When hair starts falling, many people rush to buy products before understanding the problem — losing both time and money. In truth, the phrase hair loss covers very different situations, each with its own causes and course. This article is a simplified map of the most common types, so you know where you stand and what the logical next step is.

First: How Many Hairs a Day Is Normal?

Most people shed between fifty and one hundred hairs a day as part of the natural hair cycle: each strand lives through a long growth phase, then rests, then falls to make way for a new one. Hairs on the brush or pillow are not alarming in themselves; what matters is a clear change from your usual baseline.

Telogen Effluvium: The Most Common

A few months after an event that taxes the body — childbirth, high fever, surgery, a crash diet, intense stress — a large number of hairs can shift into the resting phase at once, then shed together. This is telogen effluvium: diffuse shedding across the whole scalp rather than one bare patch, and almost always temporary. It typically eases within months once the trigger has passed, helped by gentle care, balanced nutrition and patience.

Hereditary Thinning: The Silent Gradual One

This is the type most tied to genetics and hormones, developing slowly over years. In men it usually starts with a receding front line and a thinning crown; in women, with diffuse thinning over the top of the head and a widening parting, while the front hairline is generally preserved. The earlier it is addressed, the wider the options — so seeing a dermatologist at the first signs is a wise decision.

Alopecia Areata: Sudden Round Patches

The abrupt appearance of one or more smooth, round, hairless patches is the signature of alopecia areata — an immune-related, non-contagious condition that can occur at any age. Its course is unpredictable and regrowth is common, but diagnosis and follow-up belong strictly with a doctor.

Traction Alopecia: The One We Create Ourselves

Repeated tight hairstyles — high ponytails, tense braids, strict buns — exhaust the follicles over months and years until the hairline recedes at the forehead and temples. The good news: caught early, with the tension released, hair usually recovers. This is the one type whose prevention is entirely in your hands.

When Does a Doctor Visit Become Necessary?

  • Sudden heavy shedding, or patches with no hair.
  • Itching, redness, scaling or pain in the scalp.
  • Loss accompanied by general symptoms such as marked fatigue or weight changes.
  • Thinning that persists beyond six months despite good care.

Simple tests ordered by a doctor can reveal treatable causes such as iron deficiency or a thyroid imbalance.

Understanding is half the solution — and gentle, consistent care supports every case: balanced nutrition, a soft touch, and natural nourishment for the scalp. Assil Ouargane, a manufacturer in Morocco, produces natural oils and scalp and hair care products, with private-label manufacturing for brands. Request a quote through our website.