Dermatologists draw a distinction that most of us never hear about: hair shedding, where more hair than usual comes out but the follicles are working normally and it usually settles on its own, and hair loss, where something is stopping hair from growing back.

They feel identical when it is your hair. They are not the same problem and they are not managed the same way — which is why the American Academy of Dermatology has a page devoted to telling them apart, and why it is worth five minutes of your time before anything else.

See your doctor or a dermatologist if it came on suddenly, if it is coming out in patches, if your scalp is sore or visibly inflamed, or if it has been going on long enough to worry you. Those are not signs of anything terrible — they are simply the cases where guessing wastes the most time.

Hair loss is one of the things dermatologists see most often. Several of its causes are very treatable once someone has worked out which one you have, and some are unrelated to hair at all — thyroid, iron levels, a medication you started. None of that can be found out from a spa chair.

Zelene is a spa, not a medical provider. We do not diagnose or treat hair loss, and nothing we offer will stop, slow or reverse it. We would rather lose the booking than let you spend money here instead of getting an answer.

What we do is a thorough, gentle wash and an unhurried hour — warm water, mild botanical cleansers, somebody else’s hands, no phone. Clients tell us the rest matters as much as the cleanse. If you are anxious about your hair, that hour is worth something on its own, and it does not need to be dressed up as treatment to be worth having.

If your scalp is sore, flaking or under a doctor’s care, tell us when you book. We will keep pressure light, use gentler formulas, work around anything tender, and we will never suggest you stop anything you have been prescribed.