I lose a lot of hair on a daily basis. Should I be worried?

If there is a sudden increase in the amount of shedding, and hair loss is over 100 strands per day, you should definitely be concerned. This could be due to a condition known as telogen effluvium, a form of temporary hair loss caused by a disturbance in the hair cycle, which leads to an increase in hair shedding and hair thinning.

Changes to the hair cycle can be triggered by many different causes including sudden weight loss, emotional or mental stress, dietary changes, deficiencies in vitamins D and/or B12, certain medications and hormonal fluctuations – for example, pregnancy, childbirth and menopause. You can also experience this condition after illnesses such as dengue fever.

It’s important to find the cause through a proper examination and discussion of medical history. This will determine in detail what the possible causes could be and if any further blood test investigations are needed.

It’s also important not just to attribute the hair loss to a single, obvious cause, as sometimes the causes are multifactorial; if an underlying contributing factor is not screened for and detected, we may not be stopping the problem.

In addition to telogen effluvium, there are other conditions that can cause hair loss. These include alopecia areata, an autoimmune condition that causes a sudden increase in shedding and hair fall, leading hairs to fall out in clumps and increasing bald spots.

As hair loss may be related to underlying health, it’s important to interpret the cause clearly and quickly so that it can be properly treated, and corrected early, to minimise any long-term effects.