Postpartum Hair Loss: You Just Had a Baby, Now You’re Losing Hair?

Most women who have given birth know this dirty little secret. Just when your body is starting to feel like it might recover (if you could ever get more than three hours of sleep at a time) and your baby is discovering that he can, in fact, eat at predictable intervals, your hair starts falling out.

You find hair in the shower, on your pillow, and in your hand.

You may have heard some of the stories moms are anxious to tell: “my hair was tight curls before I had kids and then it relaxed” or “I got a bunch of gray hairs all at once!”

Many moms will tell you they lost the equivalent of a kitten from their head every day for six months before it calmed down. “Don’t worry,” they tell you, “it’ll grow back.”

But Why Is MY Hair Not Growing Back?

For most women, this is true. You may have annoying flyaways around your hairline for a while when the new hair grows in all at once. And yes, sometimes hair does change texture and grays will appear more thickly during the re-growth period.

But what if it doesn’t come back the same, or at all?

First, know that you are not alone. It is normal to lose hair after a pregnancy. In fact, approximately 45% of women will experience significant hair after giving birth.

Pregnancy and Labor Are Super Hard On Your Hair

Pregnancy and labor are hard on your hair causing growth cycles to go awry. The growth cycles can be interrupted in a number of ways and pregnancy can account for several of them:

• Physical Stress
• Surgery
• Hormonal Disruption
• Emotional Stress

Lesser Known Side Effects of Pregnancy

If you find that your hair is not growing back – if you’ve been waiting and waiting – consider trying to get to the bottom of some of these questions:

1. Have you had your thyroid checked?

An under active Thyroid can lead to increased Alopecia. Your thyroid may have been negatively impacted by having a baby. Thyroid issues can be related to Auto-Immune disorders, which also lead to hair loss – so it’s a double whammy of hair zapping potential.

2. Have you had a pelvic exam recently?

Another problem triggering hair loss is an imbalance of hormones. This could continue after pregnancy in the form of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. The Birth Control Pill can cause hair loss as well, similarly to pregnancy.

3. Are you getting enough protein, iron, and zinc?

Anemia can spell hair loss, and if you’re breastfeeding you may need to make sure you’re replacing the nutrients your body is giving to your baby. Otherwise, it may prioritize the baby and your own body’s needs away from giving to your hair.

4. Is it genetic?

This last question may help if you’re struggling with an ongoing hair loss problem that seems to be getting worse. Now that you think about it, you remember seeing wigs on Great Aunt Doris’ dresser when you were younger. While hair loss doesn’t just come from one parent or the other, it’s worth checking into whether the women in your family have experienced this too.

Good News for Postpartum Hair Loss

The good news is there’s good news across the board! Many of the above conditions can be treated. If you suspect you might have one, make an appointment, and do some digging. It’s your hair, and it’s worth fighting for. However, the good news is also that you don’t have to rely on Aunt Doris-style wigs anymore!

Whatever stage you are in, whether it is from postpartum hair loss or if you just want longer hair right away, so much more is possible these days. Contact Salon Nadwa Hair Loss Center today and schedule a consultation.

248-851-8100