Seasonal hair fall: is it real?

There is reasonable observational evidence that shedding is not evenly distributed through the year. Studies tracking hair over long periods have found a higher proportion of follicles in the resting phase around late summer and early autumn, with increased shedding following some weeks later.

The proposed mechanism relates to seasonal light exposure and its effect on the growth cycle, a mild echo of the seasonal coat changes seen clearly in other mammals. The effect in humans is modest.

Alongside any biological seasonality, Indian conditions produce their own quite practical effects, and these are often the larger factor.

Monsoon

High humidity means hair absorbs atmospheric moisture, swelling the shaft and lifting the cuticle. The result is frizz, more tangling, and more breakage during detangling. Damp scalps stay damp for longer, which some people find aggravates itching and flaking. Rainwater itself is soft, but it can carry pollutants in urban areas.

Summer

Sweat, sebum and dust combine, so many people wash more frequently. More washing with hot water and more vigorous towel-drying adds up. Direct sun on an exposed parting is genuine UV exposure to skin.

Winter

Drier air, and often hotter showers. Both leave hair and scalp drier, and a dry scalp flakes and itches. Wool scarves and caps add friction at the hairline.

Monsoon

• Dry hair properly rather than tying it up damp.
• Detangle gently and expect more tangling. A wide-tooth comb earns its place here.
• Do not skip washing because it is humid. A damp, unwashed scalp is not a comfortable one.
• Rinse after being caught in city rain rather than letting it dry in.

Summer

• Cover your parting in strong sun. It is skin, and it burns.
• Rinse after sweating heavily, even without a full shampoo.
• Keep water lukewarm rather than hot, however tempting a cold-then-hot habit is.

Winter

• Lower the shower temperature.
• Condition the ends more attentively, since dry air is harder on them.
• Watch friction from scarves and caps at the hairline.

Attributing shedding to the weather is comfortable, and it delays people getting help. Seasonal shedding is a brief uptick that settles. It does not produce a widening parting, patchy loss, or four months of handfuls.

If shedding persists beyond about six weeks, if your ponytail is measurably thinner, or if the scalp is becoming more visible, treat it as something other than seasonal and get it looked at. Our guide on why hair falls covers the causes worth ruling out.