You know that panic when you’re scrubbing away at your hair in the shower and go to run your hands through it, just like in the adverts, and suddenly clumps of hair stick to your hands.
The end of summer and sun is bad enough, but autumn’s return has another drawback and that’s hair shedding. Just as the leaves start to fall you may start to notice more hair fall than normal, but don't stress, it's completely normal. read on to find out how to help your hair recover quicker.
There are a few reasons that your hair starts shedding much faster in the last few months of the year. Seasonal hair loss is something that most people go through and there are ways to manage it.
Why does autumn hair loss happen?
Your hair goes through a predictable growth cycle, so there are bound to be times where your hair is growing slower or less. On a regular day, 90% of your hair follicles are in the Anagen Phase, (the active growth phase) and about 10% in the Telogenic Phase, the resting phase. During this resting stage is when people shed their fully-grown hair to make room for new growth. The average person will shed between 50 and 100 hairs each day, but it goes mostly unnoticed. It’s usually only visible when you brush your hair, and there may be a few strands on your brush, pillow or towel.
However, when the leaves on the trees start to change, so does your hair growth cycle. During Autumn, the scalp begins to shed hair at a much quicker rate. Look at it as leftover hair from the summer. During the summer months, our body produces extra hair to protect the scalp from UV rays and heat. When the weather cools down and the sun becomes less intense, all that protection isn’t needed so it falls out.
There are also less hours of daylight and so the body makes a hormonal response to this. Simply, the longer the daylight hours, the easier the follicle is triggered to enter the active growth phase.
Finally, from the wear and tear your hair gets from taking hats and beanies on and off and blow drying to avoid catching a cold in the colder months, your hair is bound to be a little more sensitive.
Ways to minimise the fall out
Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
It is always great idea to make an extra effort to keep your hair moisturised and hydrated in the last few months of the year. Using a deep conditioning mask once a week can really help ensure that your hair is feeling soft and therefore not brittle or prone to breakage. Our Daily Calma Conditioner doubles as a moisturising hair mask by leaving it in the hair, allowing it to deeply penetrate each hair fibre for a few hours before rinsing. While the conditioner sinks in, breathe deep and enjoy a moment of calm to help you feel more CENTRED.
Avoid hot showers
Overly hot showers may exacerbate the autumn hair shedding process. Hot water can damage the scalp, causing dryness and potentially inflammation and in turn could lead to thinning and hair loss. Hot showers can also remove necessary oils from the scalp and hair that protect them from damage. In particular, soft keratin cells become easily damaged by heat. Alternatively, a cold shower can improve blood circulation, the body supplies the hair follicles with more oxygen and nutrients, making hair stronger and shinier.
Stimulating the scalp
Our En Root Scalp Treatment is a great way to get your activate your hair as it stimulates hair follicles to help maximise healthy hair growth. Pair this with a good scalp massage, or scalp brush and you really wake your hair follicles up. Our gentle treatment means that your hair will be nourished without going through any rough handling.
Brush from the tips to the roots
Brushing your hair from the bottom up may feel unnatural at first but starting at the tips allows you to tackle knots in your hair without the risk of pulling your follicle out of its root. Beginning at the bottom, separate your hair into horizontal sections and brush each layer one at a time.
Hair growth vitamins
Using a good supplement can really help give the hair what it needs in the months where it needs a little encouragement. Our Tender Love and Hair Supplement is a great place to start. These supplements are specifically designed to address the root causes of thinning hair and maximise hair growth potential. Each capsule contains a unique blend of vitamins, minerals and herbs that help to counteract the effects of stress, increase energy levels and support the immune system for healthier, shinier, stronger hair.
So, just remain cool, calm and CENTRED. Autumn hair shedding is a common occurrence that can be treated with a bit of love and care. Come Christmas time, everyone will be asking how you kept your hair so healthy!
If you have any questions we are here as always, just drop us an email at hello@wearecentred.com.
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