Is this UNnormal shedding? Help!

[Hysi]

Okay ladies, so I need some help on this. I am shedding on a daily basis what i think is an excessive amount of hair and I need your input whether you think this is out of the norm or am I just being paranoid (but I don't think so). I am trying to figure out "who " the culprit is.

I know that we lose a "daily" amount naturally and I understand that I will lose more when detangling, but I only detangle when I wash & condish. I am losing what I feel is a lot of hair on the daily routine while applying prods just smoothing and finger combing through.

Sorry I just typed everything out in good detail and just as I was about to post, laptop turned off. So I hope I can explain well. Whatever the case I have been trying to correct it with protein. (Whadaya think?)

Here is what I do: I shampoo and DC my hair every weekend and co-wash maybe 1 or 2 times a week and some weeks I don't CW at all. When I'm done I use a leave in and oil and go to bed or style. I sleep in a satin bonnet or silk scarf and pillowcases. If I don't cover my hair before bed, I'm still on my pillowcase.

Everyday I either quickly dunk my head in the shower or spray wet with a mixture of h2o, glycerin, & evco ( and every now & then, I don't.) I then apply prods by smoothing and finger combing through. I have found my staples and they work so well with my hair and I hate to think that one of them is causing this, but my daily routine after wetting/ dampening is veggie glycerin, eco styler gel, and little oil (either One of evco, evoo or castor, but mainly evco). Then I use a small amount of eithet MJ's quick curls or curl souffle. This has been wonderful for my curls and leaves my hair soft and moisturized all day.

This is insane, I know- I keep hair! LOL*
Pic1: a)The first wad to the left is from detangling after a wash, b)the next wad is from applying prods to hair- smoothing & finger combing, mostly smoothing, about the size of a nickel maybe? c)the last wad was a few minutes later- I think I broke it up and sealed seperately instead of mixing it and I still got this small wad. (This is all on the same day)

Pic2: The same wads just a closer view

Pic3: From applying products another day.

I feel like I shouldn't even be losing this much on the detangle since I lose so much on the daily routine. What gives?? HELP???? I hope I'm not using the veggie glycerin because I love it so much, it's the best thing since jelly, lol! BWWWUUAAAHH!!! Does anyone else use glycerin daily? TIA!

ETA: I haven't noticed many ssk's if that makes a difference

 

[krisalexs]

How long have you been shedding like this. Are you noticing any breakage in certain areas of your hair, or is it just strictly shed hairs

 

[Vshanell]

Ok, so the 3 wads are from one day?...just trying to make sure I understood your post. If so, that is a lot, and especially for your length. If you weren't combing for say a week it would be fine.

Can you tell if it's breakage or shed hair? The only thing that I could possibly think of is that maybe the glycerin is making your hair over moisturized, mushy and soft so it's breaking. For some people daily application of glycerin is too much, maybe try cutting down to a couple times a week and throw some protein treatments into your regimen if you haven't already.

 

[Nonie]

Can you count them? If they are more than 100, then it's a lot. If not, keep on doing what you're doing.

How long is your hair? While you return with an answer to that, I'll see if I can get in image to try and explain something to you.

OP, below are two very tiny balls of hair, way smaller than yours. The one on the right is what BSL hair looks like when 3 shed hairs are rolled in the fingers to form a ball and on the left that's what 26+ inches of hair looks like when 5 hairs are rolled in-between fingers to form a ball. So really, how do you think a 100 hairs would look like? I think some of you shed more than you should coz you work yourself into worry when there's no need. I would challenge you OP to pull out the hairs in those balls and count them. I doubt you'll even get to 50.

 

[Hysi]

Thank you for your responses. This is making me feel ill.

@krisalex: This has been going on since it got longer. I started getting worried about 3 weeks ago. I know that's a long time, but I am not noticing much loss in any particular area.

@poka: yes all in one day, The first and biggest is from detangling that I only do on was days, so typically I don't comb except once a week. The others are from applying product by smoothing with my hands and running my fingers through which I mostly smoothe; and this comes off on my hands during applying prods. I try to be as light handed as possible. bwuuaahhh... I can't really tell if it's breakage or shedding, but haven't really paid attention. I was hoping it wouldn't be the glycerin, but afraid that it might be. But I've been using it daily the whole time and this started getting really noticeable within the last few weeks maybe 3-4. But now that I think about it, it did seem extra soft and maybe "snappy". I have added more protein and it may be helping, but I'll do a heavy protein to be safe.

@ noni: I haven't counted the hair, but I will next time. I also though about the fact that I had rolled them up and hoping it's not too much, but it sure seems like more than 100. Thanks for the visual, that really helped me to get an idea.

Thanks for your help. This is making me feel ill yall. I have heard some say that they cut their natural journey short due to the breakage, but I don't want to do that so I'm hoping that cutting back on the glycerin and adding more protein can help. The glycerin is what really makes the difference for me. Are they're any prods that I can use as an alternative that will give me the same effect that gly has? It keeps my curls moist and soft, not hard like KCCC and some other prods I have tried. Any suggestions? TIA.

 

[Hysi]

bumping for more replies

 

[Nonie]

bumping for more replies

Hysi, I just read your response to Pokahontas. So the first ball is after a week? C'mon nah! You're trippin'

Here's what normal shedding after 8 weeks looks like:

If we divided that into 8 parts, we'd get what you are fretting about. Please stop or you'll start losing hair due to stress.

 

[Vshanell]

After reading your responses to my questions i think your shedding is normal. Since that first ball is after a week that seems totally normal. I detangle afterr a week and i have a good size ball of hair. I like to use my denman brush to get all the shed hairs out so i dont have to worry about more coming out when i apply my leave ins and style. The denman does a good job of getting them all out after a weeks time.

 

[Vshanell]

*double post*

 

[Hysi]

Hysi, I just read your response to Pokahontas. So the first ball is after a week? C'mon nah! You're trippin'

Here's what normal shedding after 8 weeks looks like:

If we divided that into 8 parts, we'd get what you are fretting about. Please stop or you'll start losing hair due to stress.

Whewww, girl!!!! Man am I so relieved. I was really flippn out. Your idea to count the hairs was the bomb. even tho I trashed the balls from the pics, I've counted them in similiar sizes as the smaller ones and one was 19 hairs! and another day i had 27. but it looked like more. I will def be a countin after my wash. Thx for the tip and the visuals.

Ok Poka, if you're getting abouth that much, then that's a relief for me to know that it's like the norm. I only comb out with my jilbere comb, I never use my denman brush. Weel, now it looks like I have good reason to put it to use and remove all the shed hairs.

Thanks for helping chicas cause a sista was about to blow-up-tu-ate! LOL

 

[Hysi]

okay just one more q and then imma let this go: If my hair is shedding on a daily basis (the smaller wad), should I still shed this much from my weekly wash/detangle session? Is that the norm too? PLease........ Thx!

 

[Nonie]

okay just one more q and then imma let this go: If my hair is shedding on a daily basis (the smaller wad), should I still shed this much from my weekly wash/detangle session? Is that the norm too? PLease........ Thx!

I'm not sure I understand your question, but if shedding up to 100 hairs a day is normal, then in a week 700 hairs would be normal. So if you haven't removed any shed hair all week, then you'll see a lot more shed hair when you do finally remove it.

In your previous post you said you'll be counting hairs from now on. Please don't. I mean, once you know what 27 hair looks like then unless you see about 6 times that amount in a day, when you just removed about the same amount just the day before, then you know you're still within normal shedding. So quit making this hair growing journey such a stressful, tedious job. It's supposed to be fun not a strict study that involves constant gauging of your progress.

 

[Prettyeyes]

Whewww, girl!!!! Man am I so relieved. I was really flippn out. Your idea to count the hairs was the bomb. even tho I trashed the balls from the pics, I've counted them in similiar sizes as the smaller ones and one was 19 hairs! and another day i had 27. but it looked like more. I will def be a countin after my wash. Thx for the tip and the visuals.

Ok Poka, if you're getting abouth that much, then that's a relief for me to know that it's like the norm. I only comb out with my jilbere comb, I never use my denman brush. Weel, now it looks like I have good reason to put it to use and remove all the shed hairs.

Thanks for helping chicas cause a sista was about to blow-up-tu-ate! LOL

I agree it's normal. Just wanted to say LOL @ blow-up-tu-ate!

 

[Hysi]

I'm not sure I understand your question, but if shedding up to 100 hairs a day is normal, then in a week 700 hairs would be normal. So if you haven't removed any shed hair all week, then you'll see a lot more shed hair when you do finally remove it.

In your previous post you said you'll be counting hairs from now on. Please don't. I mean, once you know what 27 hair looks like then unless you see about 6 times that amount in a day, when you just removed about the same amount just the day before, then you know you're still within normal shedding. So quit making this hair growing journey such a stressful, tedious job. It's supposed to be fun not a strict study that involves constant gauging of your progress.

I won't count anymore after this week I promise. I just want to see if what I'm losing daily during the week + on wash day equals more than the normal roughly 700 hairs for the week. I know I'm making this into a stress pot-tying to let it go....

Signed, driving ms crazy. LOL!