Help, I am losing my hair!

[TalyQ]

First of all, I am so glad I was finally able to find you guys. I tried for a few days, but couldn't at all. I haven't been here a while (had a baby and moved) and it took me a while until I found some information about getting back in. Anyway, I am glad my username is still valid. OK, enough intro.

I had my 6th baby 6 months ago. I had beautiful strong hair during my pregnancy, hair that didn't greasy at all! I just let it grow and since my hair grow very fast, it really got to be long. But as soon as I gave birth, trouble started. I have been dealing with it, but about a month ago I started loosing hair like crazy. Now this is not my first baby, so I know it's normal to loose some more hair after giving birth, but I have never experienced something like this! I am pulling out handfuls whenever I touch my hair to comb or fix it. It's all over. I am wearing it up almost constantly, but still it's falling out like crazy. I already had a bit cut two months ago, since I had very split ends (didn't have any during pregnancy), but now it seems like I have no choice but to cut it short and start growing it out again. At least that's what EVERYBODY keeps telling me. Is there anything else I can do? I am on a special diet because of health problems my baby has and I am nursing her. So I am on a milk-free, egg-free and gluten-free diet. COuld this be the problem? But I am eating fruits, veggies, meat, and gluten- free grains. I am really clueless as what to do, but my hair has thinned out so much in front, that I can't camouflage it. I'll take a picture, but now baby is crying. I hope there is another way other than cutting my hair, but I do not want to loose most of it. I'd rather grow it out again, since it does grow fast.

[LynnM]

Hey!! :waving: I feel your pain! :grouphug: My hair is thinning out a bit from pregnancy and it's driving me nuts!


I had my 6th baby 6 months ago. I had beautiful strong hair during my pregnancy, hair that didn't greasy at all! I just let it grow and since my hair grow very fast, it really got to be long. But as soon as I gave birth, trouble started.
Exactly. This is VERY VERY common. I have the opposite problem (shedding hair during pregnancy, hair becoming better after pregnancy), but I seem to be in the minority. Remember that nursing also messes with your hormones, so your shedding most likely won't completely subside until you are done nursing, also.

You could probably do a google search on hair loss after pregnancy...


I have been dealing with it, but about a month ago I started loosing hair like crazy. Now this is not my first baby, so I know it's normal to loose some more hair after giving birth, but I have never experienced something like this! I am pulling out handfuls whenever I touch my hair to comb or fix it. It's all over. I am wearing it up almost constantly, but still it's falling out like crazy. I already had a bit cut two months ago, since I had very split ends (didn't have any during pregnancy), but now it seems like I have no choice but to cut it short and start growing it out again. I did this after my last baby - cut it down to <6" - and I deeply regret it. If I hadn't cut it, I'd probably have waist-length hair now!! :cry: Your hair will start growing in full again. Your best bet, if you want long hair, is to just take care of what you have, and the rest will be good. Cutting it won't stop the shedding right now.


At least that's what EVERYBODY keeps telling me.But I bet they aren't growing their hair out? ;)


Is there anything else I can do? I am on a special diet because of health problems my baby has and I am nursing her. So I am on a milk-free, egg-free and gluten-free diet. COuld this be the problem? But I am eating fruits, veggies, meat, and gluten- free grains. I am really clueless as what to do, but my hair has thinned out so much in front, that I can't camouflage it. I'll take a picture, but now baby is crying. I hope there is another way other than cutting my hair, but I do not want to loose most of it. I'd rather grow it out again, since it does grow fast. Your diet is just fine. Just make sure you are taking a multivitamin, especially one with all the B vitamins (including biotin).

[LynnM]

( PS - It's "losing" hair, not "loosing" hair... )

[Alethia]

I cut my hair from hip to BSL after my daughter was born 9 years ago which didn't stop the hairloss, but it enabled the new growth to catch up, and stopped me having such thin ends.

After my son (4 years ago) I did not cut my hair, and the last half of my hair is now really thin (between TBL and classic). It doesn't look the best, but not cutting it didn't make my post-natal hairloss any worse. The top of my braid is a slim ii, but the ends are a puny i thickness, that's for sure.

The more extreme hair loss you've had this time could be to do with your change in diet, but it could also be to do with being older now. I was 34 when I had my son, and I lost more hair after him than I did with my daughter when I was in my 20s (just). If you're more tired this time round, then maybe you have a thyroid problem which can also cause hairloss.

Whether you decide to cut your hair to allow the scalp hair to sit a little higher, or ride it out and let the new growth catch up to the old in time (mine will take YEARS!! Eek!), I hope that you can find your peace with the situation, and not mourn your loss too greatly. It is really hard to take though, especially if your hair's been wonderful during pregnancy. :(

[lora410]

Are you taking any vitamins to make up for calcium intake etc? I wouldn't chop your hair because don't forget our hormones are ALL OVER the place after we give birth. I would suggest before making any rash decisions to consult your doctor. When my dd was born I don't recall shedding, but I do remember it becoming unmanageable.If you aren't seeing scalp through your hair I wouldn't worry to much. Stress, not enough sleep, etc. can also affect your body

[Blueneko]

I lost about 40&#37; of my hair after I had my daughter. It was huge drastic chunks in the shower. I thought something was seriously wrong.

It is normal. It is depressing. I grows back. About 6-9 months later I could see a significant difference in the new growth. Don't worry. It will come back, it just takes time.

Good luck!

[TalyQ]

Thank you all for advice. I am still thinking about itm but I really hate short hair, so I guess I will just wait it out, but my family is going crazy from finding my hair EVERYWHERE,even in baby's diaper and food, arghh!

[Millielie]

I feel your pain, too. I have not been pregnant but I stopped taking the contraceptive pill (is this the right word?) a few months ago and I am shedding like crazy. It's so depressing.

[Velvettt]

This may seem like a strange thing to say, but you should ask yourself if you will feel better about losing your hair if it's short when it falls out.

Post pregnancy shedding is not going to stop because the hair that falls out is shorter.

If you will feel better about thin hair if it's short, then get it cut. If thin hair that is short will make you feel worse, don't get it cut.

My hair was BSL when my first child was born. Six months later, I cut it up to my ears because of the shedding. I liked it so much, I kept it pixie length for the next 20 years!

Remember, it's all about what YOU feel and think. No one else can tell you that.

[jel]

Welcome back and congratulations on your 6th baby! :flowers:

I have no first-hand experience of post-natal shedding, but I've heard that it can sometimes last throughout the nursing period. As others have said, it comes to what you like better - thin short hair, or thin long hair. At least the long hair you can put up and forget about during the day!


Putting it up might be your best bet anyway. I do have experience of normal long hair shedding - and that's one of the reasons I wear my hair mostly up or in a braid nowadays. Otherwise, I leave long hairs everywhere! I comb before putting it up in the morning, and then at night I let it down, comb and braid for sleep. The shed hairs collected during one day's combing could be used to knit a small jumper - but it's still normal shedding, probably 30-50 hairs altogether, just much longer than when I had a short hairstyle.

Just a note regarding your diet - it looks healthy, but you haven't mentioned any fats. Do you eat nuts, seeds, extra virgin olive oil, avocados? These contain essential fatty acids that are the building blocks of cellular walls, including hair follicles.

[Darkhorse1]

That is very common. Some women get thick, lovely hair when pregnant, but due to a shift in hormones, you loose a lot after you have the baby. Some women are opposite and lose hair during pregnancy, and it grows thicker after the baby.

It will stop!! don't stress--enjoy your little bundle of joy :)

[mommy2one05]

I would recommend to talk to you dr.
I had my second child in December. ANd I have also been experiencing ALOT of hair loss.
I went to my dr. last week for some other health problems and she had me go to get a blood test....testing for alot of different things. I know some of these things she is running a test for can affect hair so we'll see.
Pregnancy can make your body go out of whack so to say so maybe see about your iron, thyroid, etc.

[LynnM]

Pregnancy can make your body go out of whack so to say so maybe see about your iron, thyroid, etc.

Definitely!

It can also cause other things to come on - like Restless Leg Syndrome, in my case! It can permanently change your hair texture/color, change your skin, affect how you gain weight, etc.

An OB/GYN can do a hormone panel if it doesn't go away after nursing. I would wait until you are done with nursing to really start worrying, since nursing still changes your hormone/nutritional situation.

[LynnM]

Welcome back and congratulations on your 6th baby! :flowers:

Ah! I didn't even notice this! Ditto on the congrats! I was hoping for 4 children, but with my Parkinson's Disease (early onset) and then the cyst on my fallopian tube that they just removed (at 6 months pregnant!), I doubt I will end up with more than 2, and I am pregnant with #2 now. :(

Congrats! :) :D

[Sana]

my family is going crazy from finding my hair EVERYWHERE,even in baby's diaper and food, arghh!

LOL yeah , I had to go thro' the same thing too:rolleyes: I did cut my hair short as I just couldn't manage the damage from flat iron. But now I have tons of hair growing back. So just hang in there. Put your hair in a updo & try to forget about it & don't take it off or comb it anywhere other than the bathroom. GL:)