Hair Loss

[Lea13]

Has anyone else had hair loss after their pregnancy??

I have amazingly thick hair but it keeps falling out... I have to clean the pillows each morning because they are covered in hair!! Along with the bathroom each day because just brushing my hair makes it fall out and cover the floor!!! I change DS nappy and there's my hair, we cook eggs and theres some more hair - there is hair EVERYWHERE!!!!!

Now I don't have bald patches (yet LOL) but it is really irritating. I'm so sick of my hair being everywhere but on my head!!!

So has any one else experienced this?? And if so how long did it last?? Is there anything I can do to make it stop LOL?!?!? (I have a feeling that 'it depends on the person as to how long it lasts' and 'there is nothing you can do to stop it' are going to be my answers... but I just need some hope )

[~Jo~]

I definately had this quite bad until Sammy was about 6 months old..even now though i still have short fluffy stuff around the sides of my hair where its all new growth. It definately wont last forever though..lol

Jo

[hannanat]

I know this is a terrible thing to ask, but are you brushing it enough. I remember when I had one of my babies, I'd only get to brush it about every 2nd day in the first month or so and that can make it fall out in the wrong places (like your eggs, lol). I know that pg women have thicker hair though and its a hormonal thing, so after everything begins to return to normal it starts to fall out. I hope it stops soon.

[Lucy]

Lea......you have seen my hair IRL........it is a thick mop, even though it is short.......and it is STILL falling out in chunks everyday, just like you describe......eversince Charlie was born it has been falling out, but no bald spots.

I didn't experience this with Olivia, so no idea how long it takes to stop.

It annoys the crap out of me........so you have my sympathy......

[Trillian]

It's all to do with the hair growht cycle apparently. When you are pg, it can grow heaps, but after you've had the baby and the hormones settle down, your hair stops growing so much and it seems like you have heaps coming out all at once. There is probably someone here who can explain it better than that for you Lea. I have had it happen to me too, but I have also had it happen when I'm not pg.

[Lea13]

Rayla if anything I probably brush it too much... at least twice a day.

It's driving me batty LOL. Probably worse because my hair is so dark you see it so much more clearly then a lighter colour!!

[Tigergirl1980]

My hair is still falling out. There's hair EVERYWHERE here too, very annoying. I have new growth too, lots of curly whispy bits at the front. Just awful Kazz was telling me it can take up to 3 years for your hair to get back to normal after having a baby.

[Lea13]

OMG Bec 3 years... :eek:
I don't know how I'm going to handle it!!

[kazz30]

You beat me to it Bec.

Yep it can take up to 3 years for your hair to go back to normal. As Sherie said your hair does grow a lot faster and thicker (at times) during pregnancy, so it is very normal to lose lots of hair after the birth of bubs.

I have found being pg 3 times in just under 2 years has taken a huge toll on my hair, I just have to touch it and I have a heap coming out.

Having said that though it is quite normal to lose at least 100-200 hairs a day (and usually a little bit more during and after pregnancy) It's just your hair's way of reproducing itself. (so to speak)

As much as it is annoying it will eventually stop. Unfortunately there is nothing you can do to prevent it. Luckily your hair is thick as it will be less noticable. I have had clients that have had receeding hairlines etc.... then little spikes when the hair is growing back.

So basically just like your body your hair needs time to go back to normal. Keep brushing it twice a day or more to get rid of as much lose hair as possible.

Oh and one other thing, try not to brush your hair when its wet, use a wide tooth comb as if you brush it when its wet this will cause hair breakage.

[Tigergirl1980]

Hehehehehe, thanks for comfirming it matey

[Lil_Aussie]

You are so not alone, With all my births, I have suffered hairloss from about 2 montha after,,,till about 18 months after.
It gets so annoying as everyone had had to scour through their dinner plates for my hair!!
And I too honestly though i would go bald!!
I also had those shorter flyaway regrowth peices all over giving me a very frizzy look
It does eventually go away, and according to my hairdresser, it is a really common thing for new moms.

[~Infinity~]

i thought this was interesting:

Most pregnant women find that their hair growth is much stronger during the pregnancy and perhaps their natural hair loss much less. This is due the increased levels of oestrogen hormone produced. Therefore, you may find that your hair is thicker and possibly even notice more body hair as your pregnancy progresses.

After the birth, many breastfeeding women experience noticeable head hair loss. This is called 'alopecia' (pronounced 'al-o-peesh-ia') and is thought to be due to high levels of the Prolactin hormone produced by the woman's body. New hair grows back once the breastfeeding stops. Some women find that using natural therapies are beneficial in treating hair loss. These may include rubbing creams or oils into the scalp (such as jojoba), homoeopathic remedies, or tissue salts. Consult your practitioner.

My hair has alway been really thick and heaps would fall out, i had to clean my brush every day. when i was pregnant i lost hardly any, about one or two strans a day. now dd is 8 weeks old i am just starting to loose some now.
i am thinking abbout #2 so i can keep my locks.

[Tracey]

Lea,
after the birth of both of my girls I have noticed I get devil horns at the front of my temples where I hadnt noticed I'd gone bald, but I sure do notice the regrowth.... as it's short it spikes up like devil horns!!!
I have dark hair (my red has faded out! So I have hair everywhere & along with DH's long thick hair & Maddy's hair we have hair all over our house!!!

I hate my hair after haveing a baby but I love my babies so it's a small price to pay,...
I think I noticed it with Maddy til she was almost 2 & with indah it's still falling out or super frizzy!!!!

[Lea13]

Thanks for everyones responses. They've been really helpful!! I've got horrible fluffy bits at the base of my neck LOL. When I wear my hair up it looks terrible!!! Nobody ever mentioned the hair loss after the PG!!! Oh well I spose I'll survive... hehe like the be all and end all of life is my hair!! Honestly though the worst part is cleaning it all up...

[EllyBoo72]

Oh lea, Yes I had the same prob. My hair started falling out at the 6month mark, and stopped when DS turned 12months. I would say this would vary from person to person. Apparently when you are preg, your hair goes thru a phase where it doesnt shed at all. And after the birth at some point, your hair resumes its shedding all at once, but is also replaced by new hairs, hence all the sticky up bits everywhere.You wont go bald, and It will return to normal! I went on Silcea Gel for 3 months, which i think helped (also helped other probs too). You can get it from the health food stores in the Gel or Tablet form.
Good luck, dont worry; I am sure you look just fine

[nickers]

Yep i am having the same problem right now too.... each time i vacum i lift up the vacuum and there is a heap of my hair caught up in it.... i find hair all the time on my son, in my food, on my clothes its sooooo frustrating!!!
so although i offer no solution i feel for you and know exactly what u and your hair is going through!