Quick answer: Many people shed a little more hair in late summer and autumn, and studies that measured hair growth over several years have found the proportion of hairs in the resting (shedding) phase peaks around summer and early autumn. This seasonal shedding is usually mild and temporary, and the hair grows back. Heavy shedding that lasts more than a few months, or hair that is visibly thinning, is not seasonal and is worth getting checked.

If you have noticed more hair on your brush or in the shower drain as summer turns to autumn, you are not imagining it, and you are not alone. This guide explains what the research shows, why it may happen, how long it lasts and how to tell normal seasonal shedding from something that needs attention.

What is seasonal hair loss?

Seasonal hair loss, or seasonal shedding, is a small rise in the number of hairs you lose at certain times of year, most often late summer and autumn.

Some hair loss every day is completely normal. The NHS says we can lose between 50 and 100 hairs a day, often without noticing. The British Association of Dermatologists gives a wider range of 30 to 150 hairs a day.

Each hair grows in a cycle. The British Association of Dermatologists explains that around 85% of scalp follicles are growing (the anagen phase) at any one time, and around 15% are resting (the telogen phase). A resting follicle rests for two to four months, then a new hair starts to grow and pushes the old one out. Seasonal shedding happens when a slightly larger share of follicles moves into that resting phase at the same time of year.

Is seasonal hair shedding real?

Yes, the evidence supports it, although the studies are small in number.

• In men: a study published in the British Journal of Dermatology in 1996 followed ten men for between 8 and 14 years, photographing the same patch of scalp repeatedly. It found a yearly pattern, with the highest proportion of resting hairs at the end of summer and the beginning of autumn. The researchers noted the pattern was linked to climate factors such as hours of sunshine. Some men showed two peaks a year, and men with very few resting hairs showed no pattern at all.
• In women: a study published in Dermatology in 2009 looked at 823 otherwise healthy women who had come to a clinic about hair loss, over six years. It found the highest proportion of resting hairs in summer, a smaller second peak in spring, and the lowest levels in late winter.

Because hairs rest for a few months before they fall, a peak in resting hairs in summer tends to show up as more hair falling out in late summer and autumn.

Why do we shed more hair in autumn?

Nobody knows for certain. The 1996 study linked the pattern to sunshine hours, but the exact reason has not been proven.

Jeremy Isherwood, a trichologist at FUE Clinics with over 26 years' experience, puts forward one theory: "Evolution could play a part in seasonal hair shedding. We may grow more hair in the summer to shield our scalps from the sun, so we could naturally shed more of it when cooler months roll around. However, a mix of other factors is likely at play during this period." That is a theory, not something that has been tested.

Other things can add to shedding at the end of summer, and they are worth thinking about because some are within your control:

• Stress and big changes. The British Association of Dermatologists lists stressful or major life events, illness with a high fever, surgery, marked weight loss and extreme dieting among the common triggers of a condition called telogen effluvium, where many more hairs than usual enter the shedding phase. The shedding often starts around 3 months after the trigger, so a stressful spring or summer can show up as shedding in the autumn.
• Hair damage and breakage. Sun, heat styling and chlorine can make hair dry and brittle, so more of it snaps. Breakage is different from shedding: broken hairs are shorter and have no root bulb, and the follicle is unaffected. Our guide on how to prevent hair damage during summer has practical tips.
• Low iron. The NHS lists hair loss as a symptom of iron deficiency anaemia. It is not seasonal, but it is common and easy to test for.

How long does seasonal shedding last?

"Typically, seasonal hair loss is a temporary thing," says Jeremy. "Most people notice it for a few weeks up to a couple of months."

For comparison, the British Association of Dermatologists says the shedding phase of telogen effluvium, a stronger and usually trigger-related form of shedding, lasts about 3 to 6 months, after which new hair starts to grow. It may take many months for hair to get back to its usual thickness.

Does seasonal shedding cause baldness?

No. Seasonal shedding is hairs completing a normal cycle, and they grow back. It does not cause bald patches or a receding hairline.

What it can do is make an existing problem more noticeable. If you already have early pattern hair loss, autumn shedding may be the moment you first notice thinning. Pattern hair loss is different: the NHS says it usually runs in families and is permanent, and the British Association of Dermatologists explains that affected follicles gradually shrink and produce finer hairs over years. Our guide to what DHT is and how it causes hair loss explains more.

Can you prevent seasonal hair shedding?

You cannot stop a normal hair cycle, and there is no treatment proven to prevent seasonal shedding. The British Association of Dermatologists says that for telogen effluvium, taking medication does not speed up regrowth. What you can do is look after your general health and avoid adding hair damage on top.

Eat well, and do not crash diet

Marked weight loss and extreme dieting are recognised triggers for increased shedding. A balanced diet with enough protein and iron supports normal hair growth. If you think you might be low in iron, see your GP for a blood test rather than taking supplements without advice. Our guide to nutritional and vitamin deficiencies that can affect hair covers this.

Go easy on tight hairstyles

The British Association of Dermatologists explains that tight ponytails, buns, braids and extensions can cause traction alopecia, hair loss from constant pulling. Caught early, the hair can completely regrow once the tight styles stop, but long-term pulling can damage follicles permanently. Looser styles are kinder all year round.

Limit heat and chemical damage

Frequent hairdryers, straighteners and chemical treatments can make hair dry and prone to breakage. Use lower heat settings where you can, and a heat protectant when you do use heat. Our winter hair care guide has more ideas for the colder months.

Look after stress

Stress is one of the most common triggers of increased shedding. Walking, exercise, sleep and time away from work all help, and if stress is affecting your daily life, speak to your GP. Read more in our guide on how to stop hair loss from stress.

Be gentle with your scalp

Washing and brushing do not cause seasonal shedding. They only dislodge hairs that were already due to fall, which is why you notice more in the shower. Avoiding washing will not save hairs, it just means more come out next time.

When should I worry about hair loss?

Seasonal shedding should settle on its own. Get advice from your GP or a trichologist if:

• heavy shedding carries on for more than a few months,
• your hairline is receding, your crown is thinning or your parting is widening,
• you have bald patches, or your scalp is itchy, sore, red or scaly,
• you feel unwell in other ways, such as tired all the time, or
• your hair loss started after a new medicine. Our guide to medications that may cause hair loss explains more, but never stop a prescribed medicine without speaking to your doctor.

"If hair loss continues for more than a couple of months without improvement, it might not just be tied to the season," says Jeremy. "There could be other underlying issues at play, from hormonal imbalances to more permanent conditions like pattern baldness."

The British Association of Dermatologists notes that a blood test may be done to rule out other causes such as thyroid problems and iron deficiency.

How FUE Clinics can help

If you are not sure whether your shedding is seasonal, a trichologist consultation can help work out what type of hair loss you have and whether it is likely to settle on its own.

For established pattern hair loss, a hair transplant may be an option for some people with enough healthy donor hair. FUE Clinics is a CQC-registered clinic, with surgery carried out in the UK, offering FUE and FUT (follicular unit transplantation) hair transplants and hair transplants for women. A transplant is not a treatment for seasonal shedding or telogen effluvium, which usually recover without it. Like any surgery it carries risks, it leaves scars in the donor area, and results vary.

Consultations are free, in person or by video. Call 0330 363 0001, contact us, or read our FAQs.

Frequently asked questions

Is it normal to lose more hair in autumn? Yes. Studies that tracked hair over several years found the share of resting hairs peaks around summer and early autumn, so many people notice more shedding in late summer and autumn.

How long does seasonal hair shedding last? Usually a few weeks to a couple of months. If heavy shedding lasts longer than a few months, it is probably not seasonal and worth getting checked.

Will my hair grow back after seasonal shedding? Yes. Seasonal shedding is part of the normal hair cycle, and each shed hair is replaced by a new one growing from the same follicle.

Can seasonal shedding make you go bald? No. It does not cause bald patches or a receding hairline, although it can make existing pattern hair loss more noticeable.

Can I stop seasonal hair loss? There is no proven way to prevent it. Eating well, avoiding crash diets, managing stress and avoiding tight hairstyles and heat damage help keep hair healthy.

Do women get seasonal hair loss too? Yes. A study of 823 women found the most resting hairs in summer, a smaller peak in spring and the fewest in late winter.

Sources

• NHS, Hair loss. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hair-loss/
• British Association of Dermatologists, Telogen effluvium patient information leaflet (October 2025). https://cdn.bad.org.uk/uploads/2021/12/14161411/Telogen-effluvium-PIL-Oct-2025.pdf
• Courtois M, Loussouarn G, Hourseau S, Grollier JF. Periodicity in the growth and shedding of hair. British Journal of Dermatology, 1996. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8745886/
• Kunz M, Seifert B, Trüeb RM. Seasonality of hair shedding in healthy women complaining of hair loss. Dermatology, 2009. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19407435/
• British Association of Dermatologists, Hair loss male pattern (androgenetic alopecia). https://www.bad.org.uk/pils/hair-loss-male-pattern-androgenetic-alopecia
• British Association of Dermatologists, Traction alopecia. https://www.bad.org.uk/pils/traction-alopecia
• NHS, Iron deficiency anaemia. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/iron-deficiency-anaemia/