Six Reasons Your Hair Is Shedding & What To Do About It
+ everything I do for my hair
So many of my clients come to me frustrated and concerned about hair shedding or a pony tail that feels thinner that it used to be. And I’ve felt it too—it took me a long time to get my hair back in shape after having my son Ozzie.
Hair loss is incredibly common. So common, in fact, that there’s now an entire industry built around hair growth supplements and serums. And while some of them can help, I’m usually hesitant to recommend them because hair loss is deeply personal, and often a symptom of something bigger going on in the body.
If you don’t understand why your hair is shedding, no supplement—no matter how well-marketed—is going to be a magic fix. You’re better off addressing the root cause (loves a good pun) first, and building from there.
So, here’s a breakdown of the most common reasons for hair shedding, and what you can do to support healthy regrowth.
ROOT CAUSE #1—NUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES: When your body’s low on key nutrients, it deprioritizes hair growth.
Common culprits:
Iron (especially low ferritin), zinc, biotin, vitamin D, vitamin A, vitamin E, selenium, niacin, folate, and omega-3s.
WHAT TO DO: Ask your doctor to run a comprehensive blood panel. Micronutrient tests like a Nutreval from Genova Diagnostics is also a good option. A well-formulated multivitamin can help give you overall support, but targeted supplementation based on your labs might be needed as well.
ROOT CAUSE #2—INSUFFICIENT PROTEIN: Hair is made of keratin, a protein. If you’re under-eating protein or calories, your hair can thin.
WHAT TO DO: Aim to eat .7-1g of protein per pound of ideal body weight, spread out between 3 meals/day (+ maybe a snack). This likely means 25+ grams of protein for your meals, plus a high protein snack.
A protein or collagen powder (discount code: MIA20) can be an excellent tool for increasing your daily protein.
ROOT CAUSE #3—THYROID IMBALANCES: Both low and high thyroid hormones can disrupt your hair cycle.
WHAT TO DO: Ask your doctor for a full thyroid panel. Treat any imbalances and support thyroid health with adequate selenium, zinc, iodine, and stress management.
ROOT CAUSE #4—POSTPARTUM SHEDDING: Estrogen levels drop sharply after birth, triggering a temporary shedding phase (aka telogen effluvium). It’s normal, but can be upsetting (and very annoying) especially as you adjust to your new life as a mother.
WHAT TO DO: Focus on nourishing foods rich in iron, protein, and vitamin D. And give it time. Most people see regrowth within 6–12 months postpartum.
ROOT CAUSE #5—STRESS: When you’re stressed, your body releases a cascade of hormones and chemical messengers (think: cortisol and other stress signals) that can throw off your hair cycle.
WHAT TO DO: Prioritize sleep, gentle movement, and nervous system support (think: breathwork, therapy, adaptogens, magnesium). Small daily habits make a big difference.
If you want a supplement, I love Needed’s Stress Support (discount code: MIA20) which include a blend of adaptogens to help support your body’s stress response.
ROOT CAUSE #6—HORMONAL IMBALANCES: Elevated androgens, estrogen dominance, or imbalances related to PCOS or perimenopause can all contribute to thinning hair, especially around the temples, crown, or hairline.
WHAT TO DO: Consider running a hormone panel (blood or DUTCH test) to assess levels. Depending on results, focus on nutrition, lifestyle shifts, and targeted supplements to support optimal hormone balance.
What about Hair Supplements?
None of this is to say that a hair supplement (like Nutrafol) can’t be helpful—but it’s most effective when you’re also addressing why your hair is thinning in the first place. Choose products that actually support your specific needs, rather than grabbing something off the shelf and hoping for the best.
And a quick note on biotin: Many hair health supplements just high dose biotin, but unless you’re truly deficient, more isn’t better. High doses likely won’t make a difference—and can even interfere with lab results, including thyroid, hormone, and vitamin D panels (which might be key to uncovering the cause of your hair loss).
Okay, since I know you’ll ask—what do I do for my hair?
To be honest, I’ve had a lifelong love-hate relationship with my hair. It is thick, curly, frizzy, and basically as high-maintenance as it gets. I’ve tried (and failed) to pull off every trendy haircut—from The Rachel when I was 10 years old to blunt bobs and bangs as recent as two years ago—but none of them really work for me. It’s really taken me decades to figure this out, but my hair is happiest when it’s long, and easiest when I blow dry it straight every four to five days.
I mess with my hair a lot—highlighting, heat-styling, it needs a lot of TLC. So here’s what I do to keep it as healthy as possible:
Focus on the fundamentals: Diet, sleep, stress. I’m putting this out first, because if you’re not doing this, you’re missing the point.
A Dyson: I blow dry my hair a lot and so I invested in the new Dyson Supersonic hair dryer which dries your hair quicker and with less heat. I’ve tried others and I hate to admit it, but it’s the best.
Good products: A few of my favorites include Crown Affair Leave-In Conditioner and Dry Shampoo, Roz Shampoo and Conditioner, and Goop’s Shampoo and Conditioner.
Monthly hair treatment: I swear by St. Meto’s Mother Clay for shine and removing buildup (newly launched—you heard it here first!). Goop’s G.Tox Himalayan Salt Scalp Scrub Shampoo is great as well.
A filtered shower head: Prevents chlorine + mineral buildup
Scrunchies > hair ties: Less breakage. This scrunchie is my absolute favorite.
Maintenance: Instead of foil highlights, I now only do balayage and I get my hair cut a few times a year (which is a lot more than I used to).
And for the people with straight or wavy hair that are thinking “wear it curly,” it’s actually a lot of work. I do wear it curly sometimes—but it takes many hours to air dry and I can’t sleep or put it up without messing it up. In the summer, I’ll air dry with Crown Affair Leave-In + Air Dry Mousse (and a long walk to speed up the drying).
Okay, that’s all. Wishing you all a lifetime of good hair days.
xx Mia
Thank you Mia for all this great info, I’m ordering the shower head with filter, I have been wanting one for a while but didn’t know which one to get!!