Hundreds of Hairs Down the Drain with Each Shower!

(male) I am currently experiencing significant hair loss. Whenever I VERY lightly pull on a small section of hair (1/2 inch area) on the top, back and sides of my head, 1-5 hairs come out without fail! Is this normal for someone who is balding, because I am not washing my hair regularly due to the excess amount of hairs that will come out on my hands. Normally, if I lightly wash my hair, being as gentle as possible, literally 40-75 hairs will come out on my hands! By the end of the shower, there will be hundreds of hairs lining the bathtub. Please let me know if this is normal, and if not, any causes for this terrible situation.

I will sympathize that you are noticing hair loss, but a normal amount of hair you should lose is around 100-150 a day. Do you have product in your hair that is trapping the loose hairs, which are then released during a shower? I really do not know what to tell you based on your description, but it’s possible that you may be balding and this may be an early sign of genetic hair loss. I don’t want to get you too worried about it yet, as I’m just making guesses based on a few sentences you wrote. I’d need to examine your scalp to see what’s what.

Is there a pattern as to where the hairs are falling from? In other words, do you lose hair on top of the head but not on the sides or back? This would point more to genetic balding. If you are worried I would consider seeing a doctor for a better diagnosis and a miniaturization study. I believe you indicated you’re nearby my office in Los Angeles, and if so, you can call my office 310-553-9113 to setup a free consultation.