- Publication date:
Why is my hair falling out? 10 causes of hair loss explained
You often notice it at an unexpected moment. During washing, more hairs stay between your fingers than usual. Your brush seems fuller than normal. Or suddenly, your ponytail feels thinner when you tie your hair back. At first, you try to put it into perspective. Maybe it’s temporary. Maybe it’s due to stress, fatigue or a seasonal change.
But when those changes keep coming back, you automatically ask yourself the same question: why is my hair falling out?
When your hair suddenly changes, it often feels as if your body is trying to tell you something. In most cases, hair loss is a sign that there is an imbalance somewhere. Sometimes your body plays a role, sometimes your hormones, sometimes your scalp or your daily hair care routine. Often, it is a combination of different factors that reinforce each other.
What many people forget is that healthy hair does not only depend on what you apply to your lengths. Strong hair growth starts with a healthy scalp. When the scalp becomes unbalanced, the environment in which your hair grows also changes.
In this article, you’ll discover the 10 most common causes of hair loss, how to recognise the signs and what you can do to help your hair grow back stronger, fuller and healthier.
1. Stress and fatigue disrupt your hair cycle
Stress is one of the biggest causes of temporary hair loss. However, many people do not immediately make the connection, because hair loss often only becomes visible several months after a stressful period.
When your body is under prolonged pressure, it redirects energy towards functions that are essential for survival. Hair growth temporarily becomes less important. As a result, more hairs enter the resting phase sooner, after which they shed at the same time.
This type of temporary hair loss is called telogen effluvium, where more hairs enter the resting phase at once. It often occurs after:
- a stressful period
- emotional shocks
- burnout
- lack of sleep
- intense fatigue
What is typical of stress-related hair loss is that the hair usually does not fall out in bald patches. Instead, you notice that your hair gradually becomes thinner and loses density across the entire scalp.
2. Hormonal changes have a direct impact on hair loss
Hormones play a major role in the health of your hair. That is why you often notice changes during periods when your hormonal balance shifts.
Think, for example, of:
- pregnancy and postpartum
- menopause
- stopping hormonal contraception
- hormonal imbalances
- thyroid problems
During pregnancy, hair often stays in the growth phase for longer, which makes it look fuller. After giving birth, much of that hair sheds at the same time because the cycle normalises again. This can feel confronting, but it is usually temporary.
During menopause, the opposite often happens. Due to hormonal changes, hairs become finer, hair growth slows down and density on the top of the head decreases.
When hormonal hair loss continues for longer, it is important to look beyond hair care alone.
3. A sensitive or unhealthy scalp can make hair loss worse
Many people focus entirely on their lengths when they experience hair loss. But hair growth does not start in your ends, it starts in your scalp.
A healthy scalp supports:
- good blood circulation
- enough oxygen for the hair roots
- a stable microbiome
- balanced sebum production
When that balance is disrupted, hair follicles no longer have the ideal conditions to produce healthy hair. A disrupted scalp microbiome can lead to irritation, excessive sebum production and a less optimal environment for healthy hair growth.
You often notice this through a scalp that itches, flakes, feels red or sensitive, feels tight, or becomes extremely dry or oily. Many people see these symptoms as minor discomforts, while they are actually important signs of a scalp that has become unbalanced.
Within the Hairborist approach, the focus is therefore strongly placed on repair before cleansing. An oil treatment with Repair or Renovator deeply nourishes the scalp before shampoo is used. In combination with Aromasynergy Calvitien, this routine helps strengthen the hair follicles, support blood circulation and help reduce hair loss.
4. Shampoos that are too harsh can worsen hair loss
Many shampoos cleanse more intensely than necessary. In the short term, this may make your hair feel clean and light, but in the long term, shampoos with harsh sulphates or drying detergents can disrupt the scalp’s natural protective barrier.
The result? The scalp reacts by:
- producing more sebum
- becoming more sensitive
- getting irritated more quickly
- weakening its natural protective barrier
Naturalys, for example, was developed to rebalance the microbiome of sensitive scalps thanks to prebiotics and ultra-gentle cleansing.
The way you build your routine also makes a big difference. When you repair first and cleanse afterwards, your scalp often reacts much more calmly.
5. Nutritional deficiencies can weaken hair growth
Your hair is mainly made up of keratin, a protein structure that needs nutrients to keep growing healthily.
When your body has deficiencies, it first compensates by reducing support for less essential functions. Hair growth is one of them.
Deficiencies in iron, vitamin D, zinc and protein are especially often linked to hair loss. Strict diets or a long-term lack of nutrients can also visibly weaken hair growth.
That does not mean supplements are automatically the solution. But it does show how strongly your overall health is connected to your hair.
You do not only notice this through increased hair loss. Often, the hair also becomes duller, more brittle, less elastic and grows more slowly. Your hair therefore often reflects how your body is doing.
6. Seasonal changes cause temporary hair loss
Many people temporarily lose more hair in autumn and spring. This is completely normal. Seasonal changes can influence the hair cycle. Changes in light, temperature and daily rhythm cause more hairs to enter the resting phase at the same time.
Seasonal hair loss:
- is usually temporary
- spreads evenly
- recovers naturally within a few weeks
However, a sensitive scalp can make this period more intense. That is why it is important to treat your hair and scalp with extra care during these moments. A gentle routine and respectful hair care can often make a big difference during these periods.
7. Heat and styling cause hair breakage
Not all hair loss is true hair loss. Sometimes the hair simply breaks off. Daily blow-drying, straighteners, chemical treatments or tight hairstyles can weaken the hair fibre. As a result, the hair breaks more easily in the lengths, which is often confused with hair loss.
This leads to:
- less volume
- thin ends
- frizz
- shorter broken hairs
Many people then think their hair is no longer growing, when in reality it is constantly breaking. Although the cause is different here, the result remains the same: less volume and less full lengths.
Chemical treatments can also weaken the hair structure when the hair is not sufficiently protected. That is why protecting the lengths remains important, even when the cause of hair loss is located at the root.
8. Hereditary hair loss is more common than you think
For some people, genetics play an important role. This is called androgenetic alopecia.
In men, it often appears as a receding hairline or a thinning crown. In women, it usually shows as a wider parting and less volume on the top of the head.
Genetic hair loss usually develops gradually. The hair follicles produce increasingly finer hairs, until some eventually stop growing.
Although hereditary hair loss cannot be completely prevented, a healthy scalp remains essential to keep the environment around the hair follicles as optimal as possible.
9. Medical causes and medication can cause hair loss
Some forms of hair loss have a medical cause.
Think, for example, of:
- thyroid problems
- autoimmune diseases
- certain medications
- chemotherapy
- severe infections
- hormonal conditions
This also includes alopecia areata, where round bald patches suddenly appear.
When hair loss is accompanied by extreme fatigue, hormonal symptoms, skin problems or sudden bald patches, it is important to look beyond hair care alone.
Hair care remains supportive, but it never replaces a diagnosis. In such cases, professional medical advice is essential.
10. The wrong hair care routine keeps hair loss going
Often, the cause of hair problems does not lie in one single product, but in the entire routine.
Combining too many products, constantly switching shampoos, repeatedly stripping the scalp or not protecting the hair enough makes it difficult for the balance to recover.
Your scalp needs gentleness, consistency and stability.
Within the Hairborist care ritual, the routine is therefore built around clear phases:
- repairing with oil treatments or masks
- gently cleansing
- hydrating and closing the hair cuticles
- styling gently without suffocating the hair
This logic helps make the hair and scalp stronger again, instead of constantly throwing them out of balance.
How do you know which cause applies to you?
That is often the hardest question. Hair loss rarely has one clear cause. In most cases, several factors reinforce each other:
- stress
- hormonal changes
- a sensitive scalp
- the wrong products
- fatigue
- external damage
That is why it is important not to look only at your hair itself, but at the bigger picture.
Does your scalp feel comfortable? Has your hair become finer? When exactly did the hair loss start? Has your routine changed? Have you recently experienced a lot of stress? Often, these small signs together reveal much more than the number of hairs in your shower.
Tackling hair loss starts with understanding
When your hair is falling out, you naturally want to see results as quickly as possible. Yet long-term solutions rarely come from quick fixes.
Strong, healthy hair starts with a healthy foundation: a balanced scalp, gentle care that respects both hair and skin, sufficient nutrition from within, less aggressive styling and, above all, consistency and patience.
By first understanding why your hair is falling out, you can take much more targeted action. Not by forcing your hair, but by creating the right conditions in which it can grow back stronger.
Because healthy hair does not happen by chance. It grows from balance, repair and a scalp that can function optimally.
The sooner you understand the signs, the sooner you can support your hair again in a way that is truly sustainable. Not by camouflaging the problem, but by restoring balance where healthy hair growth can begin.
Share this article
Similar articles
29 June 2026
Mooi haar begint niet in de lengtes, maar aan de wortel. Een gezonde hoofdhuid vormt de basis voor glans, volume, comfort en sterke haargroei. Ontdek hoe je je hoofdhuid beter leert begrijpen en verzorgen....
22 June 2026
After plant-based hair colouring, you want to keep your colour beautiful for as long as possible. But some shampoos, conditioners and styling products can make your plant-based colour look dull more quickly. Discover which products are best avoided and which routine truly supports your colour....
15 June 2026
After cancer, hair regrowth often feels like a new beginning. But new hair is usually finer and more fragile, and your scalp may react more sensitively. In this article, you will discover how to gently and naturally support your hair and scalp during regrowth....