Whether you’ve noticed stray hairs on your pillow or more build-up in the shower drain, hair shedding can be a cause for concern. But before you start to worry, it’s important to understand what’s normal - and what could be an early sign of male pattern hair loss.
Here’s everything you need to know about hair shedding, the hair growth cycle, and when it’s time to take action.
How Many Hairs Do You Lose a Day?
Hair shedding is a completely natural part of life. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, it’s normal to lose between 50 and 100 hairs per day. In fact, a 2009 study found that the average person can shed anywhere from 10 to 250 hairs daily, depending on factors like lifestyle, health, and genetics.
Considering most people have around 100,000 hair follicles, even losing 200 hairs a day is just a tiny fraction - roughly 0.2% of your total hair.
That said, your daily habits can influence how much hair you lose. Brushing, styling, or using heat and harsh products can all increase shedding. One study found that up to 40% of women experience excessive shedding due to styling damage—and while the research focused on women, the same principles apply to men.
The Hair Growth Cycle Explained
Hair shedding is part of your body’s natural hair growth cycle, which consists of four key phases:
- Anagen (growth): The active phase where hair length increases. Most of your hair is in this stage at any given time.
- Catagen (transition): Hair stops growing and detaches from the blood supply.
- Telogen (rest): A new hair begins forming beneath the old one in the follicle.
- Exogen (shedding): The old hair falls out, making way for the new one to emerge.
When this cycle runs smoothly, each shed hair is replaced by a new one. However, in cases of male pattern hair loss, this process is disrupted.
Shedding vs. Balding: How to Tell the Difference
How can you tell if what you’re experiencing is normal shedding - or something more serious?
In male pattern baldness, a hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT) binds to receptors in sensitive hair follicles, causing them to shrink over time. As the follicles shrink, they produce thinner, weaker hairs—until eventually, they stop producing hair altogether. This is when shedding turns into sustained hair loss.
Signs it could be more than normal shedding:
- You’re losing more hair than usual for several weeks in a row.
- Hair is falling out in clumps or from specific areas (e.g., temples, crown).
- You’re noticing visible thinning or a receding hairline.
- There’s less regrowth in areas where hair has been shed.
Still unsure? Take well-lit photos of your hairline and crown once a month for three to six months. Comparing these over time can help you spot patterns that might otherwise go unnoticed.
What Can You Do?
If you’re seeing early signs of male pattern hair loss, now is the time to act. The two clinically-proven treatments are below:
Finasteride: blocks the production of DHT to protect your scalp.
Minoxidil: boosts blood flow to the scalp.
Final Thoughts
A few hairs in the shower? Perfectly normal. Persistent shedding with no sign of regrowth? That could be male pattern hair loss.
Either way, knowledge is power. Acting early gives you the best chance of keeping and regrowing your hair.
Take our free online consultation today to find the right treatment plan for your needs. The sooner you act, the more hair you can protect.
All of our blog articles are reviewed by our Medical Director before publication.
