Why you might be seeing more hair fall right now and what to do about it.

Before you panic, know this: most people are dealing with a combination of seasonal shedding, dryness-related breakage, stress fallout, and nutrient dips all at once — especially in December. These patterns are normal, extremely common, and usually reversible.

Why December Is a Perfect Storm for Your Hair

December layers multiple hair stressors at once:

• Tail end of autumn's natural shedding cycle

• Winter dryness (low humidity indoors and out)

• Holiday stress peaking

• Nutrition shifts (less fresh produce, more processed foods, less water)

• Central heating stripping moisture from air and scalp

• Hot showers damaging the scalp

• Hats creating friction and trapping sweat

Once you understand what's happening, you can actually do something about it.

Seasonal Shedding: Is It Real?

What's happening:

Yes, it's real — but not as dramatic as social media suggests. Humans don't "blow their coat" like animals. Here's the actual science:

• Summer UV exposure → delayed fallout: More sun in summer pushes strands into the resting phase (telogen). Those hairs shed 2-3 months later, landing in late fall and early winter.

• Shorter days → hormonal shifts: Changes in daylight influence melatonin and prolactin, which regulate the hair cycle and can slightly increase shedding.

• Normal shedding: 50-100 hairs/day. During seasonal peaks: 150-200 hairs/day.

But here's the bigger picture:

Seasonal shedding rarely happens alone. It gets stacked on top of:

• Holiday stress

• Vitamin D dropping

• Routine, nutrition, and hydration changes

• Dry indoor heat irritating the scalp

• Colds, flus, and immune stress

• Mineral imbalances (magnesium, zinc, iron)

What's actually normal:

• Shedding lasting a few weeks (not months)

• Slightly more hair in shower/brush

• Full-length hairs with tiny white bulb at root

• No visible thinning, bald patches, or widening part

When it's not just seasonal:
If you're seeing clumps, rapid thinning, or shedding lasting longer than 6-8 weeks, look deeper at internal causes.

What to do:

You can't stop seasonal shedding, but you can support healthy regrowth.

• Use a stimulating scalp treatment: Davines Naturaltech Energizing Seasonal Superactive, 2-3x/week applied to scalp (not hair), don't rinse out. This is the treatment I personally use.

• Be gentle: No aggressive brushing, tight styles, or excessive heat. Detangle with wide-tooth comb from ends up

• Don't panic-switch everything: Stick with your routine and add targeted treatments gradually

Dryness-Related Breakage: When Hair Snaps

What's happening:

Breakage = hair snapping mid-strand because it's brittle and weak. Winter's low humidity pulls moisture from your hair shaft especially here in the mountains. Dry hair loses elasticity and breaks easily.

How to tell it's breakage:

• Short pieces of varying lengths (no white bulb at the end)

• More split ends

• Rough texture

• "Halo" of short broken hairs around hairline and crown

What to do:

• Deep moisture treatments: Kérastase Nutritive Masquintense 1-2x/week, leave on 5-20 minutes. I also love the Davines Chronicles masks.

• Switch to hydrating products: Davines Naturaltech Nourishing line for dry, brittle hair. The Nourishing Vegetarian Miracle Conditioner works as a leave-in. My blondes usually switch to this in the winter months.

• Always use heat protectant: Lower your tool temperature to 300-350°F

• Get regular trims: Small trims prevent split ends from traveling up the shaft. I recommend every 9-12 weeks.

• Run a humidifier: Aim for 40-50% humidity in your bedroom

Stress Fallout: The Delayed Reaction

What's happening:

Telogen effluvium = a stress event pushes many follicles into shedding phase at once. The catch? There's a 2-3 month delay between the stress and the hair loss.

What you're seeing in December might be from stress in September or October. Triggers include: major life changes, illness, high fever, surgery, or prolonged stress periods.

How to tell it's stress-related:

• Increased shedding all over (not patches)

• Comes on fairly suddenly

• Hair has white bulb at end (like seasonal shedding)

• Volume noticeably higher than normal

What to do:

By the time you see it, the trigger already happened. Good news: it's almost always temporary.

• Focus on scalp health for regrowth: Davines Naturaltech Wellbeing line for stressed scalps

• Consider Davines Naturaltech Tailoring service: Customized in-salon scalp analysis and treatment plan

• Manage current stress: Prioritize sleep, move your body, find small ways to decompress

• Be patient: Typically lasts 3-6 months from onset

• Don't obsess: Constantly checking your hairline and googling at 2am makes it worse

Nutrient Dips: What Your Hair Needs

What's happening:

Hair is non-essential tissue — your body prioritizes vital organs first. December is prime time for nutrient dips: more processed foods, fewer fresh vegetables, less sunlight (vitamin D), less water intake.

How to tell it's nutrient-related:

• Hair growing more slowly

• New growth finer or lighter than normal

• Overall dullness or lack of shine

What to do:

• Eat adequate protein: Palm-sized portion with each meal (hair is made of keratin protein)

• Check iron levels: Ask for a ferritin test specifically — low iron is a common cause of hair loss

• Get full B-complex: Not just biotin — B12, folate, and B6 matter too

• Add omega-3s: Fatty fish or algae-based supplements reduce inflammation and support scalp health

• Test vitamin D: Most people are deficient in winter. Supplement if needed

• Hydrate properly: Half your body weight in ounces of water daily

• Consider a quality multivitamin: Look for iron, vitamin D, and zinc. Give it 3 months minimum

Your December Hair Action Plan

You're probably dealing with multiple issues at once. Prioritize based on what you're seeing:

Full-length hairs with white bulbs: Focus on scalp health. Use Davines Energizing line and be patient with the seasonal cycle.

Short broken pieces + dry, brittle hair: Moisture is priority. Deep condition weekly with Kérastase Nutritive, use leave-in conditioner, protect from heat.

Sudden shedding after stressful period: Support scalp with Davines Wellbeing line and manage current stress levels.

Dull hair, slow growth, feeling run down: Check your nutrition and consider bloodwork for deficiencies.

When to See a Professional

Most of what you're experiencing is temporary and fixable. See a professional if:

• You're seeing bald patches or significant thinning in specific areas ( hair loss around the hairline indicates more hormone shifts)

• Shedding continues at high rate for more than 6 months

• You have other symptoms (fatigue, weight changes, skin issues)

• You have pain, itching, or inflammation on your scalp

• Your intuition says something's really wrong

Trust yourself. You know your hair better than anyone.

Let's Figure This Out Together

Seeing more hair than usual is scary, but in most cases, what you're dealing with is a combination of normal seasonal patterns, environmental factors, and addressable lifestyle issues.

If you're thinking "which of these is actually MY problem?" — let's talk. Book a consultation and we'll look at your hair and scalp together, talk through what's been going on, and create a specific plan for your situation.

You can also come in for a Davines Naturaltech Tailoring service for thorough scalp analysis and a customized treatment protocol.

And if you want to start with products at home first, reach out and I'll help you figure out what makes sense. No pressure, no sales pitch — just real advice.

Your hair is going to be okay. Let's get it there together.