🍂 Why do we lose more hair in autumn ?

(And why this is not the end of the world, nor of your hair.)

We notice it every year: in autumn, the sidewalks are covered with fallen leaves and... our brushes too. Panic on board: is it serious? Is it hormonal? Is it the end of volume? (Spoiler: no, no, and no again.)

In fact, this little episode of seasonal shedding has been observed and measured by several serious studies, the kind where researchers counted hairs one by one (you have to love statistics and bulbs!).

🧠 What the science says

A study of 823 healthy women followed over six years showed a seasonal variation in the hair cycle: more hairs enter the so-called telogen (resting) phase during the summer, which logically leads to a more noticeable shedding in autumn (Randall & Ebling, British Journal of Dermatology, 1991 ; PubMed 19407435).

Another study (Müller et al., Dermatology, 2009) confirmed this periodicity: the percentage of resting hairs peaks late summer/early autumn, before returning to normal in winter. In other words: hair has its own back-to-school.

And as if that weren’t enough, a team of Swiss researchers analyzed Google trends between 2004 and 2016: searches related to “hair loss” consistently increase between July and October (Randhawa et al., British Journal of Dermatology, 2017). No microscope needed to confirm it: our hair anxieties follow the seasons too.

🌞 Why now?

Scientists suggest several explanations (and none of them involves bad hair karma):

• Light. Our hair follicles seem sensitive to photoperiod: fewer days, less light, a bit of shifting melatonin, in short, a biological signal of “seasonal change”.

• The natural cycle. Hair that grew during the summer (a period of rapid growth) simply reach the end of their course. They fall to make way for the next generation.

• Physical effects. Sun, salt, chlorine, sand, wind: summer works wonders for morale, but less so for keratin. Hair oxidizes, becomes fragile and sometimes bows out in October.

• Stress (back-to-school). Yes, it seems follicles also hate to-do lists.

🍁 What it means (and doesn’t mean)

No, you are not becoming bald.
Yes, it’s temporary, natural and often invisible in the medium term.

Dermatologists call it “seasonal telogen effluvium”: a diffuse, moderate, and above all reversible hair loss (Headington, American Journal of Dermatopathology, 1993). The cycle resumes on its own after a few weeks, and everything is back to normal before the holidays (promise, your locks will survive Christmas).

What you can do

Because there’s no season for taking care of yourself or your scalp.

• Gentleness : a respectful shampoo (like those handcrafted in our Parisian workshop, special mention for the anti-hair-loss… just saying!).

• Nourish without weighing down : a conditioner rich in plant actives that strengthens the fiber without greasing it (like this one, for example).

• Let it breathe : avoid hairstyles that are too tight and frantic blow-drying.

• Eat a balanced diet : iron, protein, zinc, B vitamins, your hair is hungry for good health.

• Observe without obsessing : if shedding exceeds 100 hairs per day for several weeks, or if it’s accompanied by thinning patches, only then should you consult.

✨ In short

Leaves fall, hair falls, it’s the season.
But like trees, it grows back.
The important thing is not to count what you lose, but to cherish what you keep, and give it the best care possible.