What Can I Do About Hair Loss after Pregnancy?

Many women experience their hair becoming thicker or more lustrous during pregnancy, and postpartum hair loss can come as something of a shock.

The most important thing is not to panic – pregnancy and hair loss go hand in hand, and hair loss after pregnancy is normal. Postpartum shedding of the hair is a form of what is medically known as ‘telogen effluvium’.

Read on to gain an understanding of what to do about postpartum hair loss and how you can help your scalp and hair to stay healthy.

What Causes Hair Loss After Pregnancy?

Did you know that the average person loses about 100 hairs a day? This is because hair grows in cycles. Some hairs on your head are in an active growing phase of the cycle while others are in a resting phase which comes before these hairs fall out.

During pregnancy, oestrogen levels rise. This prolongs the hair’s growth phase, meaning less hair falls out. This is why you might have felt your hair was feeling lustrously thick and fabulous while pregnant.

After you’ve given birth to your beautiful baby, your hormones revert to normal levels, so the hair that was in a growth phase falls out, often in clumps. Don’t let the lack of sleep trick you into thinking you are going bald – you can expect some hair shedding after pregnancy.

Hair loss after pregnancy is perfectly normal, and it is just another way of your body getting back to normal after having the baby.

When Does Hair Loss Post-Pregnancy Begin?

The postpartum hair loss or ‘shedding season’ usually occurs three months after giving birth and continues for 10-12 weeks. If you’re breastfeeding, the extra hair may hang onto your scalp until you wean or start to supplement with formula or solids. If your hair loss continues beyond 12 weeks, make an appointment with your doctor, as there may be an underlying cause such as diet, stress or a hormonal imbalance that needs addressing. Our blog post on the relationship between hormones and hair loss explores this in greater detail.

What to do About Postpartum Hair Loss

If you are experiencing hair loss after pregnancy, here are some hints and tips to help your hair during this period:

1. Maintain Healthy Hair

When dealing with postpartum hair loss, it’s extra important to keep your hair healthy by eating well and continuing to take your prenatal vitamin supplements. If you took one during pregnancy, then why not take one now?

Not only is taking a prenatal multivitamin great for nursing mothers, but it is also packed with the vitamins and minerals that help your hair and nails grow fast – just like during pregnancy.

2. Take Care When Washing

Be extra kind to your scalp when you're experiencing hair loss after having a baby. Shampoo only when necessary (if you even have time to shampoo at all!) and use a good moisturising conditioner and a wide-toothed comb to minimise tangling.

3. Let Loose and Be Kind

To reduce hair falling out after pregnancy, avoid tying your hair in a tight ponytail, and use scrunchies rather than small hairbands or rubber bands. Check out our blog post on how to achieve some fabulous hairstyles with scrunchies! Be kind to your hair and make sure to get it trimmed regularly to keep it in tip-top shape.

4. Head Massages Can Help

Try to boost blood flow to your scalp to stimulate hair follicles by massaging your head for two or three minutes in the morning. This can help encourage growth to remedy hair loss post-pregnancy.

5. Avoid Adding Heat

Give blow-dryers, straighteners and curlers a break during ‘shedding season’ and postpone any chemical-based treatments (highlights, straightening and perms) until the shedding stops. Heat and chemicals aren’t friendly to your sensitive hair follicles and aren’t helpful when you’re experiencing hair loss after pregnancy.

6. Embrace the Change!

Many women find the colour, texture, or condition of their hair is different once it starts to grow back after postpartum shedding. Hair grows in seven-year cycles so it can slowly and naturally change over time. Pregnancy can accelerate this process, so the changes to your hair can seem sudden. It can be a great opportunity to mix up your style, like getting it cut shorter and rocking the ‘mum bob’, or switching up the colour.

7. Be Extra Gentle with Yourself

You are a new mother and adjusting to life with a newborn baby, so take a deep breath and remind yourself that hair loss after birth is normal. Ironically the stress of worrying about hair loss post-pregnancy will prolong the ‘shedding season’, so the best thing you can do for your hair is to relax and enjoy your time with your newborn little bundle of joy.

At Simply Wigs we fully understand that postpartum hair loss can be distressing, so if you have any questions about pregnancy and hair loss, please get in touch with our friendly team, to help put your mind at rest!

If your confidence has been affected by postpartum shedding or thinning, you could also try a wig or topper to give you that extra bit of volume! Check out our full range of ladies’ wigs on our website.