15 October 2026· General Discussion
Autumn Hair Shedding: Recovering Your Hair After Summer
More hair in the brush every October is normal. Knowing whether it is shedding or breakage tells you exactly what to do next.
Every October, without fail, I have clients sit in my chair and tell me, a little worried, that their hair is falling out. My lovelies, in most cases it is not. It is autumn.
Seasonal shedding is real
Your hair grows in cycles, and a larger share of follicles tend to rest over the summer and then release in early autumn. That is why the plughole looks busier right now. A shed hair is the whole strand, often with a tiny white bulb at the end. It is not something you did wrong, and new growth is already on its way behind it.
Breakage is different
Breakage is the one to take seriously. These are short, snapped pieces with no bulb, usually around the crown, the hairline or wherever you tie your ponytail. After a Costa del Sol summer of sun, salt, chlorine and air drying on the terrace, the mid lengths and ends take a real battering.
A simple test: collect what comes out in your brush for a day. Long hairs with a bulb are shedding. Short fragments are breakage.
What I do in the salon
If it is breakage, the fix starts with a proper trim to remove the split ends before they travel further up the hair. Then we look at strength. For hair that feels rough and frizzy, a keratin or hair botox treatment smooths the cuticle and makes the hair easier to manage through the windier months. For hair that has been lightened and feels weak or stretchy when wet, I focus on bond repair first.
I will always tell you honestly which one your hair needs, and sometimes the answer is simply a good cut and a better routine at home.
At home this month
- Be gentle when it is wet, use a wide tooth comb from the ends upwards
- Swap a tight elastic for a soft scrunchie or clip
- Keep heat protection in every time you blow dry
- Eat well, sleep well, and give it six to eight weeks
If the shedding carries on well past the autumn, or you notice patches, speak to your GP as well, because it can be linked to iron, thyroid or stress.
Come and see me
The salon is at El Saladito 7, Urb. Riviera Sol, in Mijas Costa, just minutes from Calahonda and La Cala de Mijas. Book a consultation and we will work out exactly what your hair needs.