I Want My Hair to Stop Falling Out!

Updated on June 01, 2009
M.D. asks from Livermore, CA
23 answers

My son is 5 1/2 months old and about 2 months ago my hair started falling out, and it is very thin looking along my hair line. I know that it is a normal thing after having a baby, but how long does it last? I'm not breastfeeding , so it's not the baby taking my nutrients. I don't know it's just depressing. Any advice or simular experiences?

2 moms found this helpful

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L.R.

answers from San Francisco on

It freaked me out too but it will all come back I promise! It'll just look weird a for a while. My son is almost 9 months & I have the baby hairs on my forehead but at least it doesn't look like it's receding anymore:)

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C.S.

answers from San Francisco on

M.,
I don't know whether you have any hormone or vitamin deficiencies, but I think everyone goes through that point where their hormones change post pregnancy and they start losing hair. I looked at a number of hair growth products and hair vitamins. It appeared that the common element I wasn't getting enough of from my vitamins (I was still taking prenatals) was Biotin, so I started supplementing that.
Best of luck whatever you try!
C.

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L.M.

answers from Sacramento on

In my opinion, you are losing too much hair! Are you having any other symptoms? Dry skin, fingernail problems, difficulty concentrating, fatigue? PLEASE get your thyroid, iron and your B12 levels checked ASAP. Pregnancy throws off our hormones which causes a domino effect in your body. My thyroid problem started after the birth of my 2nd daughter and never really got better. No one caught it until about 7 years later. Long story but I had an autoimmune condition of my thyroid along with other things.

Many doctors tell you to just wait it out after the baby but they owe you at least a blood test. Make sure your levels are not borderline! The optimal range for most tests is really closer to the middle of the range. Ask to see your results and question them with your doctor.

Let me know if you want any more info. You can also search online "hair loss low thyroid B12" or something like that and see what you come up with.

Here is a good article on Vit B12:
http://www.health-boundaries-bite.com/Vitamin-B12-Symptom...

~L.

1 mom found this helpful
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G.B.

answers from San Francisco on

Anemia and Iron deficiency can cause hair loss.
Vit b9 and b12 can help with anemia, and Vit A is needed also.

Having an internal infection of some sort, either yeast overgrowth(candida) or bacterial overgrowth can cause thinning in the front of the hair line. Front hairline thinning is seen sometimes in those who have immune malfunction diseases, like psoriasis for example. not probable but possible an external issue like yeast/bacteria in the hair follicles or the demodex mite.

Vit C deficiency can cause hair loss.(usually you will notice bleeding or bruising easily also). Vit A deficiency can contribute to hair loss because Vit A helps you metabolise iron.

Copper can help with hair loss because copper helps you use iron. (isnt it amazing how all the vitamins are inter twined? Supplementing isn't always the answer either because many vitamins need others for uptake, some compete with eachother, or high levels of one can deplete others. God knew this and put in our healthy foods PERFECT vitamin combinations, so your best bet is to get your increased vitamins with healthy foods. Don't forget organ meats. Sugar, sodas, and High carb processed diets deplete vitamins. Make sure you get enough iodine to support your thyroid, some choices are kelp or Idoral.

Biotin deficiency can cause hair loss. (50% of pregnant women, one study said, were deficient). So you don't have to be breastfeeding to get deficient. The body will take what it needs to grow the baby and can leave the host deficient. Biotin is created in healthy bowels, so taking a lactobaccilus or acidophilus supplement will keep enough good bacteria in the bowel to create the biotin. These supplements will also improve absorption of vitamins and keep yeast overgrowth in check. Best sources are in the refridgerator at a health food store.

Hyperthyroidism can cause low vit A stores(thyroid required for conversion of beta carotene to retanol)

Go to 'wrongdiagnosis.com' and look up your symptoms for more ideas.

One last thing, Chlorine causes all kinds of vitamin imbalances and hormonal problems. For one it is estrogenic so it can cause thyroid malfunction (it kills iodine). Two it supresses your immune system, and three it kills vit A,B,C,E ,the omegas, and stops vit A from leaving the liver.
Try to filter it out of your tap water. If you can't afford a filter, put your water in a pitcher and leave it out, open, for (24? hours) to let the chlorine dissipate.

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G.M.

answers from San Francisco on

Hi M.,

Have you thought about trying one of the super juices? We love Monavie...so many great bio-available nutrients and antioxidants. From personal experience, I have had two kids and thinning hair and have noticed more baby hair growing back in and now have a bigger thicker ponytail. :)

Let me know if you want to try a bottle at my wholesale cost.

Good luck to you and here's to your health!

G.

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S.B.

answers from San Francisco on

A breastfeeding baby will not steal your nutrients, let alone make your hair fall out. All a breastfeeding baby steals is the extra fat hanging around ones midsection and thighs!

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N.A.

answers from San Francisco on

Hi M.,,

It sounds like you are missing nutrients that are needed to stay healthy. I am a hairstylist and a wellness coach.

After you give birth the baby takes a lot of nutrients from your body and you have to replace them.

If you are interested in a program that will help assist you to get healthier and replacing your body with good nutrition let me know and I can assist you.

Have a great week.

N. Marie

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M.D.

answers from San Francisco on

Hi,
With my first daughter, my hair fell out all the way until she was 13 months. With my second daughter it fell out all the way until 15 months. Then it takes awhile to grow back in and get full again. I breastfed my first daughter until she was 8 months and my second daughter until she was 6 months. There is an end in site, it drove me crazy too, but now it is better ans the little on is no 16 months old.

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G.D.

answers from Modesto on

You need to check your Thyroid hormone levels as well as for Thyroiditis...
Love, G.. :0)

P.S. Are you very very tired? Depresed? Dry skin? can't loose weight? Low sex drive?... if so you may need to see and Endocrinologist!!! And don't forget to check for Vitamin D levels too...

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P.L.

answers from San Francisco on

Hi M.,

Congratulations on your twin boys! My son is 17 mos old and he is teething too with his bicuspids and molars. Crying at night with a lot pain I assume. I would give him Motrin for infants. It really helps him sleep through the night. Hope this will help your boys as well. Good luck!!!

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J.E.

answers from San Francisco on

I would ask your Dr. to check your thyroid.

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O.G.

answers from Sacramento on

I had some head trauma when I was young and after my kids were born I lost my hair again. I was so stressed out I ended up going to a dermatologist and he told me that it is very common for women to lose there hair but it is not talked about as publicly as men. He also said that hair loss in women is due mainly to stress and recommended that I try to relax and it should start to grow back in a couple of months. Unfortunately due to my past history with head trauma it didn’t come back and he recommended I use Rogaine for women and if I did not see an improvement to come back and he would prescribe a medication. The Rogaine worked but I also notice it starts falling out if I quit using it. It more than likely is due to your new baby and being stressed out with all the changes and getting adapted to your new life. It is easier said than done but don't worry about your hair falling out and you will start to notice that it will grow back, maybe not at the same thickness or amount but it will eventually grow back. In my case I had a previous head injury from when I was a child that my hair did not grow back as thick and now have very thin hair the Rogaine helps make it thicker and I have started to see new hair coming in but it is something I have to keep up with or it will fall out again.

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G.K.

answers from San Francisco on

Hi M.,

Unless you have an underlying health problem (usually thyroid), this is probably totally normal. What happens is that while you are pregnant your hormones disrupt your normal hair-shedding cycle. Normally you shed something like 50-100 hairs a day. You grow new hair at a pace to keep up with the loss. However, when you are pregnant the hair often does not fall out--hence the "beautiful thick" pregnancy hair that you hear about. But once you give birth and your hormones start returning back to normal (usually around 5-6 months), your head starts shedding all that retained hair!!! There's no way the incoming hairs can grow in fast enough to replace it all, which can cause some temporary thinning in spots.

This happened to me and lasted about 3 months (started at 6 months, ending at 9 months.) The doctor assured me it was normal. (It also has NOTHING to do with whether or not you breastfeed.) To deal with it, I combed my hair before getting in the shower to get any loose strands out (otherwise I would clog the drain each time.) I also vaccuumed frequently (hair balls everywhere) and checked my baby's toes (three times I found a hair wrapped tightly around a toe.) I used something like "Frizz-Ease" to tame the returning hairs (they will stick up), as well as a hot iron to straighten them. A lot of moms get short haircuts to deal with it, but I look horrible with short hair so I just dealt with it (my son's 2&1/2 now and the shortest hairs are almost to my shoulders so I'm about to chop it off to there and then it'll all be even-woo hoo!)

Anyway, you should see some slowing down in a couple of months, and then you'll see some lovely little spikey growths coming in. Yes, I agree it's totally depressing, but you'll get your hair back!

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S.R.

answers from San Francisco on

Hi M., I had the same experience with my daughter who is now 11months. Mine lasted for 6 or 7 months, it's now growing back. I also have a thyroid issue that I have been dealing with since pregnancy. It might be something you want to check out. I've had alot of issues resolved since starting treatment for my thyroid. Even a quick phone call to your doctor could ease your mind.
Good luck!
S.

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M.E.

answers from San Francisco on

Hi M.

You could be deficient in some nutrients, especially B vitamins. Biotin (B7) is suggested to be good for hair. skin and nails. I take extra Biotin - around 1300mcg/day which is 433% of RDA. B vitamins are water soluble so your body will take what it needs and expel the rest so it is difficult to overdose on these vitamins. I like the Nutrilite Hair, Skin and Nails supplement as it is plant based and organic. I don't know where you live but there is a doctor based at the O'Connor Health Center in San Jose who does very reasonably priced nutrition testing.

Good luck.

M.

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P.W.

answers from San Francisco on

It sucks, but yes it's normal. The worst of it will last another month or two, and by 9 months to a year after your baby is born the thickness returns. Of course, women often end up cutting their hair short during this wonderful (sarcasm) time, so you'll get to be butch for a while. I did it every time.

And in response to the moms who said to check your thyroid: yes, low thyroid (I have it) can be a cause of hair loss, but in this case it's just postpartum hair loss and no amount of thyroid or nutrition will help. I'm sure you noticed your hair got much thicker while you were pregnant.

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N.C.

answers from Sacramento on

So normal! With both my 3 and 1 year old, I lost a lot of my hair in the front at about 3 months after their births. Tons would come out in the shower and it was definately thinner near my forehead and on the sides. My hair started growing back when they were about 10 months old. It is depressing and, I think, funny. I have a widow's peak so it was like my hair was dividing and conquering :-) It grows back, we all go through it. Try parting your hair differently. I wouldn't worry about it though.

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J.A.

answers from Sacramento on

Mine fell out until my last was about a year or maybe even a few months past that. My hair dresser said it was very normal. Then the hair started to grow back and I had a ton of short hairs sticking up....not too pretty. My baby is almost 2 1/2 and I would say my hair is finally back to normal..although not the same as it was before I had kids...guess it is a new normal...kind of like your body after baby!!!

K.H.

answers from San Francisco on

I was advised by my dr to continue taking my prematal vitamins for 1 year after giving birth

good luck

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M.F.

answers from Sacramento on

Have your Thyroid checked. I had the same symptom and ended up being hypothyroid. It was a simple blood test and then you take a pill once a day and your hair will start growing back.

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W.H.

answers from Stockton on

M.:
I lost so much hair every week that I could have made a wig!!! It was horrible! I started taking a hair and nail vitamin from Avon and it was great!! Inexpensive and worth it. Maybe talk with your doctor, too. Good luck!

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E.G.

answers from Stockton on

Hi!
Try sublingual Biotin-it is the B vitamn that holds your hair on our head. It must be sblingual form-under the tongue.
Dr. Eunice Green

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K.L.

answers from Fresno on

You might want to have your thyroid tested. After pregnancy, your body can completely change and if you are losing a lot of hair it could be the result of abnormal thyroid function. After I had my daughter, i was losing so much hair when i showered, it looked like i could have made a small animal. Good luck!

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