How To Deal With Seasonal Shedding — A Hair Expert Explains

As a celebrity hairstylist, one of the biggest topics I hear about when I style hair this time of year is hair loss and shedding. I have my own experience with hair loss due to health issues I experienced in the past, which prompted my hair healing journey and a drive to help others start theirs too.

Hair loss can come from many different sources, but one of the biggest and most common is seasonal shedding. I like having these conversations with my clients to shed a little light on the topic of how the seasons affect our hair growth—it normalizes everything. In the summer months, hair tends to grow more because the sun is stronger and brighter. We don't think about it often, but one of the main purposes of hair is to shield our scalps and heads from the strong rays of the sun. This is why our hair is the most full and healthy in the summertime!

Usually in cooler months, the shedding occurs. People become concerned because they expect it to happen in the summertime but start to see more hair in their showers and drains and on furniture, floors, and bed pillows late in the summer or early in the fall. Plus, it can be stressful to wake up to a pillow of loose hair or a shower full of clumps when you don't know what's normal and what's not.

This is something I encourage people to do all year long, not just shedding season. Taking the time to care for ourselves is so important in these times. We are all too busy, overwhelmed, and overbooked to slow down. However, if we can find a way to slow down and take the time to really nurture ourselves, this can be helpful not only for our hair health but our overall health!

Breathe; try to find a way to relieve all of the stress that you're holding. Remember, unless there is an underlying hormonal issue, when your hair starts to shed, it is a natural cycle. If you notice that you're shedding a little more than normal in the summertime, or it has ramped up since last year, visit your doctor to get it checked. Our hair communicates with us, just like our skin.

Relaxation techniques will help regardless of whether your shedding is seasonal or symptomatic. Try some breathwork, meditating, or slowing down enough to do a healing hair ritual. In the long run, alleviating stress can prevent hair loss and help keep your energy in balance.