Ever notice an uptick in hair thinning around the end of fall? If so, you’re not imagining it. Turns out, there’s been a number of scientific studies surrounding the reason why our hair thins and sheds at certain times of the year. Most notably, according to évolis hair biologist Dr. Dominic Burg, is a 2009 study from the University Hospital of Zurich, which found that a seasonal shed actually does happen in late summer and fall leading into winter. (The authors investigated the hair growth and fall patterns in more than 800 women.) A second study of importance: one from Johns Hopkins and Washington University School of Medicine, done in 2017, which made use of Google Trends data around people searching for terms like “hair loss.” “This indirect approach found the same pattern of summer and fall having the highest incidence hair loss according to search patterns,” says Dr. Burg.
But why does this seasonal shedding happen in the first place? Many physicians believe we hang onto more hair in the summer months in order to provide increased protection from the sun, explains Boca Raton, FL hair restoration specialist Dr. Glenn Charles. “The body also responds to changes in the amount of daylight. The longer hours of daylight in the summer triggers hair to enter the telogen phase, or resting phase, which will then trigger shedding at the end of that phase, approximately 100 days later, in the fall and early winter,” Dr. Charles explains.
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While there’s not a way to stop this seasonal shedding completely—Halbe notes it’s difficult to fight such a deeply rooted biological phenomenon—there are ways to minimize shedding by ensuring the hair cycle is in good shape. Here, our favorite products to get the job done.
In the morning:
Clinically proven to promote existing hair growth and extend hair’s active growth cycle in 90 days, Living Proof Full Hair Supplement ($44) is a perfect addition to your daily supplement regimen.
After you shower:
Apply Aveda Invati Advanced Scalp Revitalizer ($65) after every shampoo to penetrate the scalp and support hair’s natural keratin levels.
While you mask:
Keep follicles stimulated and extend the Anagen hair growth phase with the HairMax LaserBand 82 ($799). Bonus points if you add in one of the new topicals that include light-activated ingredient to enhance its effects. My favorite: ACCELER8 Hair Booster + Nutrients ($35), a leave-in brimming with top-of-the-line actives to transform limp strands into voluminous locks.
While you brush your teeth:
Maintain a strong hair cycle with the natural botanicals in évolis Promote Activator ($65), which can be used on wet or dry hair, to keep hair in the growth phase and preventing hair from entering the resting and falling phases. It’s proven to lengthen hair by 20 percent!
