We are already halfway through August and we know that when autumn arrives, many of us will begin to notice how our hair begins to fall out more than usual. Although this phase is very normal and is known as seasonal hair loss, it is not fun to see how the hair seems to fall off endlessly. Thus, the question is whether this transitional decline can be stopped in some way.
The first thing we should know is that the hair loss that we suffer in autumn is hair that has already entered the telogen phase in spring-summer. For this reason, it is not so easy to prevent hair from falling out, because at the end of the day it is a renewal phase even if it seems quite the opposite to us. Dermatologist Javier Pedraz points out that “hair follows cycles of loss and regeneration that can coincide with the seasons of the year.”
Even so, experts point out that if we go ahead and take certain measures during the summer, a minor loss may be noticed.
Hair falls out more in the fall
It is not a myth, it is a reality. In autumn, hair falls out a lot more, we notice it when we brush, when we wash our hair, when we run our fingers through our hair… And it is inevitable that we worry in some way since it is a phase in which this hair loss is very noticeable.
According to dermatologist Ramón Grimalt, member of the AEDV (Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venerology) : “We specialists insist that almost all the hair that falls out in autumn recovers and will reappear after three or four months whether we take vitamin supplements with or without. It is as if a woman is given a few drops to stop her period and told that they will take effect in four or five days; our follicles need to renew themselves just as the endometrium does with each menstruation,” explains the expert.
Therefore, knowing that this is a normal phase, we should not worry too much. The dermatologist Eduardo López Bran explained to the Vanity Fair that it is “a seasonal hair loss that repeats year after year and is probably due to a circadian rhythm in hormonal secretion that influences the regulation of hair loss,” he indicates.
The importance of protecting the scalp in summer
Experts are clear that to have healthy and strong hair, we must pay more attention to the scalp. Many times the problem is that we only focus on taking care of the hair as such, when in reality it is the scalp that most influences its quality and growth.
The scalp is skin, and it has its needs, just like the face or body. One of the care that should be basic and very few people comply with it, is protection against solar radiation. And this also affects hair loss. The dermatologist Ana Molina stated in the podcast What you saythat “hair falls out in autumn because we burn our scalp in summer.”
Apparently, according to dermatologist Elena Martínez Lorenzo, it alone could influence the hair cycle. “One of the theories is that sun exposure influences by lengthening the anagen phase, so that, with its cessation, a massive phase change of the hair follicles occurs towards the telogen or hair loss phase,” he points out. This indicates that the more protected the scalp and hair are from the sun, the better. Beyond sun protection, hats and scarves are great allies.
Hair hydration is also essential
Of course, hair hydration cannot be missing either and it will be all benefits for the hair. Protecting the hair fiber is super important, but during the summer it is non-negotiable. High temperatures, the sun, salt or chlorine do a lot of damage and damage the outer layer of the hair (the cuticle). “Hair becomes dehydrated and, when a hair shaft has open pores, it breaks,” dermatologist and trichologist David Saceda explains to Public.
From Cantabria Labs, they explain that “in summer we are exposed to more external aggressions, such as the sun, salt water or chlorine. Therefore, we must enhance hair care. It must be washed frequently, especially after bathing in beaches or swimming pools, in order to prevent substances from adhering that could damage the hair fiber and even change its color,” they point out.
“In addition, we must enhance the care of the cuticle through hydration to prevent these external aggressions from damaging and penetrating deeper into the hair fiber, leading to an increased risk of breakage,” comment the experts.
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