Hair shedding vs hair loss

Hair follicles move through growth, transition and resting phases. The AAD describes shedding around 50–100 hairs a day as normal, with variation according to hair practices. Finding hair in a brush does not by itself establish a disorder.

A change from your usual pattern is more useful than a rigid count. Diffuse shedding after illness or stress can be different from a progressively widening part, receding hairline or distinct patch of loss. Broken shafts are different again.

Persistent changes, patchy loss, pain or an inflamed scalp deserve assessment. Identifying the cause is more informative than selecting a serum or supplement on the basis of shedding alone.