Hair loss in autumn exists , and we tell you how you can solve it, because we are sure that you have been through this:
Do you comb your hair and suddenly notice hair falling from the brush? And when you take a shower, suddenly a lot of hair accumulates in the drain? As if the end of summer wasn’t bad enough, there’s suddenly more hair falling out than usual, but the good news is you’re not alone.
‘Especially in autumn , we see more and more women coming to us with hair loss, ‘ reports Dr. Christian Merkel of the Munich Opera Skin and Laser Center. ‘When hair falls out for the first time, it is often very worrying for women and they look for answers.’ And that is why, below the expert explains what are the causes of hair loss and he gives you advice on what you can do.
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Why is hair loss more frequent in autumn?
‘So-called seasonal hair loss occurs frequently, especially in women,’ says Dr. Christian Merkel. “Since the fall is repeated every year in many women, it is assumed that it is anchored in their genetics.” However, the exact causes are not entirely clear, according to Dr. Merkel: ‘From an evolutionary point of view, our hair is still our skin. And precisely in the change of season, as in animals, there is also a change of fur’.
Hair loss in autumn: this is how it happens
‘ Hair loss in autumn is also related to the phases of hair growth,’ says the dermatologist. ‘All hair goes through two phases of growth, the life phase and the resting phase.’
To explain in more detail, in the living phase (anagen phase), hair grows for years. 90% of hair is in the anagen phase . The other 10% is in the telogen phase , the resting phase, which lasts two to four months. During this phase, the hair root regenerates.
‘Normally, the alternation of the resting phase and the living phase, with the consequent loss of hair , is not noticeable, since the same number of hairs always remain on the head,’ explains Dr. Merkel. “In the late summer and autumn months, however, many women have more hair in the resting phase.” Apart from genetics and evolution, there are also only assumptions about it. For Dr. Merkel, the most logical explanation is the following: ‘In summer, we need more hair to protect us from the sun, since they remain longer in the life phase. Towards the end of the year – with lower temperatures and less ultraviolet radiation – the hair falls out then.
How long does fall hair last?
‘Typically, patients notice an increase in brush hair within one to three months,’ notes Dr. Christian Merkel. ‘After the period of change, new hairs form again from the hair follicles’
What can be done against seasonal hair loss?
‘If more hair falls out at the end of the year, it is not a disease,’ says the dermatologist. “However, there are care products, such as drugstore shampoos , that can help new hair grow, especially at this stage.” However, prevention is better than care. You have to start with the right care in summer before hair loss begins. This also applies to supplements.
What supplements are useful?
‘For two or three months, starting in June or July, you can resort to food supplements,’ advises the expert. ‘With them, you can strengthen the new hairs that then appear and help them grow.’
Other tips: a well-known hair-strengthening agent is zinc, for example. Zinc is also found naturally in the diet. Foods with zinc are whole grains, legumes, nuts, meat, fish, and dairy products. These foods also speed up hair growth.
When do we have to go to the doctor?
‘If you lose more than 100 hairs a day for a period of two to four weeks,’ advises Dr. Merkel. “Because it could also be another type of hair loss , which can be detected with a professional, computer-assisted hair analysis, as well as with a large blood count,” which allows organic causes to be ruled out, for example..
What can a doctor do?
‘If hair loss recurs, you can take precautions and go to the doctor’s office as early as summer, starting in June,’ says Dr Merkel. The options? ‘In addition to the treatment plan with care products and nutritional supplements, we like to plan mesotherapy, which consists of administering small injections of vitamins and proteins into the scalp,’ she says. ‘This can optimally strengthen the hair roots for several months.’
Are there home remedies that help?
‘So far no studies have been done in this regard,’ confirms the dermatologist. ‘So it’s really better to rely on supplements from the summer or hair therapy from the doctor.’
