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View Full Version : Is there life after post partum shedding?



Melian
July 23rd, 2008, 06:43 AM
Sooooo..... I think it is starting for me, but it coincides with my yearly summer shed (end of july-beginning of august) had for years and years.
My hair is almost tailbone length as of now and I am wondering, is a post partum shed something like a yearly shed? My circumference went up with something like a cm (it was 8.5-9 before I got pregnant, right now it is 9.5 cm), so it is realistic to say I will lose that cm.
How did you cope with postpartum shed if you had below hiplength hair? Did it tangle like crazy? Was it an overall shed? Did it only thin in the ends or was it everywhere on your head?

velvetcat
July 23rd, 2008, 06:59 AM
well, they say that you'll get a big shed, and it will seem thin for a while, but then it starts to grow back in...and you'll have that sort of layer thing as if someone thinned your hair.

I lost a lot of hair when I lost my job and you can really see where it hit. The hair is coming back, but the ends are thin and for a while I had little hairs trying to escape all my updos.

NurseMama
July 23rd, 2008, 07:14 AM
You get the postpartum shed because the pregnancy hormones kept your hair from shedding while you were pregnant. Right now you are losing 9 months worth of hair! So in reality, your hair will be no thinner than it would of been at this time had you never gotten pregnant, it just seems thinner because you were used to your thick pregnant locks.

That mother nature can sure pull a trick or two...

Patrycja
July 23rd, 2008, 08:53 AM
I've never been much of a shedder,but with 2 pregancies in one year-I lost ALOT of hair.My youngest is 7 months and I'm still pulling out bunches when I wash.So,for me,I'm cutting down the washing to once maybe twice a week and not brushing.I gently finger comb.I'm also part of the updo challenge,I just want to make sure that I'm not manipulating my hair anymore than necessary.

I agree with velvetcat.It seems like someone thinned my hair but did it a little too much :) I don't remember how long a part partum shed lasts,my oldest is 8 years old.So,I'm not any help with that.Maybe taking vitamins will help you out some?

lawyermom
July 23rd, 2008, 10:01 AM
I had a lot of pp shedding with both of my kids (5 and 3). The sheds lasted between 6 wks to 2 months and started around 4 months pp. It went beyond just losing what I'd retained while pg; it was a BIG shedding.

BUT, it does eventually stop and my hair came back. I can't help you with the long hair-related question; I had just below shoulder length hair the first time, which I cut short after the shedding, and short hair the second time.

Nothing helped stem the shed - it's just something you have to live through. Just hold on to your cute babe and it'll end soon enough :)

Melian
July 24th, 2008, 06:28 AM
You get the postpartum shed because the pregnancy hormones kept your hair from shedding while you were pregnant. Right now you are losing 9 months worth of hair! So in reality, your hair will be no thinner than it would of been at this time had you never gotten pregnant, it just seems thinner because you were used to your thick pregnant locks.

That mother nature can sure pull a trick or two...

I know this is the scientific answer to post partum shedding. The dormant state is prolonged before the hair sheds.
The funny thing is, that I still had my August shed last year while I was 1.5-2 months pregnant! :)


Maybe taking vitamins will help you out some?

Don't know yet! I kept/keep taking my prenatals because of breastfeeding so it'll take a while before I can say it can help with shedding.

I do know WHY pp shedding happens, but it seems you all say you get some kind of layering in your hair. But no explicit thinning in the ends?

towerz
July 31st, 2008, 08:23 AM
I had a big shed and then had a bunch of fuzzies around my face where it started growing back. I think I sill probably have some weird layers from the new hair growth. I seriously didn't know how I had any hair left with all the shedding I was doing though. It was so gross...hair was everywhere.

willowcandra
July 31st, 2008, 09:10 AM
Mine was mostly around the sides. It lasted such a long time (after second baby and probably due to bcp)

It does tangle alot at the ends. But not so much now as there are fewer shedding and gtting caught. My ends are fine but getting better. Regularish trims are the best cure. I do have a few different phases of baby hairs growing that will eventually catch up.

post partum shedding or any shedding is a pita but you just have to put up with it and try to see a positive. (one for me was that my too small medium ficcares fit me now.)

Katze
August 1st, 2008, 07:20 AM
I just got pregnant about a month ago and am wondering if post-partum shedding is an inevitable thing? I've spent so much time and effort improving my fine, thin hair and am really hoping I can hang onto as much of it as I can.

Is it something I can improve with vitamins, better nutrition, less washing, more washing, etc etc?

So far, my hair seems to still be shedding, though perhaps less than normal. Maybe the pregnant no-shed hair is something that happens later? All I know is that I am sooooo tired, and quitting caffeine doesn't make that any easier!

yogachic
August 1st, 2008, 07:25 AM
I never noticed loosing anymore hair postpartum then any other time. I have pretty thick hair and I seem to shed alot Most of the time. I don't really lose much in thickness, regardless of shed, so I just don't worry about it, usually.

It might just be the time of year and a shed time for you.

Eden Iris
August 1st, 2008, 11:00 AM
I just got pregnant about a month ago and am wondering if post-partum shedding is an inevitable thing? I've spent so much time and effort improving my fine, thin hair and am really hoping I can hang onto as much of it as I can.

Is it something I can improve with vitamins, better nutrition, less washing, more washing, etc etc?

So far, my hair seems to still be shedding, though perhaps less than normal. Maybe the pregnant no-shed hair is something that happens later? All I know is that I am sooooo tired, and quitting caffeine doesn't make that any easier!

Yes, generally the hair stops shedding a little later in pregnancy; I think for the first trimester my hair behaved normally (it was the only part of me that did). There are a few lucky souls who claim they don't have a major shed, but for most of us it is inevitable (sorry). But! The hair grows back. The shedding is a drag, but it compensates for nearly a year of gorgeous, thick, shiny hair thanks to the little one.

Congratulations, by the way!

To the OP: I did not notice thinning of my ends; it seemed to be universal. Around my last baby's first birthday, my hair was seriously thin, about 1/2 inch less in circumference than normal (and I don't have a whole lot to begin with), but it's back now, and I have all kinds of annoying layers that are just long enough to not masquerade as bangs any more.

wintersun99
August 1st, 2008, 11:21 AM
..............

TalyQ
October 10th, 2008, 10:19 AM
I am 10 month PP and still loosing quite a bit of hair. Drives me nuts. I have new hair growing in though, but it's really annoying to keep loosing hair everywhere. Every morning when I wake up, I find lots of hair on the pillow and when I comb it, it's really a lot. I hope it will soon slow down. My hair is only BSL, but it's discouraging to keep loosing all of the hair. MOst people recommended cutting it, but I just couldn't. So I am waiting it out. This is my 6th baby and I don't recall every loosing this much hair.

plainjanegirl
October 10th, 2008, 02:52 PM
I am 10 month PP and still loosing quite a bit of hair. Drives me nuts. I have new hair growing in though, but it's really annoying to keep loosing hair everywhere. Every morning when I wake up, I find lots of hair on the pillow and when I comb it, it's really a lot. I hope it will soon slow down. My hair is only BSL, but it's discouraging to keep loosing all of the hair. MOst people recommended cutting it, but I just couldn't. So I am waiting it out. This is my 6th baby and I don't recall every loosing this much hair.


Are you taking any kind of vitamins? I am also 10 months pp . I stopped taking prenatals but people have told me since it is important to stay on them or take a multivitamin (even if you are not breastfeeding). So I just started taking a multi (over the counter) and I am gonna start taking Bioten (it's supposed to be good for the hair). Good luck!!! But you are not alone.

BeeLady
October 10th, 2008, 03:01 PM
Dear heaven I hope there is!! I am in my yearly fall shed and I think PP shedding too. I have no idea what is happening with my hormones anyway - even at the best of times.

beatricedivina
October 10th, 2008, 07:24 PM
I am so hoping the shed ends eventually - my little one is 18 months old. I started losing hair when she was about 6 months old. It's still going on, and seems to be related to pregnancy/delivery/nursing hormones. As I nurse her less, my hair is falling out less. I miss my thick hair, but now it's down to more manageable levels for updos, so that's something.

I was really concerned about it, since it was going on for so long, but all my other levels (thyroid, etc.) are fine. I'm taking a prenatal, but now I'm also taking nettles, Biotin, and fish oil to help my hair. Haven't been taking the additional stuff long, but I'll let you folks know if there's a difference.
With any luck, I"ll be pregnant again in a few months, so I'd really like to end the shed from this pregnancy before I start on another!

plainjanegirl
October 10th, 2008, 07:43 PM
I am so hoping the shed ends eventually - my little one is 18 months old. I started losing hair when she was about 6 months old. It's still going on, and seems to be related to pregnancy/delivery/nursing hormones. As I nurse her less, my hair is falling out less. I miss my thick hair, but now it's down to more manageable levels for updos, so that's something.

I was really concerned about it, since it was going on for so long, but all my other levels (thyroid, etc.) are fine. I'm taking a prenatal, but now I'm also taking nettles, Biotin, and fish oil to help my hair. Haven't been taking the additional stuff long, but I'll let you folks know if there's a difference.
With any luck, I"ll be pregnant again in a few months, so I'd really like to end the shed from this pregnancy before I start on another!




Wow!! You are a brave one to hope to be pregnant in a few months. I have 2 small ones and wish I had spaced them out further. They are a handful.

For anybody taking Bioten: how much do you take a day?? I just got some and don't know what the proper amount is to take. Also how long do you take before you should notice if it helps or not??

Arctic_Mama
October 10th, 2008, 11:10 PM
My sheds have been pretty nasty, I've just begun the shed from this baby (she's two months old) and it doesn't SEEM so terrible this time around. Last time I noticed no change at all in my overall thickness - but my hair is ridiculously thick. I DID notice a halo of frizz around my hairline, especially. If I pulled my hair back it'd just look quite unruly. But once the wispies got two inches long or so they blended right back in.

Katze
October 11th, 2008, 08:34 AM
fascinating stories! It really does seem like everyone's different, but that the majority go through some kind of shed...

I'm now 4 months pregnant and still shedding, but still producing baby hairs like crazy. It is hard to tell if my hair is getting thicker because of pregnancy or because it is in better shape and the layers are growing out. Just like I can't imagine really having a baby (though it is starting to MOVE!) I can't imagine shedding more, or that all these baby hairs will fall out...but maybe that is just wishful thinking.