Any Tips for Post Baby Hair Loss?

Hi B.-

I didn't have a problem with hair loss after my pregnancy. But I have a few friends that did. Like you, their hair would fall out in clumps. And like the other mamas said, it stopped after about 5 or 6 months and then it grew back.

Let me know if you have any questions about the thyroid issue that was mentioned.

M.

Hello B.,

As unnerving as it is, the post partum hair loss is comepletely normal and there is nothing you can do about it. PP hairloss peaks around 4-6 months and declines after that.
I would strongly caution you to stay away from any special vitamin or herbal preparations if you are breastfeeding - they just cost you money and won't do anything. Some herbal preparations or high doses of vitamins may even affect your milk supply or even be harmful for baby.
The hair that you are are loosing now, it all of the hair that you should have lost over the last year, but didn't because the pregnancy hormones kept it from shedding. 1 year worth of hair!
I remember that my hair came out in bunches and it was EVERYWHERE. Gross! I also have very fine hair and was seriously afraid of going bald - I didn't, the shedding stopped eventually at about 6 months pp and my hair was just like before I got pregnant.

If it doesn't stop or slow down by 6 months PP or you have real bald spots, you should talk to your doctor - or talk to him anyways, if you are very worried...

Postpartum Alopecia (or hair-loss after giving birth) is real and it happens to some women. While we're pregnant, our bodies store up on things: blood, nutrients, water, hair, etc. That is why your hair is thicker than normally - you just don't loose all the hair you normally do.

I had this same problem... about 3-4 months after delivering our daughter, my hair started to really thin. I will point out that I was breastfeeding and still taking all the same prenatal vitamins I did while pregnancy and I hadn't gotten period yet (in case this is the same for other women). I mentioned it to a hairdresser and she showed me her re-growth from the same problem from giving birth a year earlier (it was about 4-6" long). Mine too grew back, however, all of my new growth at the temples is curlier (I've always had a bit of wave in my hair). Personally, I think my hair still looks a bit thinner on top near my forehead, but my friends and husband don't think so (and maybe it's partly do to vanity and age).

If you're worried about it, do talk to your doctor. If it's coming out in huge clumps, then you might have a medical problem. However, if your hair is making up for lost time, it will start growing back in in a few months. :-)

B.,

This is natural. The hormones that rage through us when we're pregnant don't let us shed like we normally do. After birth that shedding starts again.

Unless you're going totally bald, I wouldn't worry too much about it. :)

Hope this helps,
Melissa

B.,

Go back on your prenatal vitamins!!! They are what made your hair and nails grow faster while you were pregnant. Also ask your doctor about any meds you might be on. A lot of meds cause hair loss.

Good luck,
A.

B.,
Mine didn't stop falling out until I stopped breastfeeding at 7 months. I had friends that didn't lose much, but I swear I was pulling out of the drain daily by the handfull. I ended up cutting some bangs because of the short whisps everywhere as it grew back. Hang in there - it will stop.

There is often a mineral depletion after having a baby which can manifest in many ways, hair loss is one of them. I'd be happy to go over what you can do about it and take. It is a bit individualized so would need to cover some details.
Liz

You might want to talk to your doctor about checking your thyroid. Post baby hair loss is normal, but it shouldn't last forever and be excessive. It's pretty common to have your thyroid get out of wack after having a baby even if you never had thyroid problems before. Have it checked. It can't hurt.

I have the same problem. Fine, thin hair too. I get a receded hairline and it takes me about 2 years for it to grow back in and long enough to be considered bangs. I'm sorry I don't really have any tips for slowing it down. However, I try to brush it a lot (stimulates blood flow to your scalp) especially before I wash it. At least I reduce clogged drains! :)

Yes, keep taking the prenatal vitamins, and I heard from a hair stylist that citrus food are good too. This happened to me worse with the second child than the first. I was grossed out by the amount of hair that came out in clumps. Hang in there, it is part of the process.

My hair started falling out 3 months postpartum and continued till six months postpartum. It was gross and unnerving, but it did stop, and eventually grew back. As far as I know, this is normal. If it doesn't stop after six months postpartum, or if you have noticeable bald spots, I would go to the doctor and check out the possibility of thyroid or mineral deficiencies

The hair loss is normal. It is scary at first but usually nothing to worry about. If, however, it doesn't seem to stop and your hair appears to be thinning more than it was pre-baby, have your iron and ferritin levels tested. My sister's were on the low end of normal when she found a dime sized bald spot on her head (7 years after her kids were born). Her doctor had kept telling her that her levels were in the norm as her hair was thinning and a year later when the bald spot appeared the doctor finally sent her to a dermatologist. He told her that although her levels were normal on a scale, that probably wasn't normal for her. He placed her on Chromagen (an expensive mix of iron, B vitamins and something else..............) Her bald spot immediately filled back in and her hair is starting to thicken back up.

The losing hair post pregnancy can be scary but it's usually ok. Hang in there.

I've had some hair loss with each of my babies postpartum and my hair stylist said it has to do with a vitamin deficiency. I have not looked into that theory extensively, but it would be a good idea to check into that for yourself.

Blessings,
J.

Get your iron and thyroid checked. This is a fairly common issue after having a baby. So hang in there, and know you are not alone. It happens to lots of us.

I had the same, solve the problem with some extra vitamins. I used the Rite Aid brand for "hair and nails". It worked. I do lose hair after every mammogram too and every time I take this vitamins and I'm happy with the results. I would say: do the tests to make sure that it is not a medical issue and get the extra vitamins and minerals. Good luck!

This is caused by either one source or two.

ONE : (and this one will always be involved) We do NOT shed our hair normally while we're pregnant. Most "shedding" while pregnant is actually breakage. Hmmm...lets see here...and average of 100 hairs a day times 40 weeks = yikes...more hair then is currently on my head. Yowza. Fortunately, it doesn't all come out at once...but it DOES come out in handfuls and clumps for weeks to months. The more that comes out at once the less time it will happen for. Humph and pfui. Silver linings and all of that. It also starts at different times for different women. Usually it starts from about a week to 3 months after birthing. It pretty much ends when it's done. Double Pfui. :P

TWO : What could be making it worse, is if you have a fairly common post pregnancy thyroid issue. By common, I mean like gestational diabetes is common. Not everyone, or even a majority of people get it. It's more then likely that you do NOT have this issue, but hey, it's a blood test.

TWOPOINTFIVE : Anorexics also lose their hair...their bodies start burning the proteins from their muscles (even heart muscle) in a desperate attempt to stay alive. Hair is pure protein, and takes a back seat to things like your immune system, and muscle repair, and blood, and milk. You're burning one whole heckovalotta calories if you're nursing. Make sure to keep your diet up with it. Lots of protiens.

Since we, as a sex, are so concerned about our hair...a trip to your doctor about it will most likely be conciliatory. <laughing> They're almost immune to us freaking out about it. If it IS thyroid related though, a blood test will show it. If it's not thyroid or diet related the best advice is the same on how to keep your hair health normally. Wash, condition, brush, & eat lots of protein in a healthy diet.

Good Luck, and this too shall pass.

HI B.
I did not have this happen to me but i have heard that it is caused from a lack of a certain nutrient.I wish I could remember what it was it was something simple like ironj but i know that it wasnt iron. i would call the doctor and see what they say.sorry i cant remember but hopefully it was a enough to get you looking in the right direction.
good luck
H.

There's really nothing you can do except make sure you're eating a healthy diet. Your hair should stop falling out so quickly pretty soon. It's all hormonal unfortunately!

B.,
There is not much you can do to avoid the hair loss after your baby is born. While you are pregnant, the hormones you produce actually help you retain your hair, so this is nature's way of shedding the hair that you retained while pregnant. Just an additional glamerous bonus to the 6 week long period and facial acne you recieve when your post-pregnancy hormones try to regulate. To keep fine hair from looking thin, don't brush with a brush (can break the hair) and try to gently comb out the hair you're losing. Drinking calcium-rich juice or milk can help while you nurse and provide the extra needed minerals for your hair, bones and nails.
Good-luck with everything.

Hi B.,
Understandably upsetting! I've also heard that the hormonal imbalances will cause this. Also I know from my sister's experience that low protein in your diet can cause this. Nursing takes a lot out of you (as did the pregnancy), so I would try to get high quality protein in your diet daily, and if you drink milk, lots of that or yogurt, or calcium supplements as well as the prenatal vitamins. I've recently heard that a lot of the commonly available vitamins are made with poor quality ingredients, and a lot are made in China and don't have good quality control. So I would go to Pharmaca and make sure that you are getting some high quality ones.

Also I see a Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor for herbs. She said that she gives herbal formulas for recovery after birth. I was super run down from my pregnancy and first year with baby, and after being on her herbs for a week or two I felt better than I had in years. Next time I'm going to her right away!

Best wishes.

Have your thyroid and testosterone levels checked.

I had the same thing! My hair loss was due to a thyroid condition brought on by pregnancy, so if you haven't already have it checked. Now my thyroind hormone levels were normal, but my antibodies were not. I started medication a year ago and it has helped me significantly, I believe my baby was around 5 mo. I had this and other symptoms wiht all 3 of my pregnancies but it was never detected before because my hormone levels were in the norm, low but in the norm. Hope this helps!

Hi B.,

I'm going to echo what others have said here. Usually hair loss levels out. The hormones of pregnancy mean that hair that we normally would lose doesn't fall out. That's how you end up with luxurious hair in pregnancy! But then about 3 months or so after the baby is born all that hair that you would have lost in pregnancy starts to fall out in handfuls. Yikes! It's alarming and messy, but you won't go bald. Sorry. I was so sad when my hair went back to non-pregnancy levels and also when my clear skin went out the window :(

nursing or not go back on the prenatal vitamins.