Are You Losing Hair? Get a Quick Test!




To help you calculate exactly how much scalp hair you may be shedding each day, researchers have invented a “60-second technique” to count lost hair. This easy-to-apply and reliable hair count method, which was reported at the recent edition of the scientific journal Archives of Dermatology, was specially designed to evaluate the rates of possible hair loss. The technique allows calculating the number of lost hair, thus giving a real picture of a potential balding process.  By applying the procedure, you can find out whether your hair loss is excessive or not; you will also be able to evaluate the average rate of your hair loss in order to start applying anti-balding measures.


This newly-invented method implies counting hairs that remain on your hair-brush, pillow and in the bathtub after you have shampooed your locks. It is easily applied in the convenience of your own bedroom and bathroom, without a need to go to a doctor for a medical evaluation.

Hair loss is a fact of life for many men and women, especially those in their middle age, says leading author of the research Dr. Jeffrey Miller of Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey. The 60-second hair count technique is a way to objectively assess if you are suffering from pathological hair loss, how fast you are losing hair, and even what measures can be applied to prevent further hair shedding,  the scientist commented.

Many dermatologists insist that a loss of about 100 hairs a day is a normal phenomenon, which does not signal a pathological process that may lead to balding. However, Dr. Miller says that this number is way too high to be called “normal”. The average person has about 100,000 scalp hairs, some of which are in a resting phase (telogen). Shedding of about 100 of them a day may indicate that a higher than normal percentage of your hair follicles are in the telogen stage, which could be a symptom of a balding process. Therefore, a loss of only about 50 hairs a day would be a more reliable sign of having healthy locks which are not in danger of thinning, the doctor added.

A previously recommended method of hair loss count involved shampooing hair over a sink about a week after the last wash, a waiting time many people can find uncomfortable and disagreeable.

The new method, which was applied during the study, is far easier and no less reliable.

The research involved 60 male participants of different age groups. The subjects were asked to shampoo their hair three days in a row with Neutrogena. For the next three days, they had to comb their hair over a bath towel of contrasting colour and count the number of dropped hairs. The procedure then had to be repeated after a six-month period.

Based on the results of the study, the scientists have suggested that losing about 10 hairs after the 60-second combing procedure is normal and does not indicate excessive hair loss. However, if you notice more than 10 shed hairs after thorough combing, it is a sign that you may experience a pathological loss of hair and should consult your dermatologist. In addition to genetic and hormonal causes, balding can also be triggered by an inadequate intake of dietary iron, low thyroid function, or other heath or nutritional factors.

The authors said they soon will be reporting comparable analysis for women, as well.

Robin Makris

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Posted on June 17, 2008 
Filed Under Hair Loss

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