Hair after pregnancy

[sharicat]

Hi everyone, I'm looking for some advice on my post-natal hair! I had my second son 3 months ago and my hair was super thick and grew really fast when I was pregnant, but it has now started to fall out big time and growth has stalled. This happened 3 months after my first pregnancy too, and I generally lose lots of hair everyday anyway when not pregnant.

Last time I lost loads of fine hairs from around my hair line at my forehead, and it's happening again :( I have a fringe and it's looking decidedly thin! Last time I tried to hide this by getting a really thick fringe cut, from further back on my head, which was a big mistake and it's only now properly grown out. I don't want to do that again! Has anyone any experience trying to get their hair to calm back down? Is there anything I can do to stop the hair loss, and get it growing again? I'm walking about constantly in a cloud of my own shed hair, and everyone else is covered in it too! :p

Since coming here and educating myself, I have started to wash my hair every 3 days, and do less heat styling (I was a straightening iron fiend!) so hopefully nothing I'm doing to it is contributing to the epic hair loss.

Any advice would be very much appreciated :)

[spitfire511]

Hi Sharicat and welcome!

I also experienced this with both of my kiddos. I was never able to successfully stop it. :( When I checked with my midwives, they said that it due to hormone fluctuations and therefore supplements (which I was taking anyway) don't really make a huge dent, although they can be sure that your regrowth is healthy. :) (Sorry I don't have a more encouraging answer - maybe someone else will!)

I lost quite a lot of thickness. I cut layers in at one point to try to disguise the regrowth. It worked out okay for a short time, but then I hated the layers and wound up getting a big chop - which didn't help long term either, and I'm now in the process of regrowing.

I guess I just wanted to give you hugs :grouphug: and suggest you try to be creative in styling to feel better about it. I used clips to pull back the bangs that were thinning and did a lot of messy buns since any bun I made was messy any way.

Hugs, hugs, hugs and welcome again. :)

[Lilli]

This happened to my mom. She also cut it short and curled it often to make it look fuller. I shed a bit after pregnancy, but not noticeably thin. I continue to take my prenatals b/c I have been either pregnant or nursing for 8 years!

[elbow chic]

I say, do not do ANYTHING major to your hair till the baby is at least a year old. Let things settle down. Personally I think there isn't much you can do to stop the shedding, but new hair will grow in, and much of the hair you're losing now was just "borrowed" anyway. :D

That amazing pregnancy hair never lasts.

[Anje]

Honestly, it sounds like you're doing all the right things. Assuming that you're otherwise healthy (not having thyroid or anemia problems, or something like that) and getting good nutrition, I wouldn't worry about it too much. It seems like we get lots of people asking about postpartum shedding, and from my observations, it seems like shedding for up to a year is pretty much normal and expected. Lousy, I know.

As someone who's personally a bit anti-fringe (traumatized myself getting rid of my own, I think :)), I'll suggest that you could grow your bangs out entirely instead of worrying about them being too thin or too thick. You wouldn't have to deal with keeping it non-greasy, trimmed at the right level, etc. But I'm totally biased.

[nathair]

I lose a heap of hair about 4-10 months pp, and I now Ive got all the 'baby hair' growing back lol

[sharicat]

Thanks for the welcome Spitfire :) I did that too after my first son, I'm not going to cut it for at least 3 months from now, this time. Messy buns are helping, and I've changed to a centre parting too to disguise the worst thinning at my temples.

That's a good point Lilli, I am still taking vitamins and I've added essential fatty acid supplements, to keep me healthy.

Ha yes Elbow I guess it was just 'borrowed'! I lose so much hair ever day, that's the thing I love about the pregnancy hormones as none of it falls out for 9 months!

Anje I am toying with the idea of growing out my fringe. I am so inspired by the photos of members here with beautiful one-length hair. I'm even reconsidering my layers too! I remember the baby hair growing in around my temples. Kind of want to try monistat to help the growth but I don't want to try too many things.

Thanks everyone for your input. Guess I just have to wait it out.