3 women share their hair loss stories—and the surprisingly different reasons they faced thinning hair

We all know hair-washing day is the day we schedule our entire social calendar and workout schedule around—but it also often means discovering what seems like hundreds of loose strands all over your hands and in the drain once you’re done.

It’s usually nothing to stress over (we all shed), but sometimes excess hair shedding can be a symptom of something more. In a recent survey of 2,600 of our readers, we learned that 40 percent of you face thinning-hair issues that go beyond the slapping-strands-on-the-shower-wall situation.

“There are a number of natural and external factors that can cause thinning hair and it varies from person to person what exactly is the root cause of their specific problems,” says David Adams, consultant trichologist at Thicker Fuller Hair. “Natural causes include genetics, hormones, and general physical health, and external causes include side effects of medications, over-styling, stress, and poor nutrition.” 

The takeaway from our survey? You’re definitely not the only one experiencing it—but one thing’s for certain: You can totally do something about it. Thicker Fuller Hair is a hair-care regimen created by an Ayurvedic chemist to deliver nourishment from scalp to your ends, so it helps your strands return to their former glory days with plant-based ingredients like vegan keratin, quinoa, and more.

On our mission to gain more insight into the thinning-hair phenomenon—and spread more awareness that there are formulas out there that can help—we asked three Well+Good staffers to share their own experiences with hair thinning or loss.

Keep scrolling to get an inside look at 3 Well+Good women’s hair loss causes.

Stress-related hair loss

“A few years ago, right as I was starting a new job, settling into a new city, and pretty much just becoming a ‘real’ grown up, I started to notice way more hair coming off on my brush, in the shower, and sticking to my clothes than I was used to.

I’ve always had fine hair that I wished was thicker, so I pay close attention. But, back then it got to the point where other people (hi mom!) started to notice. My part, especially towards the front of my hair, was looking very thin.

First I panicked, then I started looking into it. I thought it might have been something with my birth control, so I talked to my doctor and switched—and that didn’t work. Then, being the holistic wellness obsessive that I am, I looked into other reasons. Long story short, it was stress. It was work stress, life stress, just all stress. So, I made some changes, and started doing acupuncture, taking time to go on walks, and genuinely just letting go.

Eventually my hair started to feel normal again, but for the rest of my life I will worry about it, and really I still don’t feel like my hair is totally the same.” — Ella Dove, senior video producer

The Recommendation: Thicker Fuller Hair Root Lifting Serum. With key ingredients like quinoa, which helps repair and protect individual strands, and vegan keratin, which deeply moisturizes, this serum will help revitalize Ella’s thinning hair part.

Post-pregnancy hair loss

“About four months postpartum, I noticed in the shower that more and more of my hair was coming out. I have decently thick hair to begin with and knew this would eventually happen from previous stories I had heard, but I was surprised by how much it bothered me.

I knew it was only temporary but I found that going for a haircut was very helpful. I chopped down the length which cut down on the *long* strands of hair coming out, and it instantly felt healthier.” — Jenna Gibson, design director

The Recommendation: Thicker Fuller Hair Scalp Tonic. Now that Jenna has had a fresh start with a clean chop, the scalp tonic—which contains a vitamineral blend of copper, magnesium, zinc—will keep her strands fresh from the root all the way to the ends.

PCOS hair loss

“I started gaining weight and feeling super weird symptoms when I was around 13. So, when puberty hit, I was like this is it—I was getting weird body hair, and started to notice more shedding.

I was diagnosed with PCOS at 14 or 15, which was a lot for me going into high school, so I was immediately put on birth control. But, when they put me on birth control, it caused a whole other slew of problems and made the hair thinning even worse.

Now, it’s my senior year, and I’m not paying as much attention to my body, so the foods that I’m eating are making my hormones all wonky again. It’s my biggest insecurity right now and I’m wondering how I can fix it.” — Sarah Madaus, editorial intern

The Recommendation: Thicker Fuller Hair Strengthening Shampoo + Repairing Conditioner. For Sarah, we’re taking it back to the basics—but in repair mode. This shampoo and conditioner combo is made of organic baobab that hydrates and protects hair strands and Neem Leaf that helps enrich her locks with antioxidants, while also working to increase shine and manageability.

In partnership with Thicker Fuller Hair

Top photo: Getty Images/Westend61