Hi Folks,

I've noticed a huge difference in hair volume (by huge, I mean 10-12% loss in "area of ponytail cross section"). In the fall, I had a significant amount of stress (from uni, from life in general, death of SO's father) but those stresses softened after awhile.. the issues were over by mid-December. but I kept shedding like crazy and notice significant decrease in bun volume. Today, I've just noticed significant decrease in fullness of the ends; they look wispier and thinner (comparing progress photos between Dec 4 2004 and today). It doesn't even look like waist length anymore. It looks like slightly past BSL from the thinner ends.

I can't compare this winter experience with last winter because this is my first "hair-conscious" year, conscious of my hair and its vital stats, and keeping close record of everything. There has been no change in diet, exercise, multivitamin regimen, tea consumption...well maybe a bit more tea because it's cold outside... (and some decrease in sugar intake, which would have helped a bit). If it makes any difference, I've been away in California for the holidays and our hometown had its first snow a couple days after Christmas. We came home to 3 inches-- not too much.

Many of you have posted saying you experience the most shedding in the early or mid fall, but... Is shedding supposed to be this drastic? Is/does anyone else experience(ing) drastic midwinter shedding?
Or if anything, I'm just looking for some reassurance. In the words of Iago, "I'm molting!"

Blessings,
Anais

Maybe your hair needs more time to recuperate from the stress you've been through? New hairs grow when the old ones fall off, it'll just take awhile before you've got the same thickness back.

I've noticed a bit of midwinter shedding, too. I'm hoping it will stop in the spring.

I have shed so much that my pony tail which measured 2 1/2 inches in November, and now it's barely 2. I have no recordable growth in length from November 30th til now. The more I research it and the more I ask, the more I hear the same thing. Some people shed a lot in Fall/Winter or both. I started to notice mine in November and wasn't convinced til now. Now I am see all these 1-3 inch hairs everywhere....like frizz but new...but I am sure I have a naturally fast shed rate anyway... so maybe it's a genetic Winter cycle..It will be interesting next year for us to look back and see if it regrew or if it happens again, cuz I didn't track it last year either...(((((((hugs))))))))

Stress and other things cause the hair to go into a resting phase which will last about three months and then the hair sheds, so you are noticing the shedding about three months after then event that caused it. I have had significant shedding resulting from stress, hormonal shifts, and surgery. The shedding always happens around the three month differential.

Meg

I've noticed less shedding recently, but that is probably because I've been taking better care of my hair since I found this board.

But we're having the first real cold spell here in Buffalo, and my hair is dryer today (I washed yesterday) than it has been since I started reading here and taking care of my hair.

Cold winter air is dry and harsh. It affects everything, one's health, one's mood, so why not one's hair?

Of course, spring will come again, and your hair will get used to winter, just like the rest of you. So this probably won't last.

Ursula

Awww.. thanks for the replies everyone :) .. it's good to know that winter shedding happens to other people too. May the spring faeries bring us lots of hair!

Anais

I've been shedding a lot this past week, too. Perhaps not any more than usual, but I'm certainly noticing it.

Sometimes I wonder how I have any hair left, considering how much I shed, but my ponytail is the same size now that it was 10 or 11 years ago when I started growing my hair out. (The ends are a different story - some definite thinning there.) So I guess we shouldn't worry much about normal shedding....?

Argh yes me too! It has put me in a tailspin but the forums are so helpful!