Yes, You Probably Do Lose More Hair in the Winter—Here's Why (and What to Do About It)

Winter can be rough: minimal daylight, dry skin, chapped lips, and, for some, serious hair shedding. While other effects of winter weather make sense, like decreased vitamin D and seasonal affective disorder, it probably seems counterintuitive that the cold weather could lead your body to drop hair. But for many people, the cold, dark winter months bring with them increased hair loss.

We wanted to understand the science behind winter hair loss and the effect of seasons on the hair growth cycle, so we turned to two board-certified dermatologists, Tiffany Libby, MD, FAAD, and Iris Rubin, MD, to get the full scoop. Keep reading for their insights on and advice for battling winter hair loss.

Do You Lose More Hair in the Winter?

According to our experts, the phenomenon of winter hair loss has a lot of reported sufferers—but no clinical research to back it up. "There are no great scientific studies on seasonal shedding, but there are numerous reports and observations of this occurring," explains Rubin. Libby agrees, adding that "while there are some studies that point to seasonal patterns to hair shedding and hair loss," there is no known association between wintertime and hair loss.

Why Does It Seem Like I'm Losing More Hair in the Winter?

Both experts say that hair shedding is directly linked to the hair growth cycle. "The hair-growth cycle is comprised of four stages: The anagen (growing) phase, catagen (transitional) phase, telogen (resting) phase, and exogen (shedding) phase," Rubin explains. "The telogen phase is when grown hairs are securely anchored within the scalp, and basically just hanging out before the shedding phase begins and the growth cycle begins all over again."

Rubin goes on to explain several theories about seasonal hair loss, one of which is that our bodies hold on to more hairs during warmer summer months to shield the scalp from UV exposure. Then, as part of the natural hair-growth cycle, the shedding of these hairs may happen to coincide with winter—but this would be highly dependent on the climate of where you live and your own personal sun exposure. "More sunlight during the summer may trigger hairs to enter the telogen (or resting) phase, perhaps as an evolutionary form of extra sun protection," she theorizes.

Ultimately, however, both experts point to environmental factors as a more likely cause of hair loss in winter. "It is normal to lose between 50 to 100 hairs a day, and if you are brushing or washing your hair less, you may notice [the hair loss] more on days when you are brushing or washing hair," shares Libby. Cold weather often means less sweat, and many people report washing their hair less frequently in the winter. Rubin points to winter dryness as a culprit: "Drier winter air can also remove moisture from the scalp and hair, making the hair more susceptible to breakage," she says.

How to Treat and Prevent Winter Hair Loss and Breakage

No matter the cause, losing hair can be stressful—so if there is a way to mitigate seasonal hair loss, we want to know about it. Luckily, our experts had several recommendations for battling winter hair loss and preventing breakage.