I have been growing my hair out for about a year and a half.  I started out with it right at my chin, and now it's a quarter of the way down my back.  I have read how to take care of hair if your wanting to grow it out and take the advice very seriously and apply it daily.  For about the last 3 months I have been losing my hair to the point where at the end of my shower I am clogging the drain and then when using a pic to comb through the tangles I lose even more.  Some days more loss than others, but on the average I would say if I loosely waded my hair up after a days worth of brushing and showering it would be about the size of a raquet ball.  Now this is everyday so I am becoming very worried, I am not seeing any balding because it's an all over hair loss, but do I have anything to worry about, or is this just normal when your hair grows longer?  I have never had my hair this long before my mother always made me cut it like a boy so this is all new to me, someone please give me some advice!  Thanks so much!

I went through some phenominal sheds during the last few years, in my case, I believe, due to shifting HRT's.  Right now it's totally normal, which is an AVERAGE of 50 to 100 per day.  

REasons are many  :(.  Stress, loosing weight (fast or slow), diet, medication, hormonal fluctuation/decline/imbalance, disease (thyroid is a biggie).  Some people apparently shed seasonal squirrels too.

The good news is it usually goes back to normal without too much change, maybe noticeable re-growth.

Try not to worry and the usual applies, if it continues and you have no explanation - El Doktor ...g

Yep, Gabi said it all.  Shedding can be seasonal, or due to lots of other reasons.  Hormonal changes are a biggie.  I found that when I added MSM, biotin and silica supplements it helped reduce my shedding.  A proper diet is the first place to start.  If you still feel you are shedding excessively, see your doctor - it could be a sign of something serious but treatable.

I seem to shed a lot also, but have never worried about it much, because after all this time my hair doesn't seem to be getting any thinner. When it first started happening, I panicked...But then decided watch more closely to routines and noticed when I didn't brush my hair or wash it for a few days, when I finally would, I would lose lots and lots of hair. I chalked it to well, if I should be losing one hundred hairs a day and its been like 3 days since I've done anything to it, this must just the one hundred hairs a day accumulated. I don't know if that really makes any sense or even helps much, but even as I continue to shed large amounts...My hair is steadily growing and I still have an abundance of it. So don't worry if you've discounted all other reasons and you still shed lots, most likely its normal! :)

yes, people who barely brush seem menaced by the amount they lose "at once", although it's not the case. i'd also recommend combing/brushing on regular times (especially if you brush, cuze you'll train the roots and lose less after a while.)

thanks so much for all your info and input!  I won't stress about it anymore, it really helps to know it's normal!  Thanks again everybody!

One other thing to remember:  each individual shed hair is much longer than before and therefore the same number looks like a lot more than when it is short (and clogs the drains more ;)).  That's my rationale, and I like it ;D

and that's why i "fish for hair" after washing.  ;D

wrote on Jun 7^th, 2005 at 8:48pm:

One other thing to remember:  each individual shed hair is much longer than before and therefore the same number looks like a lot more than when it is short (and clogs the drains more ;)).  That's my rationale, and I like it ;D

I love that rationalization! I shall remember it and chant it while cleaning out my brush and drain. :)

Yup, that's what I tell myself too. Even better is if you have time to COUNT those hairs by sliding them around on your shower wall! ;D