Shedding hair is completely normal. In fact, we lose about 100 strands of hair a day. Until recently, this stat never crossed my mind—let alone products for thinning hair. Thankfully, I’d always been blessed with great hair genes, inheriting long, exceptionally thick hair from both of my parents. In fact, it’s historically been the first thing people notice about all of us. That was, until stress finally caught up with me and started to take its toll.

There’s no way around it: I’ve had a particularly difficult year, and my body has certainly kept score. The shedding crept in slowly, like a haunting in a horror movie. I started noticing more strands in my brush, collecting in the shower drain, and eventually, scattered across the floor after styling. Even my regular hairstylist gently alerted me that my hair felt different, pointing to changes in both its texture and density.

After many tears and ongoing doctor’s appointments to rule out an underlying cause, scalp care and a handful of thinning hair products have become a nonnegotiable part of my routine. And I’m far from alone. While hair loss is often associated with male pattern baldness, it affects millions of women, too—and navigating it can be just as emotionally overwhelming as it is difficult to treat.

Vogue’s Favorite Products for Thinning Hair

Hair loss can be hard to treat because multiple factors influence it, says board-certified dermatologist Anetta Reszko. Thinning hair can be caused by anything from genetics and hormonal changes (including pregnancy and menopause) to medical conditions, nutritional deficiencies, and (surprise, surprise!) stress. Not to mention, the physical damage caused by chemical processing or tight hairstyles.

A quick trip to the dermatologist for me confirmed my diagnosis: telogen effluvium (AKA stress hair loss). “Telogen effluvium is a type of hair shedding that may be noticed a few months after the body experiences some type of change or stress,” board-certified dermatologist Marisa Garshick, previously explained. In fact, hair shedding was also common in the months post-Covid-19 as a combination of emotional stress and illness.

Interestingly, there’s a new common cause making hair loss a common issue in hair stylist and dermatologist chairs—with the rise of GLP-1 drugs. Dr. Garshick also explained that hair loss can be an indirect result of rapid weight loss and nutritional deficiencies. Otherwise, the most common cause of hair thinning is male- and female-pattern baldness, a form of androgenetic alopecia. It’s both hereditary and hormone-related, and most frequently occurs with age.

When it comes to slowing hair loss, there are two main approaches: reducing shedding and encouraging new growth. While they’re often grouped together, they work in different ways. Take minoxidil, for example—it increases blood flow to the scalp to help stimulate new hair growth. Meanwhile, products like Nutrafol, contain natural ingredients that help inhibit DHT levels. As board-certified dermatologist, Dr. Brendan Camp, MD, previously explained, excess dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is closely linked to hair loss, so ingredients that naturally help lower DHT may also help reduce thinning over time. A well-rounded regimen features both shedding reduction and growth stimulating ingredients.