Trichologist – Sally-Ann Tarver
To really understand the issue and give you some comfort, read what Trichologist Sally-Ann Tarver from Cotswold Trichology has to say: “Post partum hair loss is a normal part of having a baby and most women make a full recovery within 12 months. However, for some women their hair becomes increasingly thin over time and worse with each pregnancy.
It is normal to lose some hair after having a baby. Post partum hair loss usually begins around two months after birth (or after cessation of breast feeding) and continues for 2-3 months. During pregnancy the natural level of hair loss reduces significantly. We have more hair in the growth phase than normal and less in the resting phase. Hence many women report thick lovely hair by the third trimester.
Hair which did not fall out during this time is lost later and termed ‘post partum’ hair loss. Often it will grow back without needing any treatment but for some women it is never the same again.”
For many women pregnancy is the time when their hair will look and feel the most amazing. Here is a breakdown of the stages you hair will go through during and after pregnancy:
First Trimester
“During the early months of pregnancy, changes happen with your hair and scalp, as well as every other part of your body. You may notice your skin becomes more oily, whilst your hair is more lank and needs more frequent washing. This is due to the increase in the hormone Progesterone.
Fear not, as with some of the other unpleasant pregnancy symptoms, it should subside within a few months. Washing your hair more frequently does not stimulate sebum production. So to manage the problem just shampoo your hair more often with a mild shampoo until it subsides.
Some women are shocked by hair shedding in the early stages of pregnancy, as normally thicker hair is one of the more pleasant side effects of pregnancy. If you notice you are losing hair during the first three months, hormones are the likely culprit again.
Any drastic change in hormone levels can cause an increase in hair shedding a couple of months later. This could include the sudden hormonal change associated with pregnancy and if you came off the pill and became pregnant quite quickly this is certain to compound it.
Stopping the contraception pill causes an increase in hair shedding around 2-3 months later. There is no treatment for this unfortunately you just have to wait it out.
Second Trimester
This is where things start to get good! Normally we lose around 50 – 100 hairs a day. However during the third trimester, normal loss can drop by up to 75%. This means that there is more hair in the growth phase and less in the resting phase than normal. Hence more hair on the head at any one time, which leads to considerably thicker hair.
Sebum production begins to normalize also and hair starts to feel like it has more volume. Some of the normal causes of hair loss, such as low iron and stress have less of an impact on your hair than they would without the support from your higher level of hormones.
Third Trimester
By this point your hair should feel thicker, have more volume and shine. It might be taking longer to dry than normal, as there is more of it. If you colour your hair your regrowth may need attending to slightly sooner than usual due to the increased hair growth rate. Make the most of it, this is the best your hair will ever look.
The Postnatal 12 Months – Post Partum Hair Loss
You should retain most of the hair that did not fall out during pregnancy for 2-3 months after birth. The sudden drop in hormones after labour causes retained hairs to return to their natural cycle. Some women can experience rather acute hair loss at this time. This is the unfortunate process of returning to a normal hair growth cycle.
However, if you choose to breast feed your baby, the drop in hormone levels is not quite so acute. The post partum hair loss period occurs slowly over a much longer period of time. Most women don’t really notice changes in their hair until a couple of months after they begin weaning and hormones return to pre-pregnancy levels. The hair that is temporarily lost should start growing back again within 2-4 months.
After twelve months or so, if your hair isn’t growing back or is still falling out, this warrants further investigation. Sleep deprivation, exhaustion and the major lifestyle changes of having a new baby could certainly have a negative effect. But by 12 months these factors should be considerably less of an issue.
Persistent hair loss after childbirth is often associated with low iron stores. Blood tests aren’t always carried out after birth. The tiredness associated with iron deficiency can be attributed to the extreme sleep deprivation and intensity of having a new baby. If your post partum hair loss doesn’t stop within 12 months, it would be wise to investigate your ferritin level and ensure you maintain it to an optimum level.
Your Hair After Twelve Months
After around twelve to eighteen months your hair should have returned back to its normal state, particularly if your restored your iron stores to a reasonable level. However, some women find their hair is not the same as it was and seek treatment or specialist advice.
Laser therapy can really help as it uses light to increase blood circulation, stimulating dormant follicles and strengthening existing hair growth. There are little known side effects, no pain involved and is one of the most tolerable forms of hair stimulation. Many hair clinics offer laser therapy treatment but the twice weekly visits that are necessary to see a positive improvement are both expensive and inconvenient to family life.
Home use laser hair therapy devices are available in a variety of forms and more convenient than the clinical equivalent. When looking for a home laser hair therapy machine choose one which is wearable and covers a large area, that has a high number of lasers and does not use LED’s, is rechargeable rather than mains powered so that you can move around and that has some method of parting the hair so that light can penetrate to the scalp, such as Theradome’s LH80 Pro Laser Helmet. Bear in mind that laser therapy like any treatment takes time and consistency to work but if you choose the right device it shouldn’t take any effort to improve and maintain your hair.”
Article Credit: Sally-Ann Tarver MIT.FTTS, Consultant Trichologist, The Cotswold Trichology Centre & Theradome GB
