Hair Loss vs. Hair Shedding: What’s the Difference?

Finding extra hair on your pillow or in the shower drain can be alarming, but not all hair that falls out means you’re actually losing your hair. 

At Vivida Dermatology, with locations in Las Vegas and Henderson, Nevada, and St. George, Utah, our board-certified dermatologists help patients understand the difference between normal hair shedding and actual hair loss so you can get the right treatment when you need it.

Understanding normal hair shedding

Everyone sheds hair every single day as part of the natural hair growth cycle. Your hair follicles go through phases of growth, rest, and shedding in a continuous pattern throughout your life.

Most people lose between 50 and 100 hairs daily without even noticing. This shedding happens because hair follicles need to release old strands to make room for new growth. You might see more hair in your brush or shower, but this can easily just be the stage of hair growth you’re currently experiencing.

The hair growth cycle has three main phases that each hair follicle moves through continuously:

Anagen phase

This is the active growth phase where your hair grows. It can last for several years, and it’s the cycle most of your hair is in at any given time.

Catagen phase

This brief transition period lasts only a few weeks. Your hair follicle shrinks and detaches from the blood supply, preparing to rest.

Telogen phase

Hair rests in this phase before naturally falling out to restart the cycle. New hair begins growing underneath, which eventually pushes out the old strand.

What hair loss actually means

Hair loss differs from shedding because your hair doesn’t grow back at the same rate it falls out, or it stops growing back entirely. This condition can affect small patches of your scalp or cause widespread thinning across your entire head.

Types of hair loss

Several conditions can cause genuine hair loss rather than temporary shedding, such as:

Androgenetic alopecia

Commonly called pattern baldness, this is the most common form of permanent hair loss. Men typically develop a receding hairline and thinning at the crown, while women usually experience overall thinning across the top of the scalp. 

Alopecia areata

This condition causes round patches of complete hair loss on the scalp or other areas of the body. This autoimmune condition occurs when your immune system mistakenly attacks hair follicles. 

Telogen effluvium

This condition triggers excessive shedding across your entire scalp after a stressful event or major change to your body. Triggers can include childbirth, surgery, severe illness, rapid weight loss, or extreme emotional stress. 

How to tell the difference between hair shedding and loss

Tracking your hair over time gives you the clearest picture of what’s happening. Take photos of your scalp every few months to document any changes in density or pattern.

Key signs that point to hair loss rather than normal shedding include:

• Widening part lines or visible scalp where you couldn’t see it before
• Receding hairline at the temples or forehead
• Round bald patches appearing suddenly
• Losing clumps of hair
• Hair that doesn’t grow back after falling out
• Thinning that affects specific areas rather than your whole head

Normal shedding tends to be evenly distributed across your scalp and doesn’t create bald spots or noticeably thinner areas. If you can pull out several hairs easily by running your fingers through your hair, that suggests a problem beyond typical shedding.

Hair restoration options for thicker, fuller hair

Our dermatologists offer multiple approaches to treating hair loss based on the specific type and cause affecting you. We customize each treatment plan to your individual situation and goals.

Popular hair restoration treatments we offer include:

• Topical solutions
• Oral medications
• Injectable treatments
• Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy

Follicular unit extraction (FUE) involves removing individual hair follicles from donor areas and transplanting them to thinning or bald sections. The method leaves minimal scarring and can create natural-looking results for people with pattern baldness. 

Get answers about your hair at Vivida Dermatology

Our board-certified dermatologists in Las Vegas and Henderson, Nevada, and St. George, Utah, can evaluate your hair and scalp to determine whether you’re experiencing normal shedding or actual hair loss. We explain what’s happening and discuss treatment options that fit your situation. Call us or book an appointment online to get started.