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HELP! Am I Balding Or Shedding?
Is This Balding or Shedding?
This is a photo of the hair I’ve lost in one day from shampooing, conditioning, and brushing…
Can you guess how many individual hairs? Stick around to find out.
Key Takeaways
- Understanding Hair Loss: Differentiates between shedding, breakage, and balding.
- Normal Shedding: Losing 50-150 hairs per day is normal!
- Hair Growth Cycle: Explanation of the anagen, catagen, and telogen phases.
- Breakage Prevention: Emphasis on gentle hair care practices to minimize breakage.
- Identifying Balding: Recognize signs of balding by observing a receding hairline and decreased hair density.
My Hair Is Falling Out, What’s Going On?
One of the most common questions I get from guys with long hair is, “am I balding…or shedding?” Similar panicky questions include:
Why do so many guys with long hair have these questions? When you have short hair you rarely notice hair falling out. Then you grow it long, and all of a sudden your shower drain is clogged and you are convinced you’re going bald.
Yes, it is possible you could be balding or shedding, but don’t panic or start ordering hair loss remedies just yet. Let’s get to the bottom of what’s actually going on.
There are three ways your hair can fall out.
1. Shedding
To understand hair shedding we need to better understand the hair growth cycle. Hair growth happens in 3 phases:
At any given time, the hairs on your head are in different parts of each phase. Shedding occurs when a hair follicle enters the third and final stage of the growth cycle, known as the telogen phase, which can happen anywhere between 2-6 years of hair growth.
Daily shedding is completely normal, but different factors can speed up or slow down the growth cycle. For example, a poor diet can push hair prematurely into the telogen phase. Too much stress can do the same thing. In extreme cases men can lose hair through telogen effluvium, a stress-induced form of hair loss that can sometimes be mistaken for male pattern baldness.
2. Breakage
Breakage happens when you’re too rough with your hair and a follicle that is still in its anagen (growth) cycle is prematurely yanked out or broken mid-shaft.
We want to minimize breakage as much as possible by being gentler with our hair and making sure it isn’t too dry or damaged. If you have fine hair like me, breakage feels like an everyday occurrence no matter how gentle you are, but you can still mitigate the damage.
3. Hair Loss (or Hair Thinning)
There can be many reasons for hair loss, but you can distinguish natural shedding and breakage from hair loss if you start noticing your hair density changing from thick to thin over time.
A receding hairline around your temples can also be a sign of balding, but read my article about growing long hair with a receding hairline before you start panicking.
How Much Hair Shedding Is Normal?
The number I see consistently is 50-150 hairs shed per day is normal. This seems to be the consensus, with El Valiente reporting similar numbers in Are You Losing Your Precious Locks?
If you’re losing anywhere between 50-150 hairs per day, there is nothing to worry about. And if you’re losing more than that, it still might not be balding, there’s a chance you’re being too rough with your hair and causing breakage (especially if you have fine hair).
I’ll share some best practices you can implement to reduce breakage below, but first let’s cover the difference between shedding and breakage.
Shedding vs. Breakage
The easiest way to identify shedding is to closely examine the fallen hair shaft and see whether there is a little white bulb at the end.
The white bulb is not your root (Dermal Papilla). It is part of the root sheath that attaches to your root. If you see a white bulb, it doesn’t mean your root came out and the hair will never grow back. It’s a normal part of the telogen shedding cycle.
How do you identify breakage? If your hair is broken, it will probably happen mid-shaft and it will be much shorter than your current length. If breakage starts to become a problem, you might notice flyaways or shorter hairs around your head.
Hair that breaks will not have the white bulb on it. Breakage may be an indication that your hair is too dry and needs more moisture.
Minimizing Breakage
1. Wash your hair gently and less frequently.
The most common cause of breakage is when you shampoo and condition. That’s because when hair is wet the cortex swells up and the cuticle scales raise, making the hair more fragile and less elastic. Then you’re scrubbing your scalp to get the dirt and oil build-up out, creating the perfect environment for hairs to break.
This is one reason I suggest cutting back on how often you shampoo and condition. Unless your hair is genetically greasy, I recommend no more than two or three times a week.
You might be saying “I sweat a lot,” or “I work out every day.” If that's the case you’ll appreciate how to refresh sweaty gym hair without washing or wetting it.
2. Brush your hair gently.
The next most common time you will see breakage is when brushing your hair. There is a way to brush your hair to minimize the breakage but you will inevitably get a few hairs that get caught in the comb or brush and break off.
If you have super curly hair, you might be able to avoid brushing altogether, because it can cause tons of frizz. Your hair is best de-tangled wet or damp with a leave-in conditioner, using your fingers or a gentle wet brush. Curls can be a different animal altogether, so here’s more content for our curly-haired brethren.
Correct Brushing Technique
The correct way to brush your hair is to start with a wide-tooth comb to detangle it. Start at the ends and work your way up the shaft toward the scalp.
If you start to feel resistance, don’t push through it, that’s how you break off healthy hairs that aren’t in their telogen phase yet. When you feel resistance, stop. Pull the comb out and start again, and gently work at it until you detangle it.
Once you work your way up to the roots and you can run your comb through from root to ends without anything catching, you want to switch to a boar bristle, wooden, or nylon paddle brush so you can spread your natural oils from your scalp down through the length of your hair.
Since the bristles on your brush are much closer together than the wide-tooth comb, you’ll notice more hairs breaking off at this point. Follow the same pattern, starting at the ends and working your way up to the scalp. Once there’s no resistance, brush from your scalp all the way to the ends.
3. Keep your hair moisturized.
Dry hair is most prone to breakage and split ends, while hair that is hydrated and moisturized maintains its elasticity, making it stronger and far less likely to break.
You can get an indication if your hair is dry using the elasticity test. This is where you pull on either end of a single strand of hair. If it snaps back like a rubber band, your hair has good or fair moisture balance. If it breaks instantly, your hair needs moisture. You can see the elasticity test in action in how to balance protein & moisture.
Things that dry your hair include harsh chemicals like color, bleach or dye, extreme heat, and sulfates found in many shampoo and conditioner products. Swimming in a chlorinated pool or saltwater can also dry your hair out, so rinse your hair with fresh water afterwards whenever possible.
Unless your hair is naturally oily, it’s pretty much always a good idea to use a hydrating and/or moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. Nut and seed oils are also fantastic moisturizing agents, including The Longhairs argan oil hair serum.
Are You Balding Or Shedding?
In this post we’ve covered three ways your hair can fall out, and the difference between breakage, shedding and balding (hair loss).
While it’s normal to lose between 50-150 hairs per day from natural shedding, you can and should minimize breakage with the right shampoo and conditioner regimen, proper brushing technique, and keeping your hair hydrated and moisturized.
If you start to notice a receding hairline or your hair density changing from thick to thin, then it might be time to consult a trichologist.
How Much Hair Am I Losing?!?
THIS IS ONLY 68 HAIRS!
After counting all the hairs I shed in one day from shampooing, conditioning, and brushing, it came out to 68 hairs. That’s well within the 50-150 range and totally normal, so I have nothing to worry about…at least for now! If you are seeing hair like this after taking a shower or brushing, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about either.
About The Author
Trav White
Founder of Mannered Manes, Travis is a men’s style & grooming expert with a passion for helping guys look & feel their best—inside and out. Life and hair growth is a journey, and you’re most fulfilled when you’re always growing.
See all Trav’s guest posts for The Longhairs.
FAQ
How can I tell if I’m balding or just shedding?
Check for a white bulb at the end of fallen hairs (shedding) vs. changes in hair density or receding hairline (balding).
How much hair loss is normal?
Shedding 50-150 hairs daily is normal.
What causes hair breakage?
Rough handling, dryness, and damage from chemicals or heat.
How can I prevent hair breakage?
Use gentle shampooing and brushing techniques, and keep hair moisturized.
