Shedding vs Breakage: Is Your Hair Actually “Falling Out”?

Shedding vs Breakage: Is Your Hair Actually “Falling Out”?

One of the most common panic moments in any hair journey is seeing hair in the shower drain or on your brush and thinking:

“My hair is falling out.”

Sometimes that’s true—but a lot of the time, what you’re seeing is normal shedding or breakage, not actual hair loss at the root. Knowing the difference changes everything: the products you buy, the routine you follow, and how patient you are with your results.

Let’s break it down in a way that actually makes sense.

1. What Is Normal Hair Shedding?

Hair naturally grows in cycles. Each strand goes through:

  • Growth phase (anagen)

  • Resting phase (telogen)

  • Shedding phase (exogen)

Every day, a small percentage of your hairs reach that last phase and let go of the follicle.

Most people lose 50–100 hairs per day just from normal shedding. You’ll notice it more:

  • On wash days

  • After taking down protective styles

  • When you haven’t combed or brushed in a few days

What shed hair looks like:

  • The strand is full length

  • There’s a little white “bulb” at one end

  • The hair is otherwise intact and smooth

If that’s what you’re seeing, your scalp is likely just moving through its natural cycle.

2. What Is Hair Breakage?

Breakage is different. It happens when the strand snaps somewhere along its length instead of releasing from the root.

Breakage is usually caused by:

  • Excessive heat styling

  • Tight ponytails, braids, or buns

  • Rough detangling on dry or fragile hair

  • Chemical processing / bleach

  • Lack of moisture + protein imbalance

What broken hair looks like:

  • Short, uneven pieces

  • Often frizzy or rough at the ends

  • No white bulb at the tip

  • You may notice “flyaways” or thin patches where hair has snapped off

If most of what you see are little pieces rather than full strands, you’re dealing with breakage, not true shedding.

3. When Should You Be Concerned?

It’s normal to shed and it’s fixable to reduce breakage. But there are times when you may want to speak to a professional.

Consider checking in with a healthcare provider or dermatologist if:

  • You suddenly see a big jump in hair fall

  • Your part is visibly widening

  • You notice smooth, round bald patches

  • Your scalp feels persistently itchy, painful, or inflamed

  • You’re experiencing major stress, illness, or big hormonal changes

Supplements and topicals are supportive tools, but they can’t replace medical care when something deeper is going on.

4. How Inside–Out Care Helps Both

Whether you’re dealing with shedding, breakage, or a mix of the two, your hair still needs support at the follicle and the strand.

Internal support

Daily hair-focused supplements—like Follicle Complex™ capsules or Follicle Complex Gummies™—can help provide:

  • B vitamins (Biotin, B6, Folate, B12) to support normal protein metabolism

  • Vitamin C & E for antioxidant protection

  • Minerals such as Zinc and Iron (when included) to support normal hair and scalp health

  • Botanicals like horsetail, bamboo, and nettle that are commonly used in hair routines*

This doesn’t make hair grow overnight, but it helps create a better baseline environment for growth over time.

Topical support

Scalp serums and oils—like Botanical Hair Growth Serum or Follicle Complex Serum™—focus on:

  • Keeping the scalp moisturized and comfortable

  • Supporting circulation with massage

  • Using botanicals (rosemary, ginger, ginseng, etc.) and skincare-grade actives to care for the scalp barrier

Meanwhile, hair oils and serums for the lengths help to:

  • Reduce friction and tangling

  • Seal in moisture

  • Protect against breakage from daily wear and styling

5. Quick Self-Check: Shedding or Breakage?

Next time you’re worried, do this mini check:

  1. Look at the strand

    • Full length with a bulb at the end → shedding

    • Short, random pieces with no bulb → breakage

  2. Check the context

    • Just washed or took down a style → shedding will look heavier that day

    • Just straightened, bleached, or brushed roughly → likely more breakage

  3. Check the pattern

    • All over, evenly → usually shedding or diffuse thinning

    • Specific areas (edges, crown) + short pieces → often breakage or tension-related

Use what you find to adjust your routine instead of assuming the worst.

6. A Simple Plan Moving Forward

If you’re mostly seeing shed hairs:

  • Focus on consistent supplements and scalp health

  • Be patient—hair cycles take months, not days

If you’re mostly seeing breakage:

  • Cut back on heat and tight styles

  • Deep condition regularly

  • Add a lightweight oil or serum to protect mid-lengths and ends

  • Detangle only with slip, from ends to roots

In many cases, you’ll discover you didn’t need to “fix your hair” so much as support it better.