According to the American Academy of Dermatology, many new moms experience noticeable hair loss after having a baby. While it can be alarming, the good news is it’s normal, and it’s not actual hair loss. Hair shedding, or postpartum hair loss, typically peaks around four months post-delivery. But, by their baby’s first birthday, most moms regain their normal hair growth.
What Causes Postpartum Hair Loss?
A lot of people think breastfeeding is the culprit for hair loss. But, there is actually no evidence that supports that.
As we mentioned, there is a silver lining because it is not actual hair loss and happens as estrogen levels fall back to normal post-childbirth.
See, typically, we lose about 100 hairs per day so slowly that we don’t even notice. But, when we become pregnant, the pregnancy hormones stop those hairs from falling out. When the hormones get back to normal, the regular processes of losing hairs everyday resumes, which can make a lot of new moms think they are experiencing hair loss.
Signs of Postpartum Hair Loss
The signs are pretty obvious— hair falling out, sometimes in clumps, in the six months following childbirth.
Dealing with Postpartum Hair Loss
If you’re dealing with this type of hair loss, here are some tips and tricks to make it better:
Keep your hair healthy and nourished by eating a healthy diet and continuing to take a prenatal vitamin.
During your shedding season, you will need to be extra careful to exacerbate the hair loss. You should shampoo your hair only when necessary, which is good news because newborn babies don’t allow much time for hair washing. You should also use a quality volume conditioner and a wide-tooth comb to minimize tangles.
Lay off heat styling and chemically treating your hair via coloring, perms and chemical straightening sessions until you are done shedding.
Try a new hairstyle. Work with your hairstylist to come up with a cut that will make your hair appear thicker.
If your hair loss becomes excessive or gets worse, call your doctor. When other symptoms accompany hair loss after pregnancy, it can be a sign of postpartum thyroiditis.
Normal postpartum hair loss lasts between a few weeks to a few months. If you are still experiencing postpartum hair loss more than one year after giving birth, it’s a good idea to give your doctor a call. At Custom Hair Tampa Bay, we have the largest In-Stock selection of human hair and synthetic wigs in Central Florida. To find a location near you click here.
Photo Credit: bingngu93 Via Pixabay