How Much Hair Is Normal to Lose in the Shower?

Watching more hair than usual circle the shower drain can be a stressful experience. Seeing some strands is to be expected, but how much hair is normal to lose in the shower, and when should you worry about the amount of hair you’re shedding on wash day?

While it may seem alarming to see a clump of hair on your shower floor, it’s not necessarily a cause for concern. It’s normal to lose some hair every day. However, a sudden increase in shedding might be a temporary form of hair loss known as telogen effluvium, which is usually triggered by acute stress, illness, or hormonal changes, but should resolve itself over time. 

 In other cases, excess hair falling out in the shower could indicate a more significant issue, like female pattern hair loss. This is a gradual and progressive hair loss condition and the earlier you address it the better.

Below, we outline how much hair loss is normal in the shower, how to identify when hair loss may be a sign of something gone awry with your hair health, and how to address hair loss.

How much hair loss is normal in the shower? As it turns out, losing some strands while washing your hair is completely normal. Most people shed between 50 to 100 hairs a day on average. And if you have thick hair, you may shed even more than that.

Fifty to 100 hairs a day may sound like a lot, but your scalp has hundreds of thousands of hair follicles. This means that some hair falling out in the shower is nothing to worry about; it’s just natural shedding that’s part of the hair growth cycle.

The hair growth cycle involves three different phases: 

• The anagen phase (or growth phase)

• The catagen phase (or transition phase)

• The telogen phase (or resting phase)

Every hair on your scalp is at a different point in this cycle at any given time.

At the end of the telogen phase hair naturally sheds, and the cycle starts all over again as new hair grows. As a result, you might notice fallen hair strands on your pillow, on the floor, and in the shower. But you may wonder to yourself, why do I lose so much hair specifically in the shower?

The combination of water pressure and hair washing in the shower helps to dislodge hairs that are at the end of the telogen phase and ready to shed. And if you wash your hair less often, you may notice more shedding on wash days, since those ready-to-shed hairs are waiting around for friction.

So, how much hair is normal to lose in the shower, and how do you know if it’s more than just normal shedding as part of the hair growth cycle? There are some telltale signs your hair loss may be atypical and potentially related to an underlying condition. These include:

• You notice your ponytail is thinner than usual

• Your part starts to look wider

• You notice some bald spots

• You are losing large clumps of hair rather than just individual strands

So, what causes hair loss beyond normal shedding? Below, we explore the causes of excessive or abnormal hair loss.

Hair loss can happen for a number of reasons, including illness, genetics, age, hormonal changes, and even stress. If you’re noticing more hair falling out than usual in the shower, possible culprits could include telogen effluvium, female pattern hair loss, traction alopecia, and alopecia areata.

Let’s go over these potential causes of thinning hair in more detail.

Telogen Effluvium

If you’ve been dealing with acute stress, whether related to job loss or divorce, or have recently had a serious illness or surgery, you may notice a sudden increase in hair shedding occurring about two to three months after the triggering event. This condition, known as telogen effluvium, can lead to temporary hair thinning.

 Telogen effluvium is typically associated with a noticeable increase in the amount of hair falling out in the shower. With this type of hair loss, you might notice that the hair falling out has a white bulb at the root.

Telogen effluvium can be triggered by:

• Acute severe stress 

• Surgery or illness

• Hormonal changes

• Health conditions, including thyroid problems and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

• Certain medications

• Nutritional deficiencies

• Childbirth

Thankfully, this type of hair loss is usually temporary. To learn more, our guide to stress and female hair loss goes into more details on causes and treatment options to support recovery. .

Traction Alopecia

Are you a fan of tight ponytails or braids? Tight hairstyles, hair extensions, and other hairstyling techniques that put consistent and prolonged tension on your hair can damage hair follicles and cause hair loss over time. The result is a type of hair loss called traction alopecia.

Curious about this type of hair loss? Read more in our guide to ponytail hair loss. 

Alopecia Areata

If you’re noticing round or oval-shaped bald spots on your head, you may be dealing with a type of hair loss called alopecia areata. This is an autoimmune condition in which your immune system mistakenly attacks hair follicles, leading to hair loss. .

Alopecia areata tends to be unpredictable and can happen even if you’re in good health. It can also occur at any age (though it’s most common in teens and those in their 20s and 30s), and it appears to affect all genders and races equally.

Hair Breakage

While this isn’t exactly a type of hair loss, it may increase the amount of hair you see in the shower. 

Hair breakage occurs when your hair strands become damaged, brittle, or weak. This makes the hair shaft prone to breaking.

This can lead to more hair than usual falling out in the shower, even though the hair is not actually being lost from the root. 

There are a number of steps you can take to avoid hair damage . The American Academy of Dermatology suggests you:

• Use shampoo mostly on your scalp and not on the entire length of your hair

• Use a nourishing conditioner 

• Dry your hair gently or air dry it instead of rubbing it with a towel

• Avoid using heat styling tools excessively; these include blow dryers, curling irons, and hair straighteners

• Don’t brush hair when it’s wet; instead, detangle gently using a wide-toothed comb

• Limit your reliance on hair dye, perms, and other harsh chemicals

Want to avoid hair breakage? We have a number of resources on good hair care habits.

Depending on the type of hair loss or hair shedding you’re experiencing, there are different types of hair loss treatments that can help slow or prevent hair loss that leads to clumps showing up in the shower:

• Spironolactone. This once-daily antiandrogen pill is often prescribed off-label to treat female pattern hair loss (androgenetic alopecia). Spironolactone helps decrease levels of testosterone and other androgens in the body, which helps prevent hormone-related hair thinning and shedding. 

• Minoxidil. This hair loss treatment is backed by years of research. In a 2011 trial, researchers found that both 2% and 5% versions of minoxidil improved hair thinning. It’s believed that minoxidil works by encouraging hairs to enter into the anagen, or growth, stage of the hair growth cycle. Minoxidil is available as an oral pill, or you can opt for minoxidil solution or a minoxidil foam.

• Topical finasteride and minoxidil spray. Our topical finasteride and minoxidil spray combines two scientifically backed treatments for female pattern hair loss. Finasteride works as a DHT blocker and is usually prescribed for postmenopausal women experiencing hormonal hair loss.

Lifestyle habits can also help with healthy hair growth. Here are some tips to consider:

• Eat a healthy, balanced diet. A nutritious diet supports hair growth before hair even exits the follicle. Being deficient in nutrients like biotin can lead to hair loss. While there’s limited evidence to support the benefits of supplementing when you’re healthy, supplementing when you’re deficient may stop hair shedding.

• Use the right hair care products. Volumizing shampoos and hair products for women containing natural ingredients might not speed up hair regrowth, but they may help prevent damaged hair and support hair health.

• Opt for a gentle hair care routine. Being gentle on your hair can prevent hair breakage, that may make it appear as if you are losing more hair. In addition to avoiding tight hairstyles, try to limit heat styling. And be sure to use thermal spray to protect your hair when blow drying, straightening, or curling it.

• Take care of your scalp. Good scalp care includes keeping your scalp clean, addressing issues like dandruff and irritation, and avoiding UV damage. An unhealthy, irritated scalp can impede healthy hair growth.

 In order to determine the underlying cause of your hair loss, it’s a good idea to speak with a healthcare professional, like a dermatologist. Your hair loss might be a symptom of a bigger underlying problem, like a health condition.

Is it normal to lose hair in the shower? Yes. Water pressure and shampooing can dislodge hairs that were ready to shed due to the natural progress of the hair growth cycle.

But if you’re noticing more hair than usual in the shower, consider making an appointment with a medical professional.

Let’s recap what we know about hair loss in the shower:

• Shedding a number of strands a day is normal. How much hair is normal to lose in the shower? You can expect to lose an average of 50 to 100 strands of hair every day, the majority of which will show up in the shower. .

• Shedding can happen for a few reasons. Some things that can explain why you’re losing more hair in the shower include your normal hair growth cycle, stress-related hair loss, and medical conditions like alopecia areata.

• Excessive hair loss might warrant a medical opinion. If you think you may be experiencing hair thinning, talk to a healthcare professional about getting to the root cause of your hair loss and appropriate treatment options. These options may include minoxidil, spironolactone, or topical finasteride/minoxidil spray, or even biotin supplements.

If you’re worried about the amount of hair loss you’re experiencing, talk to a dermatology professional to rule out hormonal or medical changes. An expert can help you determine the underlying cause of your hair loss and explore the best hair loss treatments for women.