Can Using the Wrong Shampoo Cause Hair Loss?'

Melanie

Question: My hair has started falling out after I changed shampoos. I used to use just baby shampoo but changed to a shampoo for oily hair (my hair type) instead and now I see hair falling out in the shower. I don't have any bald patches but I am definitely losing a lot of hair. Could the new shampoo be causing hair loss? And how do I stop it? I have gone back to using baby shampoo.

Answer: Hi Melanie, your hair loss is unlikely to be related to your shampoo unless you have had a severe allergic reaction. As you do not mention any signs of this, I will assume this is not the case.

The most likely cause is that you have entered the Telogen phase of your hair growth cycle. Normal hair production involves three separate stages - Anagen (growth), Catagen (transition) and Telogen (hair production rests). At the end of third phase, the hair is shed to make room for new hair to grow.

On average women lose around 100 hairs per day but this can increase during the shedding phase of the hair cycle which lasts around 1-2 weeks. It is totally normal to see a little extra regular hair fall approximately every six weeks because of this cyclical process.

The reason you may notice your hair fall more when you are in the shower is because you are focused on it, so it is more noticeable than if that hair had fallen whilst you were out and about.  It is likely that this process coincided with your change of shampoo.

However, if you are also starting to notice signs of thinning hair or patchy hair loss, these could be signs of a hair loss condition. The best thing to do if you are concerned about your level of shedding, and if it has been going on for longer than a couple of weeks, is to visit a hair loss specialist for an expert opinion. They will be able to provide personalised treatment recommendations to help prevent further hair fall and regrow your hair.