Count the Hairs on Your Head . . .

Well, not exactly. But there is something men can do if they are worried they may be losing hair at an alarming rate, and want to check it out. It’s a method described in the Archives of Dermatology, called the 60-Second Hair Count.

To perform the hair count, start at the top of your head and comb forward over a towel or pillowcase of which has a contrasting color so that the shed hairs can be easily seen. You should use the comb for 60 seconds. Count the number of hairs on the towel or pillowcase and on the comb. Repeat on 2 separate occasions on 3 consecutive days.

The authors of the article recruited 60 white men (half aged 20 to 40, half 41 to 60), without any signs of balding, and did 3 counts on them, repeated again 6 months later. The average hair loss counts for the two age groups were 10.2 and 10.3, respectively; the counts were similar 6 months later. Conclusion: normal hair loss in the 60-second hair count is similar for younger and older white males, and averages about 10 hairs. This method can be used for patients who are concerned about hair loss, who should perform the count monthly and report the results to their family physician or dermatologist.

Sorry – you’re not counting the hairs on your head, just investigating the possibility of a change in your normal rate of hair loss. But I needed a title for the piece. . .