My Hair is Falling Out - What is the Substance on the Ends?'

Andre

Question: Anytime I comb my hair I lose a strand or two , at the bottom of that hair there's a substance people say enough melanin couldn't get there and I feel my hair is thinning

Answer: Hi, Andre.  The normal amount of hair loss for everyone - including people who are unaffected by any type of hair loss condition - is 100-200 per day, so one or two hairs is really nothing to worry about.

It's hard to tell from what you say here but we're assuming the substance at the end you're referring to is the hair follicle. This can come out when the hair sheds at the end of its natural life as a part of the hair growth cycle, and is also nothing to be concerned about - it does not indicate a melanin deficiency.  The role of melanin is to provide pigmentation and has nothing to do with hair loss or thinning.

If you feel that you have thinning hair this may be due to a depleted density due to male pattern baldness, or a temporary condition which causes excessive hair fall such as telogen effluvium. However, as you are not experiencing increased or noticeable shedding, both conditions seem unlikely.

Have you perhaps changed something in your routine which may be making your hair lie flatter than usual? Your shampoo or conditioner? If so, check the ingredients labels for silicones as these can make the hair appear thinner. Alternatively, you may simply be using too much conditioner which can also weigh the hair down making it look and feel more lank than normal, especially if it is applied to the entire hair shaft and roots, rather than to just the tips.

Another possible cause could be if you have you recently moved to an area with soft water. Although this does not cause you to lose your hair, it can make the hair look flatter, making some people concerned that the change has sparked a hair loss condition. In reality it is just that the hair is less 'puffy' so has a decreased volume when washed in soft water than in hard water. This is also true of washing the hair in colder water versus hot water.

Whilst this does not sound like anything to worry about to us, if you wish to put your mind at rest, we recommend you have a professional consultation with a hair loss specialist who can examine you and provide you with a personalised diagnosis and, if needed, a bespoke treatment plan too.