Why does my hair fall out so much in the shower?

Our hair is considered our crowning glory for a reason – it completes and accentuates our physical appearance. If you will try to compare your looks with and without your hair, you will definitely see a difference and most probably, you will opt to keep your crowning glory than be bald. This fear of losing our hair makes hair fall an issue for most men and women. While it is normal to shed strands of hair regularly, losing so much in a fast-paced manner could be worrying for most people. Not only does it signify a chance to be bald but it can also be a manifestation of an underlying medical condition. In this article, we will share some of the main reasons why your hair might be falling out so much.

Two types of hair loss

Before we deal with its main trigger, let us first familiarize ourselves with the two types of hair loss – genetic and reactive. The reason why you are losing your hair could be related to your genes or to a reaction of your body to certain triggers whether they are internal or external. A trichologist and hair loss expert, Anabel Kingsley, mentioned that people who are genetically predisposed to hair thinning the gradual shrinking and decreasing volume of their hair every growth cycle. Meanwhile, reactive hair loss is characterized by a more excessive daily hair shedding which can be triggered by various factors.

Trigger #1: Hormonal Imbalance

The reason why our body produces hormones is to maintain balance within our system. However, when the production of these hormones are too much or not enough, the imbalance may manifest throughout our body including our hair. This is because they play a huge role in regulating the hair growth cycle. Female hormones help keep hair in its growth phase while male hormones can shorten the hair growth cycle.

Trigger #2: Stress

Stress can raise levels of male hormones which causes hair loss. In the same manner, it triggers scalp problems and disrupts processes in our body which can negatively affect the hair growth cycle.

Trigger #3 Iron Deficiency

People who are anemic or have iron deficiency, especially women, are more prone to hair loss according to experts. This is because iron plays a huge role in the production of hair cell proteins.

Trigger #4 Hypothyroidism and Hyperthyroidism

Imbalances in our thyroid gland affect the production of proteins in our body. This includes the proteins needed for hair growth and regeneration.

Trigger #5 Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Another vitamin essential in regulating the processes in our body that affects hair growth is Vitamin B12. People lacking this may experience hair loss, especially vegans since B12 primarily comes from animal proteins.

Trigger #6 Age

Last but probably the most common reason behind hair thinning or hair loss is aging. As people age, especially women undergoing menopause, the changes in our body manifest in certain parts including our hair. The thinning of our hair comes with the process of aging.

There are various reasons why we may be experiencing hair loss. The trigger behind yours may be different from that of others. It is important to be aware of the changes in our bodies so we can track down the triggers behind the issues we are dealing with. In that way, we can also determine what steps to take in order to manage them. If you are dealing with other hair problems, you can check out this article or learn more about hair care here.