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Sunday, October 10, 2010

Postpartum... Baldness???

Are there any other new mothers out there who are finding themselves shedding quite a bit more hair than usual?  Anyone else feel like an animal departing with his winter coat?

I had a baby 4 months ago and for the last few weeks, I have been shedding piles of hair... literally.  I pull out a handfull or two of hair at least 3 times a day, particularly in the shower or when I'm brushing.  In addition to the trash can full of hair in the bathroom, strands drop to the floor every time I even touch my head.  I'm constantly finding long, blonde hairs on my daughter's clothes and tightly gripped in her little hands.  This morning, I found a hair wedged in her wrist roll!

Naturally, fearing for the inevitable baldness that is to come should I continue down this bizarre path, I turned to the lovely internet for help.  Again, I was surprised to see that yet another weird postpartum experience of mine is a legitimate concern for others as well.  Postpartum hair loss is a real thing.

According to BabyCenter.com, when our hormones are returning back to the pre-pregnancy state, many of us shed additional amounts of hair.  If you want to learn more, click on the BabyCenter link.  I read many articles, but the one above seems to be the most concise.  Basically, the vitamins and extra estrogen in our bodies, while pregnant, decrease the amount of hair loss (for most women) during those 9 months.  Once we've given birth, our hair apparently decides to make up for lost time and take a nose dive from our, now worried, scalps.  Not all women experience this, but those who do are probably just as freaked out as I have been.  BabyCenter also mentions that it is more noticeable for those of us with longer strands.  This definitely explains why I didn't see a decrease in hair loss after chopping 8" in desperation.   My hair is still way too long.  Too bad a pixie cut wouldn't suit the shape of my face.  Perhaps the hair loss would be less obvious if I just shaved my head.  That might confuse my daughter though.  She would mistake me for her father.

Now that we know why our hair falls out, what can we do to stop it?  Apparently, nothing.  It's supposed to go back to normal within 6 to 12 months (babycenter.com).  Fantastic!  I have an entire year to be bald!  All I can say is that I better have my hair back before her 1st birthday pictures.

In all seriousness though, I'm going to start taking vitamins again.  That should help.  I hope.

Update:  Three kids later and this whole postpartum baldness thing has been in full force EACH time.  Seriously.  I have legit bald spots all over my head.  It starts about 6 months or so after each kid is born.  This time, however, I'm going to combat it with ItWorks Hair, Skin, and Nails!  :)

4 comments:

  1. I, too, am losing hair - but mine is due to hormone shifts after some surgery I had earlier this year. It is very disconcerting to have thin hair when I've always had thick, thick hair.
    I have found that being diligent with my vitamins and eating healthy (ie lots of fruits & vegetables) has really helped.
    Hope it helps you!

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  2. it's a hormonal thing Jen. Happened to me after Caiti was born and again last fall for the other reason. lol. there is a very good shampoo and conditioner you can get for it at some hair salons and at beauty supply stores.it's a white bottle with black letters. i think it's called nioxin. worked for me both times.

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  3. Thanks! I'll look for the shampoo and will keep taking my vitamins. It almost seems like it's getting worse though. Bleh. Hope it ends soon.

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  4. I used nioxin both times post partum and yes, it has worked well for me. but all the same hair will continue to shed for a couple months. with dd it grew back sooner than with ds. **sigh**

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