Do You Experience More Hair Loss in Summer?

Seasonal hair loss, more specifically hair loss that begins in the summer months, is a common concern among many women. In fact, even Google Trends supports this phenomenon with a marked increase in searches for “hair fall” beginning toward the end of summer and peaking well into the middle of autumn. So what’s really going on?

By understanding the link between healthy hair and the hair growth cycle, we can better recognize how our hair evolves through the seasons and whether hair loss in summer is real. While it’s unrealistic to think you can completely avoid shedding throughout the year, we’ll also take a look at a few hair loss treatments you can try at home to make sure your shedding doesn’t become extreme.

Hair Loss in Summer: Fact or Fiction?

As we enter the height of summer, there’s one question on the minds of many women: Does more hair fall out in the summer?

Before we talk about hair loss, let’s start with hair growth.

Does Hair Grow Faster in the Summer?

Your hair actually grows about 10% faster in the summer because your blood is constantly circulating to cool your body down. An increase in blood circulation means an increase in cell growth, a more efficient system, and often, increased hair growth. So why, then, is hair loss in summer such a big concern?

Because while it’s not common to experience an increase per se in hair loss during the summer months, your hair growth cycle is closely linked to the seasons, and you will begin to shed more hair at the end of summer and into fall. Coupled with environmental factors like drier, hotter months, your hair growth cycle can also be altered if you don’t practice a healthy hair-care routine.

Is Seasonal Hair Loss a Myth?

Seasonal hair loss, or seasonal shedding, commonly begins near the end of summer, peaks in mid-fall, and often continues through winter. This occurs as a normal part of the hair growth cycle which often lines up with the seasons—a theory some base on evolution—hence the term seasonal hair loss. However, if you feel that your level of hair loss is worsening, you may want to consult with your doctor for possible causes.

Typically, seasonal hair loss is a more common concern among women than men. This is because women are often more aware of the amount of hair they see in their hairbrushes, on their pillows in the morning, or going down the drain when they shower. The height of seasonal hair loss in women also tends to be more noticeable in women with longer hair.

The health of your hair and scalp can also dramatize your seasonal hair loss, especially if you don’t pay attention to the products you use, such as sulfate-free shampoos, or make sure your hair is properly hydrated to avoid breakage (which can be mistaken for hair loss).

If you haven’t been caring for your hair like you should, Better Not Younger has what you need to set your healthy hair journey back on the right page. From Second Chance Repairing Shampoo and Conditioner to Hair Redemption Restorative Masque, we’ll bring the moisture back into your dry, damaged hair.

On the other hand, if you suffer from product buildup, which can lead to clogged pores, we recommend making our New Dawn Activated Charcoal Scalp Cleanser a part of your weekly hair-care routine. Opening the pores on your scalp and cleansing them of dirt and residue can stimulate your hair follicles and promote your healthiest hair.

The Hair Growth Cycle

In order to understand how seasonal hair loss, and especially hair loss in summer, may affect you, it’s important to first understand the four stages of the hair growth cycle.

• Anagen: the real hair growth phase
• Catagen: the great transition
• Telogen: the starting and resting phase
• Exogen: the final shedding phase

During the anagen phase, the hair on your scalp can grow anywhere from 3 to 7 years! Almost 85% to 90% of the hairs on your head are in the anagen phase at any given point. At the same time, around 5% of the hairs on your head are in the catagen phase, which lasts for roughly 10 days. This is the point where your hair follicle begins to shrink and your rate of hair growth slows down.

The telogen phases consist of both the beginning of your hair’s growth and its end. Your hair length doesn’t continue to grow during this phase, but it also doesn’t fall out. But this is also the point where new hairs begin to form in the follicles that released hairs in the last catagen phase. Approximately 10%-15% of your hair is in the telogen phase at any time.

The exogen phase is the final phase of the hair growth cycle in which the hair is finally shed from your scalp at a rate of 50 to 100 hairs a day. This final phase can last anywhere from 2 to 5 months as the telogen phase takes over.

Genetics, good nutrition, proper hair care, and stress levels can all play a part in determining the individual lengths of your hair growth cycle. There are so many factors to consider that it can be hard to know the real cause of hair loss beyond seasonal shedding. The weather you are exposed to, the demands of your job at any given time of the year (think springtime and accountants)​​—it all plays a role.

It is also common to lose more hair as you age since your hair growth rate slows and your hair grows back thinner than before. This affects both men and women, although hair loss in women, or female-pattern baldness, is often a much more controversial topic than male baldness.

How to Boost Your Hair Health Over the Summer

Now that you understand how your hair growth cycle and the seasons relate to each other, you can better appreciate why the health of your hair matters year-round. By starting with a stronger, healthier head of hair, you can better set yourself up for success for the coming seasons.

Can You Avoid Hair Shedding in Summer?

Not really.

This is because, like any other time of the year, you lose an average of 50 to 100 hairs a day. It’s important to remember that this is not due to poor hair care. Rather, hair shedding in summer or any other season is an important stage of the hair growth cycle.

That being said, as we mentioned above, if you believe the hair loss you are experiencing has escalated or continued past the normal hair growth phases, it’s important that you consult with your doctor to make sure there are no underlying causes.

While the normal amount of hair loss in summer months can’t be avoided, there are a few things you can do to make sure that your new hair grows in strong and healthy after the exogen phase.

Our Top 2 DIY Hair Loss Treatments

At Better Not Younger, your hair health is our top priority—not only over the summer, but all year long. Which is why rather than giving you an extensive list of possible hair loss treatments, we’ve included our top two tried-and-true at-home remedies.

Supplements Go to Work for You

As far as at-home hair loss treatments go, adding hair, skin and nail supplements to your morning routine is not only easy but incredibly effective when taken consistently. With everything that’s been happening this year, the last thing you need is to add a complicated and regimented hair-care program to your daily life. We’ve already done the research and devised the optimal formulas with the best ingredients​​—all you have to do is enjoy the sweet strawberry taste.

Scalp Massages Support Healthy Hair

Like we mentioned above, when you increase your blood circulation, such as through stimulating the blood vessels in your scalp, you’re supporting healthy hair. But why stop there?

If you want to make the most of your scalp massage hair loss treatment, then you’ll want to apply our Superpower Fortifying Hair & Scalp Serum with our Superpower Liquid Comb a few times a week. Developed exclusively for women over 40, our scalp serum is lightweight, non-greasy, works to replace your natural scalp oils and reenergize fatigued hair follicles. When combined with our liquid comb, this duo is a hair-boosting powerhouse.

Have you experienced greater hair loss in summer or another time of year? We want to hear about it. Share in the comments below!