It starts with the drain. Or the brush. Or a pillow with more of your hair on it than you'd like. Before long, you're running your fingers through your hair just to see what comes out.

If you're asking why your hair is falling out, you're not alone, and there's usually a clear answer. Most of the time it's temporary shedding. Sometimes it's something slower that's worth getting checked. This guide will help you work out which one you're dealing with, what to expect, and what to do in the meantime.

Why is my hair falling out?

Your hair is most likely falling out because of temporary shedding set off by something that happened a few months ago.

The other common answer is slow, hereditary thinning, but that rarely shows up as handfuls of hair in the shower. It shows up as more scalp over time. What you're seeing is the quickest clue to which one you have.

For the full list of causes and how each one looks, see our guide to what causes hair loss. The rest of this post is about the most common situation: you're shedding more than usual, and you want to know if it's normal and what happens next.

Is this much hair loss normal?

Losing 50 to 100 hairs a day is normal, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.

That's more than most people expect. It also looks like more than it is, for a few reasons:

• Long hair. The same 80 hairs look like a lot more at shoulder length than at two inches.
• Wash days. Hairs that came loose during the day stay tangled in until you wash or brush. Then they come out all at once.
• Skipped washes. Go three days between washes, and the next one rinses out three days of shedding.

So one alarming shower doesn't tell you much. What matters is whether you're losing noticeably more than usual, day after day, for weeks.

Is it shedding, breakage, or hair loss?

To tell shedding from breakage, look at the end of a fallen hair: shed hairs have a tiny white bulb at the root, and broken hairs don't.

That bulb is the root of a hair that finished its natural cycle. Dermatologists call it a club hair, after its shape. A hair that snapped partway down has no bulb. It's usually shorter, with a blunt or frayed end.

• Shedding. Full-length hairs with a white bulb, from all over your head. Usually temporary.
• Breakage. Short pieces with no bulb, often at the ends or wherever you use heat or tight styles. The damage is to the hair, not the follicle. It doesn't thin your hair at the root.
• Hair loss. Hair stops growing back in its place. You see it as a wider part or more scalp, not as hair on the floor. (Learn more about a normal hair part vs thinning.)

Why am I suddenly losing so much hair?

If you're suddenly losing hair, it may be because of stress on your body, often months ago, pushed a large share of your hairs into their resting phase at the same time.

Doctors call this telogen effluvium. Normally, only a small share of your hairs are resting at once. After a shock like a high fever, surgery, childbirth, fast weight loss, or a very stressful stretch, many more stop growing together. DermNet says up to half of the hair on your scalp can be affected.

Those hairs don't fall out right away. They sit in place for a couple of months, then come out together. That delay is why so many people can't work out what caused it. The event is already behind them when the shedding starts.

Here's what the timeline usually looks like:

If the stress is still going on, the shedding can last longer. Ongoing stress keeps resetting the clock. Dealing with the cause matters as much as waiting. (We cover that side in hair loss caused by stress and anxiety and postpartum hair loss.)

What To Do While Your Hair Is Falling Out

While your hair is falling out, treat it gently, keep washing it, and give it time. Here are a few tips:

1. Stop checking. Running your fingers through your hair to see what comes out mostly pulls out hairs that were already loose. It also makes the worry worse.
2. Keep washing. Washing doesn't cause shedding. Skipping washes just saves it up for one bigger, scarier shower. A gentle, sulfate-free shampoo like our Hair Thickening Shampoo cleans without stripping fragile hair.
3. Handle it gently. Detangle hair with a wide-tooth comb or your fingers, pat your hair dry instead of rubbing, and skip tight styles and harsh chemicals.
4. Eat enough protein. Skip hair supplements unless a blood test shows you're low. Too much of some nutrients can make hair loss worse.
5. Watch for new growth. Short, fine hairs standing up along your part or hairline are a good sign. That's the next round coming in.

Signs It's More Than Shedding

It's probably more than shedding if your hair is thinning in one area, falling out in patches, or not recovering after six months. Here are some signs that you may have a more serious hair loss problem:

• Your part keeps getting wider.
• You have round, smooth bald patches.
• You have itching, scaling, redness, or pain on your scalp.
• You're experiencing shedding with no trigger you can find, or that keeps going past six months.

Any of these is worth a visit to a dermatologist. Our guide to what causes hair loss covers what they'll look for.

It's OK To Be Upset About Losing Hair

Losing hair is upsetting, even when you know it's temporary.

It changes how you feel walking into a room or seeing yourself in a photo. And six to nine months is a long time to feel that way. Covering it while it recovers isn't vanity. It just takes one worry off your list.

SureThik Hair Fibers cling to the hair you still have and fill in a thinning crown or part. For a sparse hairline or temples, Hairline Powder tints the scalp so it shows through less. Both wash out at the end of the day. If your scalp is red, sore, or scaly, get it checked before you put anything on it. (Learn more about the best hair fibers and how to choose the right ones for you.)

FAQs

Why is my hair falling out in clumps?

Hair falling out in clumps is usually heavy shedding after an illness, a high fever, childbirth, or another major stress a few months earlier. The AAD notes some people see large clumps a few months after COVID-19. If it's coming out in round patches, see a doctor.

Why am I losing so much hair in the shower?

You lose more hair in the shower because washing rinses out the hairs that came loose since your last wash. The longer between washes, the more you'll see at once.

Will I go bald from shedding?

No, shedding won't make you go bald. DermNet notes that telogen effluvium doesn't cause complete baldness. It can make existing thinning easier to see, though. If your hair doesn't bounce back, get it checked.

Can brushing make my hair fall out?

No, normal brushing doesn't make your hair fall out. It removes hairs that were already shed. Rough brushing can cause breakage, especially on wet hair. Use a wide-tooth comb and a light hand.

Why am I losing so much hair as a woman?

Women most often lose a lot of hair from shedding after childbirth, illness, or stress, or from hormone changes like stopping the birth control pill. Gradual thinning at the part is more likely to be hereditary. Our guide covers what causes hair loss in women in detail.