Читать книгу Can You Get Hooked On Lip Balm? - Perry Romanowski - Страница 80

Janelle asks: Every time I shampoo, I tend to lose around 40 strands and the same again when combing. Is this normal? And does the shampoo I use have anything to do with how much hair I lose?

One of the things we forget is that we are animals and, just like all other animals, we shed. So you shouldn’t be surprised that you lose some hair every day. But is 40 to 100 strands normal?

On the average person’s head (assuming there aren’t any bald spots), there is an average of 100,000 hairs. Feel free to count them if you like … we’ll wait. This is somewhat related to your natural hair color: Brunettes average about 120,000 hairs while redheads have only 90,000. The number of hairs is strictly controlled by your genetic makeup, which means there is nothing you can do to increase the number of hairs on your head.

At any given moment, each hair follicle on your head is in one of three growth phases. The anagen phase is when the hair is growing and actually getting longer. This can last anywhere from two to seven years. The catagen phase is a transitional phase, when growth slows and eventually stops. The telogen phase is the final phase, in which growth has completely stopped and the hair is vulnerable to falling out. The hairs that you naturally shed are all in the telogen phase.

Studies have shown that you should expect to shed approximately 0.1 percent of your hair each day. That means you lose 100 hairs every day. This is almost exactly the amount you are asking about. And remember: This is a biological rate; it has nothing to do with the shampoo you use.

The only effect hair products will have on the amount of hair you lose is that they may make you notice more lost hairs. Washing and styling involve lots of movement, so hairs will be more likely to fall out if they are ready. However, this will be true of any hair care brand.