Dry hair, split ends, and hair fall continue to be some of the biggest hair concerns not just for women but also for men around the world. According to research, an average of 50 to 100 hair strands fall from a person’s scalp daily. If you think your hair fall is beyond normal or notice that your hair is no longer as thick and dense as it once was, you may be experiencing either hair loss or hair shedding.
If you notice that your hair is becoming thinner overall, it is first essential to determine what condition you have so that you can find the correct remedy. Although many people mistake hair loss and hair shedding for being the same, these two conditions are pretty different. For one, hair loss is more alarming than hair shedding and might require intervention. Read on to learn the key differences between hair loss and hair shedding.
Nature of the Conditions
The main distinction between hair loss and hair shedding lies in their nature. Hair loss, sometimes also known as anagen effluvium, is a condition in which a person’s hair has completely stopped growing. The loss usually occurs abruptly and involves hairs that are still in their growing phase (anagen). Most of the time, people experiencing hair loss will not see their hair grow back until the cause of their conditions stops.
On the other hand, hair shedding, sometimes also known as telogen effluvium, is a condition in which there is an increase to around 30% or more in the proportion of a person’s hairs during the shedding phase. According to studies, hair shedding is a regular aspect of the hair cycle. Each person has about 100,000 hair follicles on their head and loses an average of 50 to 100 hair strands daily. Any more than this amount is considered excessive hair shedding that can result in hair thinning.
Causes Behind the Conditions
Different factors cause hair loss and hair shedding. Hair loss occurs primarily due to external factors that prevent a person’s hair from growing. Some of the most common external factors that can lead to hair loss are nutritional imbalance, reaction to certain medicines or treatments, and regular hair styling with heat.
If you do not want to experience hair loss, you should maintain a healthy diet with essential nutrients like vitamins B3 and D, iron, and proteins. You should also avoid excessively exposing your hair to heat that causes hair dehydration. In some cases, hair loss can also be caused by hereditary. If you cannot find any evident reason for your hair loss, the composition of your genes might be responsible.
On the other hand, stress is the most common cause of hair shedding. Excessive hair shedding is likely to occur when your body undergoes some form of stress. This is because extreme stress increases the amount of androgen in a person’s body, which can cause your hair strands to fall out and turn your hair grey.
Aside from stress, age and hormonal imbalance are the other usual causes of excessive hair shedding. As you age, your hair naturally tends to become thinner and more susceptible to shedding. When the amount of androgen in your body increases, your hair cycle becomes shorter and more hair shedding takes place. Meanwhile, hormonal imbalance disrupts your hair’s growth cycle, leading to excessive shedding of the hair.
Likeliness of Hair Regrowth
As mentioned earlier, if you are experiencing hair loss, your hair will likely not grow back until the cause of your condition stops. On the other hand, because hair shedding is usually caused by stress, you can expect your hair’s growth cycle to pick back up once your stressor or trigger has been removed. Hence, for excessive shedding to stop, your body needs to readjust from the initial stressor or the cause behind the shedding.
Hair regrowth after hair shedding typically happens in just a couple of weeks. Meanwhile, it can take about one to three months before your hair can grow back after experiencing hair loss. In some extreme cases, hair loss can even lead to permanent alopecia. For this reason, it is crucial to seek medical attention immediately if you notice bald spots on your head with obviously thinner hair than usual.
Whether you are experiencing hair loss or hair shedding, it is necessary to avoid causing your hair any trauma, such as bleaching, dyeing, and heat styling. If you already have permanent alopecia, hair replacement in Singapore is one of the best solutions available. While your hair is still in the process of growing back, wearing a hair wig for men is a fantastic way to protect your natural hair and disguise any thin or bald spots.
Conclusion
Although hair loss and hair shedding both results in hair thinning, these conditions are quite different in nature, causes, and chances of hair regrowth. By learning more about hair loss and hair shedding, you can now better identify the best course of action to restore your hair’s healthy and luscious growth! Knowing your needs is very important in determining the right solution to your hair problem.
For the best hair replacement in Singapore to help you achieve the best-looking hair once again, Rehair Lab is the specialist you can trust! We offer quality hair pieces for men to help you deal with hair loss or excessive hair shedding. Do not hesitate to contact us for an appointment today!