At the New England Center for Hair Restoration, we always want to provide patients with answers to any questions they may have about hair loss and its causes. By understanding hair loss and its causes, patients often feel empowered to make smart decisions about treatments. This is what makes us one of the leading hair loss surgery and treatment centers in the Boston area.

Many patients are surprised to learn that a little bit of hair loss is normal. Defining “normal” can appear tricky to some, so let’s go over the idea of normal hair loss and what that means for men and women.

Hair Loss Is Normal for Men and Women

While not everyone will experience baldness or hair thinning, the fact of the matter is that hair loss is a natural part of a person’s day. Everyone loses hair from the top of their head for various reasons, and sometimes the hair loss is significant for some individuals while negligible for others.

Knowing that hair loss is normal for many people helps a number of men and women who experience hair loss and hair thinning to feel better about their situation as well as their options for treatment.

Daily Hair Loss and Shedding

In general, most people will lose around 50 to 100 hairs a day from the top of their head, give or take. At the high end, normal hair loss can mean up to 250 hairs lost, like when thoroughly washing the hair and going about regular/daily routines.

This natural hair loss may be due to combing and brushing, showering and shampooing, styling hair, placing it in a bun, and so forth. This is natural, and losing some hairs on your head through the day is no reason for concern.

Can Normal Daily Hair Loss Lead to Balding?

This natural daily hair loss will typically not result in noticeable hair thinning or a receding hairline. For men, they will need to lose around 50 percent of their hair before the balding or thinning becomes noticeable. For perspective, the average human head had 100,000 hairs on the scalp.

Male Pattern Baldness

The most common cause of balding in men, male pattern baldness (aka male-pattern hair loss or MPHL) occurs when hair follicles are affects by changes in hormone levels and balance. The hair thinning will typically start around the temples and the crown, progressing further as more hair is lost over time.

The most common issues at work in male pattern baldness involve genetics, general health, and environmental factors. Other issues may also be at play. Up to 70 percent of all men are affected by male pattern baldness.

Hair Thinning in Women

Given their genetic and physiological makeup, women experience a much different kinds of hair loss than men. Women will not experience a loss of hair at the temples. Instead, the hair loss is more evenly distributed around the scalp, though with much of the thinning occurring around the crown.

Female pattern hair loss typically begins for women in the 50s or 60s, and most women notice the issue when the part in their hair seems more pronounced than usual.

Treatments for Hair Loss

Gender and the nature of the hair loss is commonly considered when it comes to treating thinning issues.

Men and women can, for instance, consider the use of medications such as Rogaine® or Propecia®, which can thicken hair and improve overall appearance.

Hair transplant surgery is also available. This involves grafting hair follicles from the back of the head (a common donor site) into the area affected by hair loss. Men are typically better candidates for this procedure than women just given the nature of the hair loss experienced.

For women experiencing hair thinning, it’s possible to consider a change in hairstyle. This can conceal thinning along the part in the hair and make the loss of hair less noticeable.

There are other treatments to consider as well, and these can be discussed during the consultation process at the practice.

Speak with the Team at New England Center for Hair Restoration

For more information about hair loss and your options for hair restoration, be sure to contact our team of hair restoration specialists today. The team at New England Center for Hair Restoration look forward to your visit and helping you have a full and healthy head of hair.