Why does hair fall out?

Hair falls out daily, and this shedding is completely normal . It's part of the hair's life cycle, an asynchronous life cycle that varies in length depending on the location. This asynchronous cycle ensures that the follicles are not all in the same phase, ensuring that we always have hair.

This physiological hair loss, as we'll see later, has a seasonal component, being more pronounced in spring and autumn . It's called seasonal hair loss or seasonal effluvium. It lasts for a short period and doesn't lead to baldness; it's reversible, and the hair grows back.

Effluvium : sudden, reversible hair loss.

Now, in addition to physiological hair loss, there are several reasons that can cause abnormal hair loss.

Factors that can cause hair loss

Hormonal changes, hereditary factors, technical processes, medications, immunity problems, physical and emotional stress, nutritional deficiencies, aging, inadequate habits, technical processes .

All of these factors lead more quickly to the fall phase and can occur simultaneously.

If you're currently experiencing hair loss, I invite you to read this post where we answer some of the questions you've been asking us at this time of year.

Why does our hair fall out? Why does it worsen in the fall?

To understand why our hair loss occurs, we must understand that hair has a life cycle consisting of three phases: anagen or growth phase; catagen or transition phase, during which growth stops; and telogen or resting phase, after which hair loss occurs. After a few months, the follicle reactivates, and the cycle repeats.

Hair cycles continue indefinitely throughout our lives, and can occur up to 25 times. Once the hair cycles are complete, the hair follicle will no longer be able to generate more hair, which is why we always recommend extending hair cycles.

Normally, almost all hairs are in the growth phase, and up to 100 hairs are lost per day . However, genetic predisposition, hormonal imbalances, poor diet, stress, lack of sleep, seasonality (fall and spring), and pollution can trigger alterations in each phase, worsening hair loss and even affecting the hair structure.

Remember that seasonal hair loss or shedding begins abruptly; the hair we see falling out is long and normal, with barely noticeable loss of density and is reversible.

When hair loss has a hormonal component, it's different. In this type of hair loss, you do notice less density, you can see more affected areas, and you may even notice itching.

When should we worry?

It's true that hair loss is often attributed to stress, poor diet, autumn..., but since hair has a large emotional component, we worry about it.

If you're worried about hair loss, you should address it from day one. Try to adjust your lifestyle, given that many external factors impact our hair daily.

If this hair loss resolves in 3-4 weeks, you shouldn't be concerned; it's seasonal and physiological. However, if this hair loss persists, we do recommend seeing a specialist or trichologist, as personalized medical treatments are the ones that truly work to prevent hair loss, and early diagnosis is essential.

What vitamins or dietary routine should we follow?

I always recommend accompanying your hair care routine with a balanced diet that incorporates vitamins like B5 and B6, vitamin D, minerals, copper, zinc, selenium, amino acids like cystine, and antioxidants like glutathione, as these are the nutrients that most promote hair health. And to achieve this, what better example than the Mediterranean Diet.

The Mediterranean diet is a very suitable eating pattern for caring for our skin and hair, and is also affordable for the family unit. The advantage of this diet is that it takes into account the quality of the foods included in the diet, moderate portion sizes, weight maintenance, proper hydration, and also regular exercise, plenty of rest, and good stress management.

Yes, you read that right: regular exercise, good rest, and good stress management all influence the quality of your skin and hair.

What foods should not be missing from your table?

Grains and vegetables form the basis of this diet, with fruits and preferably fermented dairy products twice a day, and meat and fish several times a week. Olive oil is also used as a cooking fat.

Eggs, meat, and dairy products are sources of cystine, a component of keratin.
Pumpkin, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, walnuts, potatoes... are seasonal foods in autumn that are rich in glutathione, a powerful antioxidant highly recommended for hair health.
Fish, egg yolk, and yogurt are foods rich in vitamin B5, or pantothenic acid, which nourishes hair and promotes its growth.
Citrus fruits, sources of vitamin C that promote collagen formation
Legumes are a source of copper and zinc.

Taking a dietary supplement for a few months can help normalize excessive hair loss and promote hair health if there are deficiencies in specific hair nutrients, but it never replaces a varied and balanced diet.

What cosmetic products can we use to control hair loss?

As we mentioned earlier, it is necessary to identify the cause of hair loss and take appropriate action in each case.

Treating chronic hair loss, such as androgenetic alopecia, where there is damage to the hair follicle root, is not the same as treating telogen effluvium, where there is no damage to the hair follicle root. Each condition affecting the hair and scalp must be treated individually, and this is how treatments work.

When it comes to cosmetic products for hair loss, at Modesta Cassinello we always say that they cannot prevent hair from falling out, but they can:

The hair follicle environment is in the best conditions for the hair to grow in the best conditions
The hair fiber shows the cosmetic attributes that we always like to observe: softness, shine, manageability .
Prescribed pharmacological treatments are enhanced .

Anything else you'd like to know about the crash? We're listening!