Hair Shedding vs Hair Loss: What’s the Difference?

Key Takeaways:

• Is hair shedding normal? Yes. It is normal to lose some hairs each day as part of the natural hair growth cycle. What matters most is whether you are experiencing more hair shedding than normal.
  
• What is the main difference between hair shedding and hair loss? Hair shedding refers to hairs falling out, whereas hair loss usually means a visible reduction in hair density or coverage, such as a widening hair parting, receding hairline, or a thinning crown.
  
• Can excessive shedding make my hair look thinner? Certainly, heavy shedding can temporarily reduce hair density, and it can also unmask previously subtle pattern hair loss. 
  
• How do I know when I should get it checked? Seek professional advice from a doctor if the shedding continues unchanged for many months, you notice your hair is becoming thinner, bald patches begin to appear, or you start having scalp symptoms, such as redness, pain, itching, or scaling.
  
• Would a hair transplant help?  A hair transplant will not be suitable if the cause of your hair shedding is still unexplained. You will need to be investigated further and get a correct diagnosis before that is a consideration.
  

When you notice more hair falling out than usual, it can cause a lot of worry. Perhaps you started to notice more hair on your pillow, in the shower, or when you are running your hands through your hair. It can be a common experience, but one that leaves you questioning whether you are losing your hair. 

Seeing hair fall out is a common experience and does not always mean that you have permanent hair loss. There are some common reversible causes of increased hair shedding; in this article, you can learn how to tell the difference and, importantly, when you should seek professional medical advice.

What Is Hair Shedding?

The hair growth cycle has two main stages: an active growth stage (anagen) and a resting stage (telogen). Hair shedding happens at the time in the hair cycle when the follicle is in a resting state, has completed its lifecycle, and falls out. It can either be normal hair shedding, which happens on average at a rate of 100 hairs per day;^1,2 or it can be classed as excessive hair shedding. 

Excessive hair shedding is not set at a fixed number, but rather is an observable increase from your normal shedding amount.

Temporary excessive shedding can happen after physical or psychological stress on the body, which pushes more hairs than usual into the resting state. This can be due to illness, stress, childbirth, surgery, or significant weight loss.³ These hairs end up falling out together in a similar timeframe, which is how you end up noticing increased shedding. 

What Is Hair Loss?

Hair loss (alopecia) is when your hair density, thickness, or size of strands decreases, leading to less coverage of your scalp.⁴

Pattern hair loss (Androgenetic Alopecia), which is the most common form of hair loss, presents with certain features that are distinctively different in men and women. Men, for example, typically begin to lose hair in their temple area first, alongside thinning in the crown area.

In women, the most common pattern is a widening of the central hair parting and a diffuse loss of hair all over the top of the scalp. The frontal hairline is usually not affected in women.

Other causes of hair loss, like Alopecia Areata can present with circular bald patches. The key point to remember is that hair loss causes a change in the appearance of your hair, with a noticeable visual change in hair density, either diffusely or focused in specific areas. 

Hair Shedding vs Hair Loss: How Can You Tell?

Daily shedding of some hairs is perfectly normal. These hairs are being expelled by the body to make way for new ones, as they have completed the hair cycle.

The more important question is how to tell the difference between excessive shedding and hair loss. The main difference is in what is being measured. Hair shedding is based on the amount of hairs that are falling out. Hair loss is more of a visual quality of your hair rather than being numerical. It is about how much visual coverage of your scalp is being provided by your permanent hair. 

Increased hair shedding may look like:

• More loose hairs collecting in your shower, when you brush your hair, or on your clothing
  
• Hair coming out evenly across much of your scalp
  
• Increased shedding without the appearance of an obvious bald patch or receding area

Hair loss may look like:

• A gradual decrease in your hair density
  
• A widening of your natural hair parting
  
• Receding at the temples or hairline
  
• Thinning at the crown
  
• Clearly defined bald patches

Hair shedding and hair loss are not always mutually exclusive. Excessive shedding can make the hair appear thinner, and it can also make underlying pattern hair loss more noticeable.

For this reason, seeing excess hair falling cannot reliably inform you whether you have temporary shedding, an underlying form of hair loss, or both. 

A rule of thumb is to pay attention to both the amount of hairs falling out and the density of your hair. If you are noticing more loose hairs but your coverage remains the same, it is likely to be shedding. If you notice your hairline or crown density is changing, then you could have an underlying form of hair loss. 

If you are concerned about your hair changes, then seek a professional assessment by a GP or dermatologist. 

Is It Hair Shedding or Hair Breakage?

Hairs that are shedding leave the scalp from the root, with the whole naturally tapering hair coming out in one piece. They usually have a white tip, which is the root bulb, present. 

Hair breakage is when the hairs are torn from the shaft. You won’t see any visible root bulb. What you might see is that some of your scalp hairs are uneven and shorter than others. 

When Should You Seek Help?

You should seek help if the shedding you notice doesn’t seem to be going away or if it is associated with a visible thinning of your hair.

Speak to a GP or dermatologist if you notice any of these other symptoms:

• You have recently lost weight without being on a diet
  
• You feel fatigued
  
• You develop one or more bald patches on your head
  
• Your scalp is painful, itchy, red, inflamed, or has become scaly
  
• You are losing eyebrow, eyelash, or body hair as well as scalp hair

Hair Transplants and Hair Shedding

Increased hair shedding can often be reversed, making it unnecessary to have a hair transplant to correct it. The hair grows back when the stress on the body, either physical or psychological, is resolved. First, the cause of your active hair shedding will need to be uncovered.

A hair transplant is an option if you have some forms of stable, permanent hair loss. Most patients we treat typically have pattern hair loss (Androgenetic Alopecia).  It is crucial to diagnose the cause of your hair loss correctly before considering hair restoration surgery.

Conclusion

Hair shedding refers to hairs falling out, while hair loss describes a reduction in hair density or coverage. It is perfectly normal to have some shedding on a daily basis. If you have excessive shedding that won’t go away, visible thinning, or you develop bald patches, then you need to be assessed by a doctor to establish the underlying cause and to receive the correct treatment. 

References:

1. Natarelli N, Gahoonia N, Sivamani RK. Integrative and mechanistic approach to the hair growth cycle and hair loss. J Clin Med. 2023;12(3):893. doi:10.3390/jcm12030893.
   
2. NHS. Hair loss [Internet]. London: NHS; [cited 2026 Sep 21]. Available from: NHS – Hair loss
   
3. Asghar F, Shamim N, Farooque U, Sheikh H, Aqeel R. Telogen effluvium: a review of the literature. Cureus. 2020;12(5):e8320. doi:10.7759/cureus.8320.
   
4. Dakkak M, Forde KM, Lanney H. Hair loss: diagnosis and treatment. Am Fam Physician. 2024;110(3):243-250.