Got Long Hair? Here’s What Could Be Making It Fall Out

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Long hair is the symbol of the carefree man. But it can stop feeling carefree the minute you see it in the drain or on your pillowcase. Before you dismiss the shedding as normal—which it could be—take a look at the rough-and-tumble way you're treating your long hair.

From how you're wearing it to how you're washing it, your hair might be taking a beating. Here's what you need to know to keep it flowing free.

Your Man Bun Could Be Making You Bald

You could argue that the "man bun" has passed its heyday, but it's not going away. And if you're one of the cool guys emulating samurai, you could be causing your hair line to recede.

"We're living in a society of man buns," says Joshua Zeichner, Director of Cosmetic and Clinical Research in Dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in NYC. "If they're pulled back really tight, they can put traction and tension on the hair follicle and promote hair thinning."

The technical term for that is traction alopecia, and while it can be reversed, you have to detect it early enough. So lighten up on how tight you pull that bun.

Also, pay attention to how you're securing that thing. "Sometimes when guys put their hair up they use a rubber band," says Daniel Alfonso, stylist and owner of the Los Angeles men's salon that bears his name. "They pull the rubber band out, and hair pulls out with it."

You Can't Treat It Like a Buzz Cut

Things were different when your hair was short. Maybe it was super damaged, but who cared? You had the barber buzz the back and sides to a number two every couple weeks.

Now things are different. "My hair is past my shoulders right now," says Alfonso. "And when it's that long, you want it conditioned enough to run your fingers through it."

His advice: wash it every two to three days and keep it moisturized and healthy with a good leave-in conditioner. (Check out our conditioning guide here.)

But above all, go easy on how much you do to it. Long-haired men suddenly have new options that short-haired men don’t. They could get a blow out! They could try beachy waves! (Before you laugh, consider what Fabio must go through on a weekly basis.)

"Some products can dry out the hair shaft itself and lead to breakage," warns Zeichner. "We see that most with coloring, blow-drying, relaxing and keratin-type treatments."

So maybe skip the straightening. The loose man bun is sounding better and better.

Don't Watch the Drain Too Closely

In the end, if you're not damaging your hair or tugging it out, keeping it carefree is all about attitude.

"Guys lose a certain amount of hair every day," says Alfonso. "When I take a shower and look it the drain, I used to trip out a little bit. If I had short hair and the same amount fell out, you wouldn't even be able to see it. But my hair is so long that I can lose five hairs and it looks like a lot came out of my head."

Zeichner puts the number of normal daily hairs lost between 100 and 200. But, he points out, it can be even more if you haven't shampooed in a while, or if that man bun was up for days and you're finally taking it down.

So think of it like your investment portfolio. It can experience seemingly severe losses, but grows slowly over time. The same advice applies both places: don't check it every day.

SOURCE: menshealth