During pregnancy, your hormones change dramatically.
Drastically that is.
Hair loss is one of them.
Partum me, honey but WTF?!?!
Hormones are the biggest reason for your pregnancy hair changes and postpartum hair loss. During pregnancy, your estrogen levels are really high, preventing the usual clumps of hair you find in the shower…completely normal right?!
During pregnancy, your hair loss decreases. There’s a cocktail of increased blood volume and circulation, which also prevents your hair from falling out. In pregnancy, increased numbers of hair follicles remain in the anagen phase for longer periods due to hormonal changes.
IG Toya Johnson
During the first weeks of postpartum, they begin to fall and return to the telogen phase within 3-6 months of delivery with a sudden drop in hormone levels. This results in excessive shedding of hair known as post-partum telogen effluvium. (2)
The effect is compounded by your increased blood volume and circulation, which also causes your hair to fall out less than normal.
This phase is delayed and the number of shedding hairs is reduced, inducing increased hair fullness. Most women suffer from hair loss during postpartum.
Video courtesy of IG Taina Williams
So after your baby arrives and your hormone levels drop, your hair makes up for lost time by falling out in much bigger clumps than it normally does. Hairs enter telogen in a synchronous wave to reach about 30% in average after nine weeks. This explains postpartum hair loss experienced two to four months after childbirth. (1)
It usually continues for 6 to 24 weeks but rarely persists up to 15 months. The total volume of your hair loss probably isn’t more than you would have lost over the last nine months, it just seems like it because it’s happening all at once.
From the available studies, no specific treatment has been studied well enough with sufficient treatment justify recommendation or to be termed effective. (3)
But here are a few tips to help reduce hair loss:
1. Protective styling
The less heat and styling you gives your hair is less wear and tear.
2. Eat well
A healthy nutritious meal is extremely important for healing and replenishing depleted nuturients that foster hair growth.
3. Vitamins
Vitamins shouldn’t be a substitute for a varied diet, especially when you’re a new mom with a baby to take care of. But they may help as a supplement if your diet is not well-balanced. Did you experience postpartum hair loss?
Sources
******This blog post is not meant to replace the advice of your medical provider. It is simply meant to keep families abreast of evidence based information to make better informed decisions.
Jada Metcalf | is a mom of two, Certified Breastfeeding Specialist, trained Birth and Postpartum Doula, ROSE Community Transformer, Community Health Worker in training, PAIL advocate, 2022 IBLCE candidate and perinatal Boobtïk business owner of the Milk + Honey Co. Health information on this site is based on peer-reviewed medical journals, textbooks and highly respected health organizations and institutions including the CDC (Center for Disease Control), AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics), WHO ( World Health Organization), NIH (National Institute of Health), ABM (Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine) Breastfeeding and Human Lactation, 5th Edition, Wambach Spencer)