A few hairs in the shower is normal. The signs that something more is going on are often subtle. Any one of the following is worth investigating.
More than 100 hairs a day in the shower
Especially if it has been happening for more than three months. Persistent shedding is a strong signal that something is driving it, and the work-up is the same first-line panel of iron, thyroid, vitamin D and B12.
A widening parting or thinning crown
Visible thinning at the parting in women or thinning at the crown in men is the typical pattern of androgenetic alopecia. The Hormone Specialist panel measures DHT and the wider androgen profile, useful for context alongside clinical assessment (serum DHT correlates poorly with severity on its own).
Hair loss after illness, surgery or pregnancy
Telogen effluvium typically appears two to four months after a major stressor. Ferritin and thyroid function are the highest-yield first tests, both included in Hair Loss Essentials.
Receding hairline in your 20s or 30s
Early-onset recession is typically androgen-driven and a clinical diagnosis. Bloods are useful before starting medication to rule out contributing nutritional or thyroid factors. The Advanced Hair & Hormone Check covers the relevant markers.
Failed response to finasteride or minoxidil
If you have been on treatment for six months without improvement, blood work can identify what else might be in play, often a nutritional or thyroid deficiency holding things back.
Scalp itching, redness or scarring
Patchy loss with visible scalp changes can indicate scarring alopecia (lichen planopilaris, FFA, CCCA), which needs a biopsy to confirm. See the Scarring Alopecia Diagnostic panel.