Taking a shower and clumps of hair gets tangled in your hands or stick to every part of your body can be more than enough to ruin your day and send you into a stress frenzy about going bold. A few hours later and you are having a full blown panic attack because Google said you have cancer or one or other fatal illness. Just breathe and relax… it could as simple as seasonal hair loss. Yes, it is actually a thing.
Let’s have a quick look at the life cycle of hair…
It’s divided into three phases:
Anagen (growth) phase: Average hair growth is about 1cm per month, a bit faster in summer. This phase lasts about 2 to 6 years.
Catagen (intermediate) phase: This is a short transitional phase at the end of the growth phase that lasts approximately 10 days.
Telogen (resting/end) phase: This is the resting phase where the hair shaft is released and falls out. We shed about 50 to 100 hairs per day. The hair follicle remains inactive for 3 months and the entire process is repeated. Each hair follicle goes through the growth phase at different times… thank goodness, otherwise we would’ve been bold for a few months!
Scientific studies have found that hair loss is higher in summer and late fall. Funny enough, people search for “Hair loss” on Google more in the summer, confirming that the science is aligned to actual experiences.
So why is it that we experience more hair loss during summer?
Some researchers suggested that hair (and fur) provides warmth, which is not necessary during summer months. So, it’s possible that humans evolved to grow more hair throughout the winter, when it can act as a “blanket” against the miserable cold, and shed it in the summer when we don’t need it anymore.
So, losing more hair during a specific season is pretty normal. There are certain stressors that have an impact on hair loss (like giving birth, losing large amounts of weight, undergoing surgery, having thyroid problems and so on). If you are experiencing abnormal hair loss it is always recommended to go see a doctor.