Excessive Hair Loss After Birth

This is fairly normal after having a baby. It didn't happen with my first, but it did with my second. My dd is 11 months old now and some of my hair has started to come back in and is about and inch and a quarter long now. Too bad because I had the thickest most gorgeous hair of my life when i was pg. with her!

Hi T.,

Yes. This happened to me in extreme ways. It hits right at the 3 month mark. My hair came out so much that I had two bald spots on my head at my temples. It actually shed throughout my whole head. My hair was GREAT before this happened and now it's much thinner since all of the shedding but it has grown back in and it is starting to look a lot better. My hair was finally all back in by around the 1st b'day of my son. No more bald spots and no more head bands daily. Good luck.

M.

I had excessive hair loss from 2 months to 4 months. I went to the doctor because I thought I had some disease when really it was because I was not taking my pre-natal pills. When you have a child, most of your nutrients go to that baby which leaves your body with not much to feed off on. This is why your OBGYN will recommend you take a daily vitamin or to continue taking prenatal pills until your child is about 9 months. 9 months gives your body just enough time to fully recover from having a child . I guarantee if you start taking a multi-vitamin or pre-natal pills within a week or two your hair will not fall out as much. This is just part of giving birth to a child. Now, I just shed like normal. Good luck!

Natural, as the hormone levels go back down to normal. I thought I was going bald, but it just went back to my pre-pregnancy amount of hair. It only seemed like more was falling out because it was so rich, thick & full.

That is pretty normal for you to lose some hair after giving birth. What happens is your hair stops falling out when you are pregnant, for a reason I'm not sure of. So after you deliver it starts falling out again and it takes about a month of what seams like alot of hair to fall out and get back to your normal hair thickness. This happened to me and I was really concerned about it but it eventually stops falling out!!!!

T. no need to worry. It is natural. I have three kiddos..and all three times I had the same problem. This last time I really got concerned because it was more than ever. I too have long think hair and I was, I thought, going bald front the front of my head. It finally stopped on its own and now it has all grown back. It will take a while..just be patient and know that it is normal. Hang in there!
K.

I too had this and it will apparently go away on its own. Apparently we don't shed as much while we are pregnant and so after giving birth we shed what normally should have already been lost. It is frustrating to shed it all at once, but from my experience, there was nothing to do but wait it out. However, for a professional opinion, I would contact your OB/GYN. They might be able to help.

LOL!! Mine fell out bad! Just wait till it starts growing back and its shorter than all the rest, you will look like you have little wings! I hated that part! Mine curled around my ears! O-well it didnt take long to be back to normal.

It's happening to me, I delivered my son which is 3 months by c-section and just this week I noticed that my hairline is balding LOL. This also happened to me with my first born, also c-section and to my co worker. I don't think you can do anything to stop it, but trust me it will grow back. Just until it does I can't wear my hair pulled back, it looks ugly. Sorry but I think it has to do with the hormones and all that stuff they pump in you when you have a c-section.

Hi T.!!

Ahhhh yes, the Post Pregnancy Hair Loss Scare!! I went through the same thing with my now 17 year old when she was born. I realized that it was because I had stopped taking my pre-natals after she was born. I had SUCH horrible side effects from them (nausea) throughout the pregnancy that I stopped cold turkey as soon as she was born. That was one of the reasons. Here is some other info:

Many women will notice hair loss following pregnancy. The hormones that increase during pregnancy lead to changes in the skin and many other parts of the body. They tend to put all of the scalp hair into the growth phase of the hair cycle. That means many women notice their hair seems to grow thicker during pregnancy.

After birth of the baby many of the hairs stop growing and move into the resting phase where they remain for two or three months. When the hair cycle begins again, the hairs move back into the growth phase and the old hairs are shed all at once. The amount of shedding will vary between individuals with some women noticing the hair loss more than others. If there is already a tendency to inherited hair thinning in the family, the hair loss may be even more noticeable following the birth of the child.

The postpartum hair loss usually lasts for two to three months and then the hairs begin to regrow. In most women, the hair returns to its pre-pregnancy state.

No treatment is necessary for postpartum hair loss. It is merely a temporary change in the hair growth cycle due to hormonal changes during pregnancy.

Excessive brushing will remove the hairs easily and will accelerate the hair loss that might otherwise have taken two or three months to fall out. If this happens it will not damage the hair in any way. Taking vitamins or rubbing preparations into the scalp will not make any difference. Some women notice that postpartum hair loss occurs after each pregnancy.

I hope this helps!

I am also an African American woman (Living in Dallas) with very long hair. I know it's traumatic when our hair starts to shed unexpectedly. My daughter is almost 3, and mine is STILL shedding. I think MINE has to do with stress though.

Take Care!

T.

U bet! I had beautiful, thick hair while I was pregnant, then had a c-section and it thinned out like an old lady. It did grow back and is as thick and healthy as it was before. Hang in there, it's hormones and normal!

Warm regards,

A.

i was reading something about hair loss and pregancy yestarday and it says that usually after giving birth you may have some hair loss but you hair return to normal in about 6 months to 2 years
For hair loss due to heredity, age, and hormones, the topical medication Rogaine (minoxidil) can be helpful for both male and female pattern baldness. Expect to wait 6 months before you see results
Pregnancy affects the entire body, including hair, skin and nails. Often, there are undesirable changes that can leave a pregnant woman worried or frightened. However, hair loss in particular is very common and during pregnancy and should not cause undue concern. The most common period of hair loss related to pregnancy occurs approximately three months after delivery.

Telogen effluvium is the excess shedding of hair that usually occurs one to five months following pregnancy. During pregnancy, an increased percentage of scalp hairs go into the resting phase that is part of the normal growth-loss cycle of scalp hair. After pregnancy, these hairs begin to fall out and thin. However, this condition does not cause permanent hair loss or obvious bald patches. Telogen effluvium resolves slowly beginning six to 12 weeks postpartum. There is no medical treatment available.

Avoid pigtails, cornrows, hair weaves, braids and tight hair rollers which can pull and stress your hair.
- Eat a diet high in fruits and vegetables, which contain flavonoids, many of which are antioxidants that may provide protection for the hair follicles and encourage hair growth.
- Use shampoos and conditioners that contain biotin and silica.
- If you need to use blow dryers and other heated hair instruments, try to use the cooler, lower settings.

G.:)

OMG!!! The same thing is happening to me. I am 24 yr old, AA with 2.5 mo old also delivered by C-Section. I heard that this could happen when I stopped taking prenatals. Every time I run my hands through my hair I get tons of long strands. I thought it might be stress. A hairdresser advised once that otc prenatal vitamins are good for hair and nails, so just continue taking those. I don't see any bald spots but am afraid to color my hair b/c it just doen't seem healthy enough. Please let me know if you find out something to help b/c my roots have taken over since I did not color all through my pregnancy. LOL

I lost alot ALOT of hair after my daughter's birth too. I was really worried that I was having thyroid problems. My husband joked "did we get a new brown rug in the bathroom?". I went to my doc and she said it was normal, but she ran bloodwork anyhow since I have a history of thyroid problems. I was 100% okay and my hair stopped shedding eventually. Although I bet it's normal for most people, I still think it's a good idea to see the doc if your worried.

Hi T.! This is my first post on Mamasource but I just had to respond. This is something no one told me would happen after childbirth. BUT it is totally normal. B/c of the increase in hormone levels while pregnant, your hair slows down the shedding process, hence the idea that women while pregnant get thicker hair, longer nails etc... But about 3 mos after I had my daughter, it began shedding like crazy. I did a little research and found out it is totally normal, due to the decrease in hormones after childbirth. It should normalize itself within a month or so!! Don't worry!

I have this too. With my first child and now my second. My hairdresser said that during pregnancy you have hormones that keep your hair from falling out and then 3 to 4 months after delivery this changes and all the "old" hair comes out! Mine is really bad and they say that just happens. Before long it will go back to normal! I know after my first child it did.