During the first few months after giving birth, you may notice that you are losing more hair than you normally do. However, it is completely normal and your body is simply adapting to the hormonal changes that are occurring in your body. Your hair will eventually regain its original thickness. Until then, you can experiment with different hairstyles and hair products to give you a look you are comfortable with.
Causes of Hair Loss after Pregnancy
On average, a woman sheds about 100 hairs per day. On your head, approximately 90% of your hair is growing. The other 10% is in a resting phase and will fall out when you brush or shampoo your hair. This hair is then replaced by new hair.
When you are pregnant, you will notice that your hair is fuller with more volume and feels thick. This is because there is an increase of the hormone, estrogen, which prolongs the hair’s growing stage. Once you give birth however, the estrogen levels decrease dramatically. All of a sudden, many of the hair follicles switch to a resting phase. More hair will fall out when you are brushing your hair or during your shower. This effect will wear off as your body’s hormone levels go back to normal levels. Your hair will begin to look like it did before your pregnancy within six to twelve months.
Not all women observe this effect during and after their pregnancy. It is more apparent and obvious with women who have long hair.
How to Deal with Hair Loss after Pregnancy
As this is a normal process that occurs due to changes in hormonal levels, you will not be able to stop the hair fall completely. However, you can try products (mousse and hair thickeners) or hairstyles (put your hair up in a bun) which will add volume to your hair and give you a fuller look while you wait for your hair to return to normal.
1. Cut Your Hair Short
Long hair can pose a threat to your child. Babies are prone to grabbing on to your hair while you are holding or feeding them. Long hair can get caught around your baby’s neck, fingers, toes, wrists and penis. If you are experiencing a lot of hair loss, it might be a good time to get a haircut. You won’t have to worry about clogging the drain with your long hair or cleaning your bathroom floor every time your brush your hair. Moreover, with a new baby in the house, you won’t have a lot of time to care for yourself, let alone your hair! Shorter hair is easier to wash and maintain, and does not require a lot of time to set.
2. Maintain a Healthy Diet
Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. After giving birth, it is important to keep up with your fruits and vegetables. Along with being healthy, fruits and vegetables contain flavonoids and antioxidants, which strengthen your hair follicles and promote hair growth.
3. Take Nutrients and Vitamins
Take your vitamins. Certain vitamins such as Vitamin B complex, Vitamins E and C, zinc and biotin are known to promote hair growth. These vitamins strengthen your hair and can reduce the amount of hair fall you experience after pregnancy.
4. Use the Right Shampoo and Conditioner
Use a quality shampoo. If you are experiencing hair loss, you may want to invest in a shampoo that contains quality ingredients. Hair cleansers that contain biotin or silica can promote follicle growth and strengthen your hair. Use the shampoo every time you wash your hair and continue with the shampoo even once your hair has regained its pre-pregnancy look.
Use a shampoo and conditioner that will give volume to your hair. Shampoos that contain protein can add a layer of coating to your hair, which will give your hair a fuller look. Avoid shampoos that are ‘conditioning shampoos’ or ‘intensive conditioners.’ These are heavy conditioners. A heavy conditioner will only weigh your hair down, giving you a wilted look. Use a conditioner that is meant for fine, thin hair, as this will not weigh your hair down. Only use the conditioner on the ends of your hair.
You can talk to a hair stylist for more help in finding the best shampoo for your hair during post-partum. Shampoos will work differently on different hair types. Try out a few different types of shampoos and see which one works best for your hair.
Watch a video for more remedies on hair loss after pregnancy:
Personal Experiences of Other Moms
“This could just be the normal hair fall I used to experience. Six months after giving birth, my hair stylist noticed a substantial new hair growth. It has now been over a year since my daughter was born but my hair is not back to the level of thickness it used to have. It has improved significantly since I noticed the hair falling out. I have noticed that with shorter hair, my hair looks fuller and has more volume.”
“If you are experiencing hair loss, try a shorter cut with some layers. I have noticed that coloring my hair also gives it some volume. Don’t worry too much about your hair, it will eventually grow back! Just sit back, relax and spend time with your beautiful new baby.”
“My daughter is now 7 months old and I am still experiencing hair loss. My hair loss was extreme 4-6 months after childbirth, and has definitely improved since then. I spoke to my hairdresser who mentioned that once you stop taking prenatal vitamins, you might experience hair loss. I experienced the same thing with my first child and eventually my hair got better. Now, with my second child, I did lose a considerable amount of hair but it is already starting to grow back.”
“I noticed that I was losing a lot of hair when my daughter was about three months old. Frantic, I booked myself an appointment with the dermatologist immediately. He quelled my worries and told me it was completely normal to lose hair after giving birth. Now, the hair fall has decreased quite a bit, but I am still losing a small amount every day.”