The Difference Between Hair Shedding and Hair Loss

Finding hair in your brush or shower drain can feel alarming. But not all hair fall means you’re losing your hair permanently.

In fact, hair shedding and hair loss are two very different processes. Understanding the difference is one of the most important steps in managing thinning hair properly.

At Bloom & Root, we believe informed haircare leads to better long-term results. Here’s what’s actually happening beneath the surface.

Hair Shedding: A Normal Part of the Hair Cycle

Your hair naturally goes through cycles of growth, rest, and shedding. At any given time:

• Around 85–90% of your hair is actively growing.

• The remaining follicles are in a resting phase before naturally shedding (Hughes et al., 2024).

  
  

This means losing some hair every day is completely normal. Most people shed between 50–100 hairs daily as part of this cycle. The problem begins when larger numbers of follicles shift into the shedding phase at the same time.

This is known as telogen effluvium, a temporary form of excessive shedding often triggered by:

• Stress

• Illness

• Hormonal changes

• Rapid weight loss

• Surgery

• Nutritional deficiencies

• Emotional stress (Malkud, 2020)

  
  

Unlike permanent hair loss, the follicle itself usually remains healthy in telogen effluvium. The hair sheds, but the follicle still has the ability to regrow hair once the trigger is addressed.

Hair Loss is Different: The Follicle Itself Changes

Hair loss linked to conditions like androgenetic alopecia (pattern hair loss) is more gradual and progressive. Instead of simply shedding hair, the follicle slowly becomes smaller over time — a process called miniaturisation.

This happens largely due to sensitivity to DHT (dihydrotestosterone), a hormone derived from testosterone. As DHT repeatedly affects susceptible follicles:

• The growth phase shortens.

• Hairs become finer and weaker.

• Density gradually reduces.

• Follicles may eventually stop producing visible hair altogether (Sawaya and Price, 1997).

  
  

This is why hair loss often feels slower and less dramatic than shedding. It’s not always about large amounts of hair falling out suddenly; it’s about the hair growing back thinner each cycle.

So How Can You Tell the Difference?

Hair shedding usually appears:

• Suddenly

• Diffusely across the scalp

• After stress or illness

• With noticeable hair fall during washing or brushing

  
  

Hair loss tends to appear:

• Gradually over time

• Around the crown, temples, or part line

• With visible thinning rather than dramatic shedding

• Alongside weaker or finer strands

  
  

In some cases, both can happen together, particularly when stress-related shedding occurs in someone already genetically prone to hair thinning (Rebora, 2019).

Why Scalp Health Matters in Both

Whether the issue is shedding or progressive thinning, scalp health plays a major role in supporting healthier hair growth. Research increasingly shows that inflammation, circulation, oxidative stress, and scalp barrier disruption can all influence follicle function over time (Mysore and Shashikumar, 2016).

That’s why modern haircare is shifting beyond cosmetic cleansing and focusing more on supporting the follicle environment itself.

The Bloom & Root Approach

At Bloom & Root, our formulas are designed to support hair at the scalp level — where healthier hair begins. Our ingredient philosophy focuses on combining clinically recognised ingredients that target multiple aspects of thinning hair:

Caffeine

Caffeine has been studied for its ability to help stimulate hair follicles and counteract some of the suppressive effects of DHT on follicular growth (Fischer et al., 2007). It may also help improve scalp microcirculation, supporting nutrient delivery to follicles.

Biotin

Biotin supports keratin infrastructure, the protein that forms the structure of hair itself. While biotin deficiency is uncommon, maintaining adequate levels is important for overall hair strength and resilience.

Rosemary Oil

Rosemary oil has gained attention for its potential role in improving circulation and supporting scalp health. Clinical studies have even shown improvements in hair count comparable to low-dose minoxidil after consistent long-term use (Panahi et al., 2015).

Saw Palmetto

Saw palmetto is particularly relevant in DHT-related thinning because it may help inhibit 5-alpha reductase, the enzyme involved in DHT production. This makes it one of the most researched botanical ingredients linked to supporting hormone-related hair thinning (Wessagowit et al., 2016).

Why Consistency Matters

Hair growth is slow. Even when follicles are healthy, noticeable improvement usually takes several months because hair naturally grows in cycles. This is why consistency matters more than intensity.

A supportive routine focused on scalp health, follicle support, and reducing stress on the hair can help improve:

• Hair quality

• Resilience

• Scalp condition

• Overall appearance of density over time

  
  

The Takeaway

Not all hair fall means permanent hair loss. Hair shedding is often temporary and linked to stress or disruption in the hair cycle, while true hair loss involves gradual changes happening within the follicle itself.

Understanding the difference allows you to approach your routine more effectively and more realistically. Because healthier hair doesn’t start with panic. It starts with understanding the root cause.

References:

• Fischer, T.W., Hipler, U.C. and Elsner, P. (2007) ‘Effect of caffeine and testosterone on the proliferation of human hair follicles in vitro’, International Journal of Dermatology, 46(1), pp. 27–35.

• Hughes, E.C., Syed, H.A. and Saleh, D. (2024) ‘Telogen Effluvium’, StatPearls Publishing. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430848/ (NCBI (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430848/?utm_source=chatgpt.com))

• Malkud, S. (2020) ‘Telogen Effluvium: A Review of the Literature’, Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, 14(9), WE01–WE03. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7320655/ (PMC (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7320655/?utm_source=chatgpt.com))

• Mysore, V. and Shashikumar, B.M. (2016) ‘Guidelines on the use of finasteride in androgenetic alopecia’, Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, 82(2), pp. 128–134.

• Panahi, Y. et al. (2015) ‘Rosemary oil vs minoxidil 2% for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia’, SKINmed Journal, 13(1), pp. 15–21.

• Rebora, A. (2019) ‘Telogen effluvium: a comprehensive review’, Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 12, pp. 583–590. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31686886/ (PubMed (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31686886/?utm_source=chatgpt.com))

• Sawaya, M.E. and Price, V.H. (1997) ‘Different levels of 5α-reductase in hair follicles of women and men with androgenetic alopecia’, Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 109(3), pp. 296–300.

• Wessagowit, V. et al. (2016) ‘Treatment of androgenetic alopecia with saw palmetto extract’, Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 22(5), pp. 369–374.