Your Facts About Hair and big Hair Loss

An average adult has about 80,000 to 100,000 head hairs.  Blonds have the highest number while those that have brunette and black hair have the smaller.  The number, curl or straightness, thickness, color, depend fundamentally on heredity.  


Problems relating to hormones may also cause hair loss. An overactive or under-active thyroid gland may cause hair to fall out. This can usually be controlled by treating the thyroid disease with medication. Hair loss can also be caused by male or female hormones (androgens and estrogens) which become out of balance. The hair loss can be controlled by treating the imbalance.

At any given time, approximately 10% of the hair in the scalp is in a resting phrase. Two to three months later the resting hair will fall out and new hair will begin growing in its place. This growing phase can last between two to six years. During this phrase, each hair strand grows on average one centimetre per month. Ninety percent of the hair on the scalp is growing at any given time.

So, how long does any individual scalp hair last?  In general, about four years.  This translates into, based on having approx. 80,000 to 100,000 hairs, about 50-100 hairs are falling out daily and the same number is coming in.  But naturally, we only notice those falling out but not those new hairs coming in this cycle. It is important to know that such a replacement exists, so we don't worry when we see this natural rate of hair fall, which may vary according to the season and age of the person.

Some people however may lose hair at a higher than normal rate. This can affect men, women and children at any stage in their life.

There are a number of factors that can cause excessive hair loss. Some people may suddenly lose considerable amounts of their hair approximately three to four months following surgery. This is usually due to the stress of their illness and is usually only temporary. However it can be upsetting and unsettling for the person involved.