Did you know summer hair shedding is often a very normal annual occurrence? It’s called Seasonal Hair Loss and it’s about that time of year right now (July-September) when it typically occurs. Seasonal Hair Loss is a very common phenomenon – it is an uptick in shedding of our hair during the summer months.
Hair loss can be significant, and because of this, it is often very upsetting to those who experience it. Dr. Leonard has personally observed it in his patients for more than three decades. Our phone rings off the hook from the 4th of July until the beginning of September with patients complaining of increased hair visible in their drains, brushes, and clothing.
But WHY does Seasonal Hair Loss occur?
Radiation from the summer sun creates inflammation in the scalp skin. Any physiologic “insult” to the hair follicles will cause a temporary hair shedding (called telogen effluvium). So, during the hottest months of the year in the northern hemisphere, July and August, this inflammation happens. Typically, it takes about three to four months for the shedding to occur, but some people may experience it right away.
The good news is that it is self-limiting – it will stop as quickly as it began!
However, if a person already has a tendency of genetic hair loss, then the hair will not grow back as it had been before the seasonal hair loss – as is always the case with androgenetic alopecia (genetic hair loss). To combat this, I recommend using current medically proven therapies. Today, the only FDA-cleared or approved treatments include: the AUXO A300TM Laser Device, Propecia, and Rogaine Foam.
Throughout Dr. Leonard’s 35 years of treating hair loss patients, he has discovered that if someone is already treating his or her hair loss, the specific time of this seasonal shedding can shift by several weeks. This goes to show there still is so much that we need to learn about the human body – luckily you have us to lean on for assistance with all your hair loss needs!
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