It is evident that the hair falls more in the autumn, but this should not be a cause for alarm since it is not due to any deficiency or problem. It is a completely normal process, which does not actually lead to hair loss, but rather to its renewal.
If the hair falls more in the fall, it is because this is part of the inheritance that we bring from the mammalian animals that we once were. In fact, all mammals lose some of their hair during this time of year . Once this stage is over, everything returns to normal.
The process by which hair falls out the most in autumn is called “seasonal fall” . It affects everyone, but usually those with long hair notice it more. There are those who are scared by this and buy vitamin supplements or tonics, but in reality it is not necessary, nor effective.
Hair loss
Regardless of the season we are in, all human beings, men and women, lose hair continuously . Under normal conditions, 12-15% of the hair we have is always being renewed. That leads to losing between 80 and 100 hairs per day.
It means that approximately in a period of 4 years we renew all our hair . However, there are times when the loss is greater. Hair usually falls out more in the fall, but it’s not uncommon for something similar to happen in the spring .
This process has only one exception, which is newborns . Babies initially have a kind of fluff that falls off completely at three to four months of age. Then the hair itself appears.
Why fall hair falls more
In principle, all mammals are evolutionarily conditioned to change their coats to face winter . Cold weather requires renewed hair to cope with low temperatures. This is the first reason why hair falls out more in the fall.
Likewise, hair loss is due to its natural physiological renewal, associated with the seasonal factor . Generally hair dies in spring, but it takes up to three months to fall and this coincides with autumn. So at that stage there is a peak in the fall.
On the other hand, the variation of light and the number of hours of sunlight influence hair loss . These factors cause a variation in the secretion of melatonin and prolactin. The consequence is a change in the telogen effluvium of the hair that leads to its fall.
Myths and truths
There is a whole set of myths about hair loss during fall. It is said, for example, that it affects women more than men, which is not true . What happens is that women tend to have longer hair and therefore notice more variations.
It is also said that you have to brush the hair softer to avoid the fall or that it stops if you do not make tight hairstyles. Both statements are false since the hair that falls out is practically loose. Hair that is not in the process of falling out has a root half an inch below the scalp and it is very difficult to pull it out.
There are also those who claim that taking a vitamin supplement prevents hair loss from occurring in the fall. This is also false, since this process is not due to a deficiency, but to a completely natural physiological change.
When to worry
Although we are talking about seasonal hair loss, it is not really a loss, but a renewal. Hair lost in the fall reappears after three or four months, without the need for any treatment or routine. If a hair falls out it is because there is another one pushing to get out.
It is best to wash your hair frequently and brush it daily . In this way, the hair will fall out little by little. If you brush only once in a while, there will be loose hair build-up and make it look like you have fallen out more than usual.
Hair loss in the fall should only cause concern if the fall is found to be extreme . Also when once the season ends, a habitual loss continues to occur. In these cases, it is best to go to the dermatologist to evaluate the situation.
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