Most women will notice a change in their hair when they are pregnant- it will be thicker and more lustrous- so what is going on? Approximately 90% of your hair is in a growth phase (anagen phase) at any given time and 10% are in a resting or shedding phase (telogen phase). Every couple of months, hair in the resting phase falls out and makes space for new hair to grow in its place. During pregnancy there is an increase in the level of estrogen circulating in your bloodstream and this causes your hair to remain in the growing phase and stimulates the growth of hair. Most women notice that their hair is thicker, and for the first time they feel like they may be in a Pantene commercial :D
So you just had a baby. You are getting use to all sorts of changes in your body and you have a newborn that requires 100% of your time. And now one to two months later, you notice that there is hair everywhere! Your shower drain is clogged. Every time you comb your hair, you notice clumps coming out. So, what’s going on?! No you are not going bald, but it certainly does feel like it! While you were pregnant, your body freezes hair in the growth phase (anagen phase), but as your estrogen levels decline it pushes out all that hair that should have been in the resting/shedding phase. This usually starts in the second or third month postpartum and resolves by 6 to 12 months postpartum (thank goodness!).
What can I do to survive this hairy transition?
1. Some women will get a shorter hair cut. Talk to your stylist about ways to incorporate the finer hairs in the front.
2. Take your vitamins: Make sure you are taking a multivitamin with biotin, vitamin B, and vitamin C.
3. Avoid certain styles: hair weaves, braids, pigtails, cornrows can put a lot of stress on your hair and this can make the hair loss worse.
4. Be very gentle when combing your hair when it is wet. Your hair is extra fragile when wet.
5. Be careful with heat styling instruments like blow dryers and irons. You can use them to style your hair but use if more sparingly if possible.
6. Make sure you use a volumizing shampoo and plenty of conditioner on your hair.
7. Using color and a volumizing mousse can help with volume especially at the hairline where thinning is most obvious.
Just remember, this is a normal post partum change that is unrelated to breastfeeding. Unfortunately there is no miracle cure, and it just takes time for your hair to return to normal, but it will grow back just like it was before you were pregnant :)
Dr. Pam
So you just had a baby. You are getting use to all sorts of changes in your body and you have a newborn that requires 100% of your time. And now one to two months later, you notice that there is hair everywhere! Your shower drain is clogged. Every time you comb your hair, you notice clumps coming out. So, what’s going on?! No you are not going bald, but it certainly does feel like it! While you were pregnant, your body freezes hair in the growth phase (anagen phase), but as your estrogen levels decline it pushes out all that hair that should have been in the resting/shedding phase. This usually starts in the second or third month postpartum and resolves by 6 to 12 months postpartum (thank goodness!).
What can I do to survive this hairy transition?
1. Some women will get a shorter hair cut. Talk to your stylist about ways to incorporate the finer hairs in the front.
2. Take your vitamins: Make sure you are taking a multivitamin with biotin, vitamin B, and vitamin C.
3. Avoid certain styles: hair weaves, braids, pigtails, cornrows can put a lot of stress on your hair and this can make the hair loss worse.
4. Be very gentle when combing your hair when it is wet. Your hair is extra fragile when wet.
5. Be careful with heat styling instruments like blow dryers and irons. You can use them to style your hair but use if more sparingly if possible.
6. Make sure you use a volumizing shampoo and plenty of conditioner on your hair.
7. Using color and a volumizing mousse can help with volume especially at the hairline where thinning is most obvious.
Just remember, this is a normal post partum change that is unrelated to breastfeeding. Unfortunately there is no miracle cure, and it just takes time for your hair to return to normal, but it will grow back just like it was before you were pregnant :)
Dr. Pam
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