For most people, seasonal hair shedding is nothing more than some extra hair strands to pull from the shower drain.

Seasonal hair shedding also isn’t necessarily a sign that you don't have healthy hair growth, especially if it doesn't coincide with hair thinning, dry or brittle hair, or scalp dryness. Even healthy women experience excessive shedding at times. As always, though, you know your body best. If you feel like your shedding phase has come on suddenly, is leaving noticeable spots or patches on your scalp, or has lasted more than a couple of months, reach out to your healthcare provider. They'll dig deeper into your hair loss conditions to pinpoint what's happening and how you can manage it.

Key Factors Contributing to Seasolp of dietary changes and hair-supporting supplements.

What is Seasonal Hair Loss?

Seasonal hair loss is a type of hair loss that typically aligns with the changing of seasons (think: spring to summer, fall to winter, etc). Unlike other types of hair loss, seasonal hair loss isn’t permanent, and for most people, it isn't even a noticeable loss of hair. It's more like excessive hair shedding.

To understand why seasonal hair loss happens, you need to first understand how you grow a head of hair in the first place. Hair grows in 3 phases: the anagen phase or growth cycle, the catagen which is the transition phase , and the telogen-resetting phase where the hair no longer grows. This is where the hair sheds. Once the hair sheds, it starts over in the anagen(growth phase).

Typically, people lose about 50-100 hairs every day, but when your hair growth cycle is in the final catagen phase, you'll notice an increase in shedding. Certain environmental factors can also affect your hair cycles. These environmental factors include weather changes, which is why you may notice more shedding of hair at certain times of the yeanal Hair Loss

Seasonal hair loss is not only due to the season (spring season or winter season) or temperature (hot weather or cold weather). It's also brought on by lifestyle changes associated with different times of the year and how these lifestyle changes affect hair growth cycles.

These include:

Hormonal fluctuations. As the year marches on and there's less and less sunlight, our bodies produce more melatonin. These hormonal fluctuations don't just affect our mood; they also affect our hair growth cycles, leading to more hair shedding.
Dietary changes. Let's face it, no matter how healthy you normally eat, there are probably times of year when you let things slide a little bit. That could be during the summer, when you're on vacation or enjoying barbecues at home, or it could be during the winter holidays. If your hair isn't getting the essential nutrients it needs, it can make your hair dry, brittle, and prone to shedding.
Stress. Stress can impact every aspect of your health, including your hair health, and there are certain times of the year that may induce more stress than others. For some people, the highest stress time of the year is the back-to-school season, while for others, it's the festive season or the end of the fiscal year at work.
Seasonal activities. For many people, summertime and warmer weather = swimming. And while we aren't telling you to not enjoy your favorite activities, you also need to be mindful of how these can impact your hair so you can keep your hair healthy. Swimming, especially in pools with chlorine, can strip your hair of its natural oil, leaving it more prone to breaking and shedding. If you’re mindful of this, though, you can counteract the effects by making changes to your hair care routine.

Diet and Seasonal Hair Loss

A good diet full of delicious, nutrient-rich foods is about more than weight management; it's about keeping your body and all its systems — including your hair — healthy.

If you're experiencing seasonal hair shedding, consider how your diet may be impacting its timing. If you’ve been eating too much or too little of certain types of food, you may be experiencing vitamin deficiencies that can be affecting your hair cells.

The best foods for hair health include:

Those high in protein and biotin, like eggs and lean meats.
Those high in antioxidants, like berries.
Those high in iron and folate, like leafy greens
Those high in omega-3 fatty acids, like fish.
Those high in zinc and healthy fats, like nuts.
Those high in Vitamin A/beta-carotene, like sweet potatoes.

If you can’t get these essential nutrients through diet and whole foods alone, consider taking a daily supplement that will ensure your hair gets what it needs to stay healthy.

Allergies and Seasonal Hair Loss

Many people experience an uptick in hair shedding around April or May. If you're one of those people and also experience seasonal allergies, the two may be connected, especially if your seasonal allergies are severe.

With severe seasonal allergies, your body may actually stop producing new hair and the existing hair can become weak and more prone to breaking. Luckily, this isn’t long-term hair loss, and controlling your allergies often helps to diffuse hair loss.

Preventative Measures Against Seasonal Hair Loss

Preventing excessive shedding and seasonal hair loss often doesn't involve the need for any kind of medical intervention. Often, lifestyle changes and home treatments are all you need to make a difference. These include:

1) Eating a balanced diet. Focus on foods rich in protein, biotin, and fatty acids. If needed, turn to supplements that can ensure you get these essential nutrients every day.

2) Avoid certain hairstyles. Tight hairstyles, like tight ponytails or buns, pull on your hair strands, making them more prone to breaking and shedding. Opt for looser hairstyles or simply wear your hair down. If you do wear your hair down, avoid heat styling with hair dryers and hair straighteners as much as possible to prevent brittle, dry hair. If you can't avoid heat styling, be sure to use hydrating shampoo and nourishing conditioner to keep your hair strong.

3) Drink lots of water. Hydration is great for healthy hair, skin, and nails. Aim for 8-10 glasses of water a day.

4) Treat your scalp. Healthy hair growth starts with healthy roots. And healthy roots start at the scalp. There are many luxurious scalp scrubs and hair masks on the market that can offer a deep conditioning treatment, should you want to give yourself a spa day at home, but even a simple scalp massage can help to stimulate blood circulation and overall blood flow to the area, which can keep hair fibers strong and ward off seasonal shedding.

Wellbel & Seasonal Hair Loss

Wellbel helps every person of every age, gender, and hair type achieve and maintain better hair health through doctor-formulated supplements that support gorgeous hair, skin, and nails.

Every one of our hair-friendly ingredients is rooted in science and real clinical data, including biotin, folate, and Vitamin A. These high-quality ingredients are also free from GMOs and vegan-friendly, so you can feel good about what you're putting in your body.

Whether you need some extra support in the winter months, need to protect your hair from summer sun, or just want to enjoy vibrant hair year-round, our supplements can help. Check out our special formulas for both women and men and hear real testimonials from our hair community.