Has it ever happened to you that in this period of time when you brush your hair, the brush comes back fuller than it did in during the summer? If this has ever made you wonder whether something is wrong with you, it probably isn’t: hair has its own seasons, and fall is when the largest share of it lets go. The good news is that nature offers a few well-stocked allies for exactly this moment of the year, and you don’t need a pharmacy aisle to find them.
Why does hair fall out more in autumn?
Hair grows in cycles, and one of them, the telogen or resting phase, ends in a collective shed that peaks in October and November. Dermatologists consider losing around 50 to 100 hairs a day normal, and a seasonal increase on top of that is no reason to panic. What you can do is nourish what remains, and that is where nettle comes in.
Nettle: the mineral-rich plant your hair is asking for
Nettle rarely gets the credit it deserves. Behind its reputation as a humble weed hides one of the most re-mineralizing plants in European herbal tradition, thanks to its high silicon content. It is also rich in iron, B vitamins and other minerals that hair, nails and skin all compete for.
I take it as a powder stirred into water or in capsules through the whole autumn season. The difference is not dramatic overnight, but by the end of the season you may notice it: hair that feels more voluminous, nails that stop splitting, skin that keeps its glow when the radiators come on. Early research is encouraging too: a six-month study on 120 people with hair loss found that a shampoo and serum containing nettle extract significantly reduced shedding compared with a placebo.
Nettle also comes cheap and in many forms: dried leaves for a detox-style infusion, powder, capsules, even shampoos. Choose what you will actually keep taking, because consistency matters more than the form.
Rhodiola: for the motivation the shorter days take away
Hair care is only half the story. When the days shorten, many of us feel our motivation drop with the light. For that, rhodiola, an adaptogen that grows in the cold mountains of Europe and Asia, is my go-to.
Adaptogens are plants that help the body manage different kinds of stress, and rhodiola is one of the best studied. Traditionally used against fatigue, it supports dopamine production in the brain, which translates into something very concrete: more enthusiasm, less burnout, at work and in your personal life. Its energizing effect is especially welcome in the darker, colder months, when fatigue creeps in before dinner and the sofa wins.
Orange leaves: the calming plant nobody talks about
Less known, but worth a detour: the leaves of the orange tree. The color of autumn does more than brighten the landscape, it seems to soothe it too. Orange leaf extract has a calming effect on anxiety, stress and nervousness, and it is believed to help you reconnect with some lightness.
It is also a natural antispasmodic, which makes it a gentle remedy for stress that shows up in the body: a nervous cough, a stomachache before a difficult meeting, those twinges that have no medical explanation but a very obvious emotional one. In infusion, it is one of the simplest evening rituals to adopt.
Before you start
Plants are powerful, and that is precisely why they deserve respect. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before adding any of these remedies to your routine, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or managing a health condition. Natural does not mean risk-free; it means the effects are real.
Your turn
Fall is not only a season of letting go. It is also the right moment to slow down, nourish yourself and give your body what it needs before winter arrives.
Would you pick one of these three plants and give it a try?
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The analysis of some scientific articles used to draft this post was made by a large language model (LLM) and closely edited by me for clarity and accuracy.
