Hair loss - should you worry?

"When I started to lose my hair, I took a few of my best friends into my confidence. They just brushed it off and said 'It doesn't look like you're losing hair, so don't worry.'" — Nigel, twenty-eight-year-old registered nurse.

"My husband looks at my hair and can't understand why I'm so worried. He says that it looks the same to him and that he wishes he had half of what I have!" — Monica, thirty-five-year-old housewife.

Is Nigel really losing his hair, or are his friends correct? Is Monica's husband right to not take her concerns seriously? How do you know whether your hair is falling out excessively or whether it's normal and nothing to worry about?

Most people at some time in their lives notice more hair in the sink, on the pillow, or in the comb. If this happens to you, should you worry? Is this the first sign of hair loss? Does it mean that you are going bald?

Usually, most people quickly become aware of their own hair loss; they see more hair shedding or they see more of their scalp or both. Hair shedding is the amount of hair that falls out during your normal daily lifestyle, such as by combing, brushing, or washing your hair. Hair thinning is less hair density in a particular area of the scalp, such as a wider parting or a receding hairline. Although hair thinning can occur without any obvious excessive hair shedding, it most often occurs if your hair sheds excessively for a long period of time. For instance, Mike, a twenty-three-year-old construction worker, first noticed hair on his pillow. His shower didn't have a "catch" so he never saw loss while washing his hair. At first he thought nothing of it, but then he started seeing hair all over the place—on the bathroom floor and even in his food! Within a few weeks he noticed that his hair had thinned in the front and had receded a little at his temples.

So, back to the original question - should you worry? Over the next month or so I'm going to be exploring various aspects of hair loss and will let you make up your own mind. Stay tuned!