In Hairadise, your hair is a living energy. We believe every strand carries memories, spirit, and the quiet wisdom of growth. This guide invites you to awaken and honor that sacred connection while learning the difference between healthy hair shedding vs hair loss. You’ll discover simple Hair Huna rituals to brush away stagnant energy, nurture your scalp, and return shed strands to the earth through burn blessings or garden compost.
Healthy Hair Shedding Explained
Just like everything in nature, hair has its own growth cycle. The hair growth cycle consists of three phases: anagen, catagen, telogen.
Your anagen phase is all about growth. For an average of 3-7 years, your hair is actively growing from the root within the scalp.
Then there’s the catagen phase. It lasts for about 2-3 weeks. This is your hair’s transition era. The root gets cut off from the blood supply and just hangs out in the follicle.
Lastly, the telogen phase is when strands start shedding, making room for new growth. On average, you’ll lose up to 50-100 hairs daily. But how do you know when shedding becomes too much?
When To Worry: Hair Shedding Vs. Hair Loss
When does shedding go from normal to worrisome? There’s a fine line you should be aware of during your shedding season. As a matter of fact, that’s how I set out for my hair wellness journey to Hairadise…
In the meantime, here are some things I’d recommend keeping an eye on if your hair fall seems to be in overdrive.
It Might be Seasonal. Did you know we shed more hair in the fall? It’s true. According to some scientists, our hair grows more in the summer to protect the scalp from the sun. Come autumn, it’s not as needed and the hairs transition into their telogen phase.
Stress & Hormonal Shifts. A body under chronic stress is not the right environment to grow your hair long and strong. Additionally, being postpartum, experiencing thyroid issues, or going through menopause or other hormonal imbalances (like increased cortisol production, insulin resistance, diabetes or PCOS) can result in hair thinning.
Nutritional Deficiencies. Iron, protein, and Vitamin D intake are highly important for hair growth. But a significant lack of these can all contribute to weakened roots and follicles. Thus, you’ll notice more hair fall left behind in the shower drain or your brush.
Now, supplements like biotin, collagen, or multivitamins can help, but it’s much better to get your missing nutrients through fresh produce or the mediterranean and pescatarian diet.
Scalp & Hair Care Habits. Tight styles, harsh detangling, or a lot of chemical/ product buildup can really affect your hairs ability to maintain its strength. Repetitive breakage impacts the amount of shedding and also puts extra stress on the root and follicle. If you see that your hair is falling more than normal or are noticing bald patches on your scalp, I would advise you to see a professional like a dermatologist or trichologist to guide you towards the next steps.
Now that you’re aware of the differences of hair shedding vs hair loss and what might cause it, here’s some custom rituals to bring back honor your strands.
Hair Huna Rituals For Sacred Shedding
- Mindful Brushing & Detangling
Using a wide toothed comb or a natural bristle brush, start at the bottom slowly working your way to the root until completely detangled. Now, you can also incorporate breath work and mindfulness with each pass.
- Energy Cleanse With Our Scalp & Body Bar
Release heavy energy and buildup from the day when you lather up using one of our energy clearing soap bars for scalp + skin. Follow with our current fall scalp care fave: Surface’s Awaken line for a mini hairadise awakening experience.
- A Mini Medi
Short for meditation, of course. This ritual is inspired by reiki, a Japanese energy healing practice to reduce stress and promote relaxation.. As a hairstylist, this is where I’d recommend either a pre-wash scalp oil or a post-wash deep conditioning mask.
- Honor The Fallen Strands
Offer a moment of gratitude whether it’s to the shed hairs from your brush or sacred haircut. Though they’ve completed their journey with you, their journey isn’t over just yet. They can now return back to nature. Want to know how? Read on.
Returning Strands To Nature
Instead of throwing your shed hair away to build up the waste piles in landfills, have you considered guiding them towards a new cycle beneficial for both Mother Earth and your spirit?
- The Burn Blessing
Make sure you have a safe outdoor space or a fireproof vessel. Place your strands delicately into the designated space. Use a match or a light and watch as the strands curl into smoke, releasing your hair energy back into the sky. You can recite a blessing of release to reiterate what else you aim to let go of.
- The Garden Return
If you have plants, or a compost bin, you can mix your fallen hairs into the soil. Did you know that human hair is rich in nitrogen? It breaks down slowly, feeding roots and enriching our planet. As you massage the strands into the Earth, this symbolizes your own growth and a rebirth.
After burning or composting your shed strands, jot down in your journey a final moment of gratitude. Explain what you’ve just released or what energy you are ready to invite into your world. Use this entry as a mile marker in your hair wellness journey.
Rooted & Renewed
Think of every strand you shed as a quiet promise: to release the heavy burdens on your spirit, make space for new growth, open blocked pathways. Hair shedding signals growth, release, or rebirth- not just hair loss.
Remember to honor your hair’s natural shedding cycle through mindful care, sacred release, and returning it to earth. What are some other hair release rituals you’ve used to nurture your crown and spirit?