This is a question that has been asked by lots of concerned people because it is actually a perfectly normal occurrence for SOME hair to fall out when getting it wet. So, it makes sense that there would be plenty of people wondering if it is normal or not.

The question is, how much is a “normal” amount that you should expect to come out when showering and washing the hair, and is there cause for concern if you notice an uptick in the frequency or volume of hair that sheds? Related: Clary Sage essential oil for hair growth

Should you be taking any precautions to prevent too much hair from shedding when you’re washing it? Could the products you choose to condition, and in particular wash, your hair be contributing to the hair loss? Should you maybe be washing a little more gently? Let’s start with question one – is this normal?

Is it Normal for Hair to Fall Every Day?

YES. It is 100% normal for your hair to fall out every day – any time when washing it in the shower (or your bath, or however you prefer to get your hair washing done). Why is this completely normal? Because your hair is made to shed. This number may come as a shock, but it is estimated the average healthy head of hair will shed anywhere from 50 to 100 strands of hair PER DAY. Yes PER DAY!

Consider how many times you notice stray strands hanging off your shirt and other clothes, or how many strands you see in the comb or brush after running it through your hair. Your hair is made to turn over, and turn over fairly quickly in the natural order of things. Remember, hair is actually not “alive”.

The follicles that produce the hairs are alive, but the hair itself is something like dead skin. This is why it’s important to keep the hair in good shape, because it really starts to look bad after it either grows too long or doesn’t have any sort of TLC treatment done to maintain the appearance of youthful vibrance.

You Just Notice The Shedding More When You Wash

If you consider that we normally and realistically shed 50-100 strands a day, then it makes sense that washing your hair in the shower would simply flush out these fallen strands. It makes it seem as though the shower is the culprit, but in fact, just getting your hair wet, and agitating it with shampoo and your conditioner simply flushes out the hair.

On top of that, when you comb or brush your hair out, you will see a greater amount after a shower since you’ve effectively assisted the individual strands in coming out by washing them out, quite literally.

If you’ve gone a particularly long time between washes, then be prepared to see lots more hair go down the drain. Why is this? Well, it’s really simple math. For example, I recently went almost a whole week without washing my hair (which I do NOT recommend).

When I finally washed and conditioned my hair, I noticed what seemed like gobs of hair come out. This is totally normal. I had all those lost strands just waiting to be flushed out for those 5-6 days and washing just brought them all completely off my head and into the drain. Your other hairs will just “hang on” to the lost hair until you physically flush them out with water and movement. It’s as simple as that.

When to Be Concerned

You will notice a large increase in the hairs you normally shed if you are experiencing a few things. Unfortunately, male or female pattern baldness is a reality that must be considered and it is not all that uncommon. However, there are multiple health conditions that can lend to excess hair shedding as well that may need to be considered.

One is obviously chemotherapeutic treatments. We know that medically chemotherapeutic treatments and radiation exposure to the head can cause hair to fall out.

Another common culprit of excess hair loss is hormone imbalances and shifts. Some women find that during pregnancy they experience an uptick in the amount of hair they shed.

We typically start to shed a little more hair also as we age, just as a general rule. This is why men and women both experience thinning hair as we age. As with so many other important functions, hair just becomes less of a “priority” for the body to maintain and we experience thinning and hair loss at an accelerated rate. Related: Grow Hair Longer with These Herbs and Vitamins