As a stylist and Healthy Hair Specialist I have made it my duty to not only care for your hair, but to also educate you on how to properly care for your own hair. One issue that I see a lot is women not being able to tell if the strands they see coming out are due to natural shedding or if it's actual breakage.
Well let me start by saying shedding is natural. You should expect to see a few strands come out here and there throughout the day; 60-100 strands per day to be exact. Some people will see more, others will see less depending on your health conditions, stress levels, your genetics and a few other factors. You'll also see more strands when you're doing things like brushing, combing, styling, and washing your hair. Again, that's normal. There's nothing to be worried about.
Ladies that wear protective styles sometimes feel that their hair is falling out after they take their protective style out; especially after their first protective style. But, the truth is just because your hair is put up doesn't mean your hair stops shedding. The regular daily shedding still happens it just come out at once. The longer you go without combing your hair the more shedding you will see. So take a deep breath this is just the process, there's nothing to worry about. Your professional stylist will know when the shedding is abnormal. Excessive shedding is typically a sign of an internal change, abnormality, or health issue and should be dealt with on a more personalized level.
If you hair is permanently colored, bleached, relaxed, straightened, or has been chemically processed in any other way you do have a good reason to be concerned about breakage. While some may be worse than others, all of these processes damage your hair's protein structure, and with your hair being 70% protein it's easy to understand how processes that strip or destroy your hair's protein can do a lot of damage to your hair. Protein is responsible for the strength of your hair and protein damage leads to weak hair follicles and breakage; which can in turn lead to your hair thinning, feeling limp and looking lifeless. This breakage isn't true hair loss though, it's damage that can be stopped, treated, and repaired. You can bring your hair back to life with proper treatments and upkeep.
Below is a quick list of things you can do to help restore your hair, prevent further breakage and to grow stronger healthier hair.
Add biotin hair supplements.
Wash your hair with a sulfate-free shampoos.
Use a deep conditioning hair masks.
Detangle properly (comb your hair starting at the tips moving up to the roots).
Use alcohol free products.
Protect your hair at night with satin scarves, bonnets, or pillowcases.
To properly assess the condition of your hair and to receive more personalized recommendations you should always consult with your professional stylist. This blog was written to help you better understand the condition of your hair and to give you a few pointers to help you take better care of your hair. If you have more questions or if you're still unsure about your shedding, feel free to download the RBexpereince app and do a virtual consultation. You can ask your question and leave a short video to show me the problem. It's quick, easy, free, and you can do it from the comfort of your own home.