50% of women and 80% of men will experience some form of hair loss or hair thinning in their lifetime. Although aging exacerbates it, simply getting older doesn’t mean you’ll suffer from thinning hair.
Thinning hair can also be a symptom of nutrient deficiency, a side effect of medication, a sign of stress, a hormone imbalance, or part of an obsessive-compulsive disorder known as trichotillomania.
Signs of thinning hair shouldn’t be ignored. While losing some hair is normal, especially in the autumn due to the cycle of hair growth, it can also be indicative of a health problem that needs your attention.
In this article, we’ll go over some of the signs that your hair is thinning and when you may wish to take action to prevent further hair loss.
Read on for more information.
1. You’re Shedding More Than You Normally Do
Some people shed quite a lot of hair, and it is totally normal for them. Only you know what that looks like for you. But if you’re starting to shed more than you know you do on a daily basis, this may be a sign that your hair is thinning.
If when you brush your hair you notice clumps are coming out, or you can’t run your hand through your hair without several strands coming out at once, this may be a sign your hair is thinning.
You can also tell if you’re shedding more than you normally do by the amount of hair that might get stuck on your clothing or the hair that’s on your brush or comb. Most people have a few hairs on their brush or comb once they finish a brushing session, but if you have clumps or a lot more than usual, it may be time to be concerned.
2. Your Scalp Is Showing
If your scalp has never really shown before and you’re starting to see it underneath your hair, or you have bald patches you didn’t have before, this is definitely a sign of thinning hair.
Your scalp showing may not be incredibly apparent at first. For most people, they don’t just look in the mirror and notice they see more of their scalp. Often, this happens by accident, or while you’re styling your hair as it may not be in an apparent location.
For instance, you may have hair thinning on a particular side of your head you don’t see often because of the way you part your hair. Or, you may have thinning hair on the back of your head, which we can’t see without a second mirror.
3. Your Hairline is Receding
A receding hairline can happen to both men and women and is more common in women than most people think. Women often have receding hairlines due to over-styling or wearing styles that pull at their hair at the root. Wearing your hair up and pulled back tightly, or in braids, can cause your hair to start thinning at the front of your hairline.
Wearing your hair like this every so often is not an issue, but if it becomes a habit, it can cause permanent damage to your hair.
A receding hairline may take a while to notice. You may not see that your hairline has moved further back right away, and is usually something that happens over time. As such, if you suspect your hairline is receding, it is a good idea to compare pictures of yourself previously, as well as to keep an eye on your hairline in general. If you think your hairline is receding rapidly, you may wish to take photos each week to see how quickly it is thinning.
4. Your Ponytail Is Thinner
Have you noticed that you need to wrap your hair tie around your ponytail more than you used to? Do you now need an extra wrap, or even two? If so this is a tell-tale sign that your hair is thinning. As your hair thins, the volume gets much smaller, so you’ll need to start using more and more of the hair tie to keep it back.
You may also notice that your buns are smaller, or that you need fewer bobby pins to secure a bun in place.
What Can You Do About Thinning Hair?
Luckily, there is help with hair loss. If you’re concerned the matter is related to your health, you should plan a visit to your doctor who may order a full blood panel. This way, you may be able to tell if the hair loss is related to a deficiency, hormones, or a symptom of another illness. If you take medication, thinning hair may also be an unfortunate side effect.
While you’re waiting to figure out the cause of your thinning hair, or if the cause is unknown, there are a few things you can do to help stave off hair loss and thinning.
In order to have long luscious locks, you should prioritize eating a healthy balanced diet with plenty of vitamins and minerals. You should also let your hair “rest” as much as possible. This means that instead of using heat tools, let it dry naturally as much as possible. You should also avoid wearing styles that pull your hair from your hairline and keep it as loose as possible.
Don’t Ignore Signs of Thinning Hair
It is important that you take signs of thinning hair seriously, as it can be a clue that something more is going on in your body. For some people, however, it is an inevitable fact of getting older, especially if it is hereditary.
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