Just been to the hairdressers and LOADS of my hair came out 😫 Is this normal?

[CoffeeandPastries]

Hi,

So firstly, I'm used to losing quite a bit when I brush or wash my hair and occasionally it definitely tips over the edge of normal - I.e, more than 100 strands a day, but I thought that recently it had slowed down. Today, however....

I was at the hairdresser, having an all over dark base colour, with a few highlights scattered through and after the first wash before my toner was put on, I ran my fingers through it, mainly just to see what it was looking like and it came out in clumps! Proper clumps. Two lots - enough to fill my hand.

I told the hairdresser and she insisted it wasn't anything to do with the bleach because it was dark hair, which I was thinking anyway, but wtf? She said it was probably just extra shedding, but I've never had anything like that.

I'm just not convinced it wasn't something to do with my base colour, although I know there's no evidence that it causes hair loss. There was a bit of tingling though, but my hairdresser said it was almost like a menthol effect, so nothing to worry about, as I've had the patch test.

My hair was always super thick and is probably about half the thickness now, but still looks thickish. I could get away with losing some, but if this turns into a regular thing, I'll be bald by next year!

I'm on iron tablets, plus a multi vitamin specifically designed for hair, so I should be all topped up in that department.

Anyway, it freaked me out a bit today, so just wanted a bit of advice or maybe reassurance

TIA

It may be worth contacting your GP and asking for your Thyroid to be checked.

Yeah, get your thyroid checked. I know someone who was diagnosed with thyroid issues by her hairdresser, because she was losing so much hair.

Thanks for the replies. I'm sure I had it checked a year or so ago and it was fine, but yes, I suppose it's a good idea to get it checked again.

This isn't normal though is it? Maybe it looked more because I was in a hurry and hadn't yet brushed it and so more would have come out then. Clutching at straws much??

After years of colouring my hair and being post menopausal, I had the same very stressful problem. The chemicals and hormones were seriously bad news.
I now have my natural hair colour, only use organic products on my hair and treat it gently by not washing it more than twice a week.
Things have improved, I also take hair, skin and nails supplements.

@Beebumble2, I keep thinking I should embrace the greys, but they can be so ageing. Some people rock the grey look. I do not Against dark hair, it can be very harsh.

I only colour my hair once every 6-8 months though.

I had the same thing happen to me. It was years ago. My hair was thick but it was coming out in handfuls. My dad was making me drink a Guinness every day and bought me one of those spendy Mason Pearson hairbrushes, even he had noticed it, mainly because it was clogging up the Hoover. I eventually went for a long over due cut. The hairdresser was Japanese, did not speak much English. I explained my hair was dropping out. He reassured me it was fine. My hair was washed, and he was brushing it out and I saw his horrified face. I looked down, and even though he had not been near it with the scissors there was a lot of hair on the floor. We both ignored it. He cut it. And as soon as it was cut, it stopped shedding. Weird but true. I have no explanation. I can only assume the face that I had a lot of hair and it had not been cut for a while had caused the shedding. Could that be your issue too?

Some auto-immune conditions cause hair loss too , so I would suggest taking this up with your doctor. Be prepared for frustration 'lots of things can cause hair loss, it's very complex'... took me a year to get diagnosed

@Teal99, that's strange. How much hair are we talking? Mine was definitely overdue for a good cut. The ends were split and like straw, so had a good 3 inches off.

It's been shedding generally for years. I used to dry my hair near the bath and that showed up the hair afterwards and it would often be covered with my hair. I'd have that as well as some coming out in the hairbrush and shower beforehand. The amount that came out yesterday was insane though. Never had anything like that before.

It's a new symptom of having had Covid?

The hair on the floor was like he had cut it before he had. I don't know how I stayed in the chair, I wanted to run off crying. I always had fine hair but masses of it, took ages to dry. And it had been about a year between cuts. I just think it needed a cut. It immediately stopped shedding afterwards to my relief.

I can only say that while I coloured my hair in my forties I had lots of shedding and my hair looked thin and slightly brittle. Since embracing my natural colour I have thick hair and all hairdressers remark on how thick it is (almost complaining).

@Teal99, that's really interesting. I can't imagine why a cut would stop your hair shedding, but sounds too much of a coincidence not to be connected. Weird.

@DianaT1969, would love to embrace the grey, but it's just not a good look for me.

@CoffeeandPastries

Similar happened to me around 2 years ago, always had very thick hair that needs thinned at the hairdresser, it started shedding rapidly, I could pull out handfuls in the shower and with every hair brush, my bedroom floor was constantly a film of my hair! I panicked a lot! Even my level headed dp was concerned, It continued for around 6 months, getting thinner and thinner to the point I could feel cold patches when outside. My GP took bloods and couldn’t find a cause, eventually it just stopped and started regrowing, I had lots of little tufts of regrowing hair. Still don’t know what caused it, I have a history of anxiety although I didn’t feel particularly anxious at the time my GP said it may have been that.
Just wanted to give you some comfort that the body can do strange things, I feared I would end up bald at the rate it was falling out so can relate to the worry.

I go through phases of losing tons of hair, I will just start worrying that I am going to end up bald and then it slows down a bit.

Seems a coincidence that your head was tingling and then you lost lots though. I have never had a menthol effect from hair dye.