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10 reasons your hair is shedding and how to make it stop
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Here's everything you need to know to have the happiest, healthiest hair ever. - photo by Lindsey Miller
If youre a woman with hair, youve probably experienced your hair shedding at one point or another. Sometimes its not a big deal, but other times your hair sheds so much it might freak you out a little bit.

If your Pinterest is anything like mine, its flooded with photos of women with super thick, beautiful hair and its hard to achieve those #HairGoals when it just keeps shedding.

Dont worry, though! Theres a reason its happening, and theres a solution to fix it:

1. Youre stressed

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, stress is a huge reason youre shedding hair. It really takes a toll on your body, which is why you lose hair when youre going through especially stressful times. Things like lack of sleep and changes in appetite are tied to stress and hair shedding.

If you notice youre especially stressed, make the changes necessary to reduce the stress as much as possible. Youll feel better and notice improvements in your hair health.

2. Seasons are changing

Surprisingly, you actually shed more hair in the fall than in the summer. This is because your body is trying to protect your head from the UV rays in the sun.

So if youre wondering why youre shedding more than usual as the air gets chillier, dont worry too much. Your luscious locks will be back soon enough.

3. Youre overdoing the dry shampoo

As much as we all love dry shampoo, you might want to consider actually washing your hair more often. According to dermatologist Dr. Francesca Fusco, nothing can replace a good shampoo. It exfoliates your scalp and keeps your hair follicles healthy, which is what keeps your hair in your head.

Make sure youre washing your hair AT LEAST once a week, or more if you have dandruff.

4. You just lost a lot of weight

Dramatic weight loss can contribute to excessive shedding. That physical stress to your body will send your hair into shedding mode, but it wont last forever. Give your body time to adjust to your new eating and exercise habits, and it should return to normal after a short time.

5. You just had a baby

Having a baby puts a huge amount of stress on the body, so its totally normal if your hair sheds in the process. You probably wont notice the shedding until about two months after youve given birth, so it can come as a surprise. Just know that its totally normal, and your body will readjust within six to nine months.

6. You stopped taking birth control

A sudden change in hormones can do a number on your hair. However, once you stop taking the pill and start ovulating again, your hair should go back to normal.

8. You pull your hair up a lot

If you wear your hair up in a tight ponytail or bun every day, consider letting it down. Having your hair super tight causes it to break, causing shedding and baby hairs especially in the front of your face. If this is the case for you, loosen your ponytail a little bit or wear your hair down. Your scalp will love it.

9. Too much moisture

Your hair has a natural balance, and it doesnt like to be thrown off. When you use too many moisturizing products too often, it throws off the protein balance and makes your hair shed because it weakens the follicles. Save the moisturizing product for your ends, and only apply them to your roots when you need to.

10. Youre totally normal

A little shedding is completely normal. On average, people lose 50-100 hairs every day, so dont panic.

If youre shedding more than that over an extended period of time, talk to your doctor about reasons it might be happening and how to fix it.
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