Hair loss after pregnancy is the sudden shedding (sometimes in clumps) that many new mothers experience between three and six months after they give birth. Normally, the average head loses 100 hairs a day — but not all at once, so it is not noticeable. The pregnancy hormones keep those hairs from falling out. But once a woman is no longer pregnant, her hormones drop back to normal and the extra hairs drop, too.
When breastfeeding, some extra hair may hang on to a woman’s scalp until she weans or starts to supplement with formula or solids. But nursing or not, within one year of the baby’s birth, a woman’s catch-up hair loss will be finished, and her locks should be back to normal, too.
Women can keep their hair healthy by eating well and taking a prenatal vitamin supplement. They should be extra-gentle during their shedding season to prevent excess hair loss after pregnancy. Shampoo only when necessary and use a good conditioner and a wide-toothed comb to minimize tangling. Use scrunchies or barrettes to put hair up, instead of rubber bands. Skip blow-dryers and curling and flat irons if possible and put off any chemically based treatments until the shedding stops.
Talk to a practitioner if hair loss is excessive. When it’s accompanied by other symptoms, hair loss after pregnancy could be a sign of postpartum thyroiditis.
…
Posted In Health Information, Pregnancy, Women's
