Curly/wavy hair and hair loss/hair falling out

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I'm struggling to figure out if I have a problem or not!

I have shoulder-length loose curls (2c-3a in pic below). I brush my hair before I wash it, which is either every day or every two days. I use product on my hair to avoid frizz. When I brush it lots comes out. Before washing my hair I brush until no more comes out, then when I'm in the shower lots more does. In the second photo there's what came out on the brush and then what is wet from the shower. There will be more in the drain because I have to unblock that regularly. I even use a lice comb periodically after brushing just to brush out more before I get into the shower, but there's always more in the shower.

I rarely wear black or dark colours because my shoulders end up covered in hair (as they do with lighter colours, but then it's less noticeable).

Is this a curly hair thing, or a me thing?

I don't have the option to select any more photos to add to Mumsnet so I can't add the second photo. There's about a palm-sized ball of hair taken from the brush and then wet hair, about the same quantity but smaller as wet. Maybe better I can't upload the photo!

I’ve had similar - also a curly! Things originally surfaced post covid and with menopause onset. Also noticed after a fairly speedy weight loss! Adding olive oils daily into a heath diet - reducing sugar, adding loads of hair/skin/nails supplements has helped - I like these and think they work!

https://www.myprotein.com/vitamins/hair-skin-nails-gummies/12376930.html

https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/holland-barrett-biotin-hair-high-strength-complex-capsules-60047108?skuid=047108&utm_campaign=shopping&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&&gbraid=0AAAAAD96OoLLKkOLp6834qiWdfheBHIEh&gclid=Cj0KCQjwpc-oBhCGARIsAH6ote8ioZbx05peFjdN3VSNE4XkgF3QRnQOQ9Q_0F1xaM5X-wkc_Qt7PZsaAlVBEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

and I also take collagen daily:

https://hunterandgatherfoods.com/products/grass-fed-collagen-peptides-protein-powder?ab_version=A&gbraid=0AAAAAC-_Amsjr5HqAEiUMX7kXcSoLpcfI&gclid=Cj0KCQjwpc-oBhCGARIsAH6ote8oqCstvauQc0jrCcfDAr47hk-3q0B4M3Ryq9ecnpsdKLd3ORNg_wsaAh3EEALw_wcB

and I have long since stopped shampooing - once in a blue moon only! I use curly girl method and love Hairstory products..

its really worrying seeing all the hair come out - but can be fixable! X

I have curly hair 2c/3a and it does come out a lot, DH moans that it is everywhere, I keep it fairly short now and it is not a bad. I did find though that I could never grow my hair past top of shoulder length but it did grow more outwards so I think my hair may have a short life so comes out quite soon but is then replaced making it fairly thick with not much length

Normal but
I wouldn't brush it before showering as it can be damaging on dry hair and don't brush it until hair stops coming out - if I did that I would never stop!
I get in the shower, shampoo, condition and then brush gently with a paddle brush while the conditioner is in. After that I don't brush or comb it at all until I next wash it

I have wavy/curly hair, teen DD has ringlets.

Neither of us ever brush our hair, gently wide comb when wet with conditioner on.

We both end up with balls of hair after a shower, DD loses much more than me but generally has more hair.

I have hair like yours. I rarely brush it. I most certainly don't comb it with a nit comb. Why do you do that? Try being more gentle with it. Brush, comb and wash it less and treat it gently.

I'm 2c/3a, I never brush my hair, and only wash it every 5 days or so.
I comb it with a wide tooth comb when it's covered in conditioner.
I think that a lot of the hair that comes out with the combing is the natural hair loss, but the hair gets tangled in the curls so it's only noticeable when combing it in the shower.
I loosely follow the CGM, before that I shed loads, but that's really reduced since using protein conditioner, just the cheap Aldi one.

Is your hair falling our during the day? When I dried my hair straight I'd be leaving floating strands of hair everywhere. But now it's curly the clumps and coils hold the hair that's falling out naturally in place and so when I finger comb in the shower loads comes out, but it's because it's all in one go. I'd judge it based on how your scalp coverage is, or whether you get the same sized ponytail/bun etc.

I'm 2c/3a and I would never ever brush my hair.

If I brushed until no more hair came out I think I'd be bald.

Wide tooth comb or fingers only.

I also only use a wide tooth comb and never brush my hair

I never brush mine, I use my fingers, also curly

I think look at your scalp if the parting is wider, if your ponytail is thinner, bald spots..
Brushing or combing encourages hairs that are stuck but already detached to come off, if you wore your hair up and didn't brush it the normal shed would be visble later when its down and getting brushed.

Thanks for the replies. Very interesting.

The reason I sometimes use the nit comb (after two hairbrushes) is to try and get remaining hair out before I shower. I end up blocking the drain after every second shower and it's nicer to brush my hair then pull hair out of the filter! 😂

If I don't brush it for, say, 5 days (that'd be not washing for 5 days either as I only brush before I wash it) it would be an unbelievable amount that came out on the brush.

Anyway it seems that I'm far from the only one, so I'll not worry about it!

I have long ago made my peace with that I am the only person who cleans hair out of the shower and that most of the hair is mine-

Same hair type here and as I've been reading this I've been "combing" my hair with nature's comb, IE my fingers. This means I can gently tease the knots out, I lost a very small amount, when rolled up about the size of a petit pois.

It does sound like you're a bit obsessive about brushing your hair, try your fingers, it does take longer but I lose more hair if I use my tangle teezer