What Amount of Hair Loss Is Considered Normal?

Losing between 50 and 100 hairs daily is considered normal. However, if you brush your hair excessively or massage your scalp too enthusiastically while shampooing, more hair may fall out. Excess hair loss can be caused by hormonal issues that occur post-partum and during peri-menopause and menopause as well as by heredity. Medication, certain illnesses and vitamin deficiencies can also cause hair to thin and fall out.

Rotation and Growth

• An individual has approximately 110,000 strands of hair if he has brown hair; 140,000 strands if he is a blond; 108,000 strands if he has black hair and 90,000 strands if he has red hair, according to Addr.com. Consequently, considering these amounts, losing 50 to 100 hairs each day during the random rotation of hairs on the head isn't a big deal.

Cycles

• Our hair goes through cycles. At any given time, about 90 percent of our hair is growing. This growing period will last from two to six years. The remainder of our hair is in a resting phase. The resting phase lasts between two and three months. When the resting phase is over, that hair falls out and new hair comes in.

Telogen Reaction

• If a significant and noticeable amount of hair is falling out every day, it could be that you are having a "telogen" reaction. Telogen means resting phase. Telogen effluvium occurs when hair loss is prompted by a psychological or physical stress that has such impact on a person that it increases the number of hairs that go into this resting phase at the same time.
  Sometimes a person's hair will fall out after surgery due to anesthesia or because he has lost a substantial amount of weight too quickly. This hair loss should be temporary. Telogen reactions can also be caused by medications or crash dieting. If a person isn't getting adequate vitamins or nutrients into her system, this will affect her hair. If an individual is anemic (iron poor blood) this, too, can cause hair to thin and fall out more than normal. Or it could be that you are experiencing an accelerated phase of male pattern baldness.

Women and Hormones

• Women may experience significant hair loss three months after giving birth. This occurs because the regular amount of hair has not fallen out during the pregnancy. When estrogen levels are high during pregnancy, hair becomes full and abundant. It may not grow any faster, but it is not falling out at the normal rate. When the woman's estrogen levels return to normal post-partum that is when she may notice hair loss. This is a temporary condition.

Dry Scalp, Coloring Your Hair

• If a scary amount of hair is coming out in your hairbrush or going down the drain after you shampoo, it may be because you have a dry scalp. Dry scalp can cause hair loss, if not treated. Coloring your hair can also takes its toll. If your scalp has a bad reaction to the hair coloring chemicals that were used, this can cause hair to fall out.

Pay Attention

• No one expects you to count the number of hairs that fall out of your head; however, if you are suddenly noticing your hair loss, it probably means that it has accelerated. Discuss this with your physician and see what course of treatment she recommends.