Hair & Scalp
More hairs than usual entering the resting and shedding phases of the hair growth cycle.
Physician-led assessment · individualized care · Vancouver clinic
Understanding Increased Hair Shedding
It can be startling: a clump of hair in the shower drain, strands all over your pillow, or a brush that fills up faster than it ever used to. If your hair suddenly seems to be falling out, you're not alone, and there's often a clear, reassuring explanation.
Shedding usually reflects something that happened weeks or months ago, not today. In a common pattern called telogen effluvium, a stressor such as an illness or fever, surgery, childbirth, rapid weight loss, low iron, a thyroid change or a new medication pushes lots of hairs into their resting phase at the same time. A couple of months later, they all let go together, which is why the trigger is often forgotten by the time you notice. The encouraging part is that this kind of shedding is usually temporary, and hair tends to grow back once the trigger settles.
Causes and Contributing Factors
A common cause is telogen effluvium, in which a stressor pushes many hairs into the resting phase at once, so they shed together some weeks or months later. Triggers include high fever or illness, surgery, childbirth, significant emotional or physical stress, rapid weight loss or crash dieting, iron or other nutritional deficiencies, thyroid dysfunction and starting or stopping certain medications. Because the trigger often precedes the shedding, the cause is not always obvious at first.
Signs and Symptoms
Assessment
We'll go over when the shedding started and how much you're losing, along with any recent illness, surgery, childbirth, stress, diet or weight changes and medications. Your scalp is examined, and blood tests for things like thyroid function or iron levels may be suggested. Knowing whether this is temporary shedding or another type of hair loss shapes a plan for healthy regrowth around your health history, your goals, timing and budget.
Cosmetic consultations are complimentary.
Prevention and Ongoing Care
Gentle handling helps while your hair recovers. Use a mild cleanser and conditioner, detangle carefully, and give tight styles and high heat a rest. Regular meals with enough protein and iron support new growth, and good sleep and stress care help your whole body, hair included.
Our team can suggest hair and scalp products at your visit, and professional options are available in our online shop.
Treatment Options
These are some of the options connected to this concern. The appropriate plan depends on assessment, suitability, and your goals.
When shedding follows a clear trigger, it often settles on its own once that trigger passes, and care focuses on contributors like low iron, thyroid problems, nutrition or a medication effect. If you'd like to give regrowth extra support, our Hair Restoration program may include PRP, performed by our experienced physicians, or Alma TED, a needle-free scalp treatment delivered by our senior laser technicians under the medical direction of Dr. Gidon Frame.
If shedding is heavy, lasts a long time or the cause isn't clear, we'll look further to confirm what's going on.
For the fuller picture, explore the treatment pages above or discuss the options during a consultation.
Medical Assessment
Medical assessment is important if shedding is heavy, lasts longer than about six months, or is accompanied by scalp redness, scaling, itching, pain or areas of complete loss, which may indicate a different or scarring condition. Shedding with symptoms such as fatigue, weight change or menstrual changes also warrants evaluation, as does hair loss in children.
Frequently Asked Questions
Shedding triggered by a one-time event often improves over several months once the trigger passes, with regrowth following. If it continues beyond roughly six months or keeps getting heavier, it's worth booking an assessment to look for an ongoing cause.
When shedding is due to a temporary trigger and the follicles are healthy, hair commonly regrows over time, though the pace varies from person to person. Scalp symptoms or shedding that doesn't settle can point to another cause, which an assessment can sort out.
Correcting a genuine deficiency, such as low iron found on a blood test, can help. When levels are normal, supplements usually add little, and some can be harmful in excess, so it's best to have shedding assessed before starting any.
Physician Assessment
An assessment can help clarify what may be contributing, which options may be appropriate, and what a reasonable next step could look like for you.
Visit Our Clinic
Anti-Aging Medical & Laser Clinic combines medical assessment, individualized planning, physician oversight, and a broad range of treatment options in its Vancouver clinic.
Bring your questions, treatment history, and goals. Your provider can help you understand appropriate options, expected recovery, and realistic outcomes.
Make an Appointment
Use our consultation form below and the clinic can guide you toward the appropriate starting point.
