What Our Doctors Wish You Knew About Hair Shedding

If you’ve recently started hair loss treatment and are noticing more hair shedding than usual, it can be unsettling – even frightening. Many people worry they’ve made things worse, or that the treatment isn’t right for them.

So we asked our doctors and Pharmacist Prescribers a question they hear every day:

“Why am I shedding more hair – and should I stop my treatment?”

Here’s what they want you to know.

1. First, a Reassurance: Shedding Is Common – and Often Expected

One of the most important things our doctors want you to know is this:

Shedding after starting treatment for pattern hair loss can be common, and in many cases, it’s a sign that your hair is responding to treatment. 

Shedding doesn’t mean your treatment is failing.
It doesn’t mean you’re losing hair permanently.
And it doesn’t mean you should stop.

In fact, for many people, it’s the beginning of the regrowth journey.

2. Why Hair Shedding Happens When You Start Treatment

To understand shedding, it helps to understand how hair grows.

Hair doesn’t grow continuously – it cycles through phases:

• Anagen (growth phase) – hair actively grows

• Catagen (transition phase) – growth slows

• Telogen (resting phase) – hair pauses before shedding

• Exogen (shedding phase) – hair sheds and new hair starts growing  

At any given time, around 10–15% of your hairs are in the telogen (resting) phase.

When you start prescription hair loss treatment, something important happens:

Weaker, resting hairs are pushed out to make way for stronger, healthier growth, which can temporarily increase shedding.

3. What This Type of Shedding Actually Means

Our doctors often describe treatment-related shedding as a reset.

The hairs that shed during this phase are typically:

• thinner

• weaker

• already nearing the end of their growth cycle

Treatment helps shed these hairs sooner so healthier hairs can take their place.

This is why shedding often appears before visible regrowth.

4. When Does Shedding Usually Start – and How Long Does It Last?

While everyone’s journey is different, our doctors typically see:

• Weeks 2–8: Shedding may increase

• Months 2–3: Shedding stabilises

• Months 3–4: Early signs of improvement begin

For most people, shedding is temporary and resolves on its own.

Stopping treatment during this phase often prevents you from reaching the regrowth stage.

5. Why Stopping Treatment Too Early Is the Biggest Mistake

Our doctors want you to know that stopping treatment during the shedding phase can undo the positive progress you’ve made so far.

When treatment is stopped:

• follicles don’t complete the reset

• new growth doesn’t fully establish

• hair loss may continue

This is one of the most common reasons people feel treatment “didn’t work” – when in reality, it just wasn’t given enough time.

6. What’s Normal Shedding – and What’s Not?

Normal treatment-related shedding:

• increased hair loss without bald patches

• even shedding across the scalp

• occurs within the first few months of treatment

• gradually reduces

You should seek advice if:

• shedding is sudden and extreme

• you notice patchy hair loss

• shedding continues beyond 3–4 months

• you experience scalp pain, redness, or irritation

If you’re ever unsure, it’s always okay to ask. Your Hair + Me Pharmacist Prescriber is there to answer your medical questions and support you through the process.

7. Why Shedding Can Feel Emotionally Tough

Hair shedding is visual – you see it in the shower, on your pillow, in your brush. Even when it’s expected, it can feel emotionally heavy.

Our doctors understand the emotional impact of shedding. Hair shedding can: 

• trigger anxiety

• make progress feel invisible

• undermine confidence

• cause people to doubt their decision to start treatment

This is why education matters. Knowing why something is happening makes it easier to persevere through the tough times.

8. What Comes After Shedding

This is the part our doctors want patients to focus on.

After shedding, many people will begin to notice:

• reduced daily hair fall

• improved hair texture

• thicker hair

• baby hairs along the hairline or part

• increased hair density over time

These changes don’t happen overnight – but they do happen with a consistent approach to treatment.

9. How to Support Your Hair During the Shedding Phase

While shedding runs its course naturally, you can support your hair by:

• continuing to apply your treatment every day

• avoiding harsh styling or tight hairstyles

• being gentle when washing and brushing

• maintaining good sleep and nutrition

• tracking progress monthly rather than daily

Consistency is the single most important factor to achieving visible regrowth.

Final Thoughts

Shedding can feel alarming – but in many cases, it’s part of progress, not failure.

Our doctors want you to remember:

• shedding doesn’t mean your treatment isn’t working

• it often signals a follicle reset

• stopping early can prevent regrowth

• patience and consistency are essential

Stay positive – if you’re experiencing shedding, your hair is moving through the natural cycle it needs to eventually grow thicker, fuller and stronger.

References

1.Bi L, Kan H, Wang J, Ding Y, Huang Y, Wang C, Du Y, Lu C, Zhao M, Sun W, Su T, Fan W. Whether the transient hair shedding phase exist after minoxidil treatment and does it predict treatment efficacy? A retrospective study in androgenetic alopecia patients. J Dermatolog Treat. 2025 Dec;36(1):2480739. 

2. Nohria A, Desai D, Sikora M, Mandal S, Shapiro J, Lo Sicco K. Combating "dread shed": The impact of overlapping topical and oral minoxidil on temporary hair shedding during oral minoxidil initiation. JAAD Int. 2024 Mar 25;15:220-224.

3. Randolph M, Tosti A. Oral minoxidil treatment for hair loss: A review of efficacy and safety. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2021 Mar;84(3):737-746.