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 Hair
Loss After Pregnancy
Pregnancy
is a whole body experience. After the baby is born, the
mother’s body has a lot of things to do in order to return to
its usual non-pregnant state. A mother who is nursing will
have a longer period of readjustment than one who is not.
Still, always remember, nine and a half months up, at least the same
amount of time down!
One of the most interesting things about pregnancy is the way it
affects a woman’s hair. During pregnancy, the hair
becomes fuller. That is because the follicles don’t
release hair at the same rate as when the body is not
pregnant. So, hair loss during pregnancy is not very common,
and hair will usually fall out less than when a woman is not
pregnant.
After the baby is born, though, the extra hair is gradually released,
and hair loss after pregnancy is much more pronounced than it was
before or during pregnancy. This is normal, so do not worry
about it. It could take up to a year for the hair to return
to its normal rate of falling out, a few strands at a time.
It can be startling to see such an increase in hair loss after
pregnancy. You may find clumps of hair on the drain, or in
your brush. You won’t see thin patches on your
head, so don’t worry about that. You are simply
releasing hair that was extra during your pregnancy. This can
take a year to return to normal.
Besides hair loss after pregnancy, you may have noted other changes in
your hair during pregnancy. Hormones affect the whole body,
including the hair. Hair that was normally straight might
suddenly begin to grow in curlier than ever during pregnancy.
Or, hair that was curly may get straighter and straighter as a
pregnancy progresses. It can take a year for hair to readjust
to its normal thickness and straight or wavy state after the baby is
born.
Besides hair loss after pregnancy, a woman might notice changes in her
nails. During pregnancy, nails become notably
harder. Just as there is a normal amount of hair loss after
pregnancy, the fingernails will also return gradually to the way a
woman had normally experienced them.
So, do not worry if you notice hair loss after pregnancy. It
is normal, and a result of your hormones gradually readjusting to their
normal pre-pregnancy state. Hormones affect many parts of the
body, including hair, nails, milk production, ovulation, moods, and
menstruation.
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