Pregnancy Signs & Symptoms, Week by Week Pregnancy Guide

The body goes through many upheavals and some very significant physical changes during pregnancy and soon thereafter. Hair loss after pregnancy as well as during pregnancy is a commonly experienced occurrence, along with changes in skin as well.

For many women the hair loss starts after child birth, whereas other women find that their hair appears thick and lustrous during pregnancy and that there is hair loss after pregnancy.

The major reason for hair loss after pregnancy is hormonal. Women typically have lower levels of estrogen in their systems, after having given birth to a child and so are much more likely to lose hair.

One other reason why hair loss is associated with pregnancy is due to discontinuation of birth control pills.

Many women find that when they give up birth control in order to get pregnant, they experience hair loss as a result of discontinuing the birth control medication rather than as a result of pregnancy.

It can be distressing to see that hair loss after pregnancy, however it is important to remember that this is usually a temporary condition that corrects itself in time, without anything being required to be done about it.

During pregnancy higher levels of certain hormones prevent the hair from going into the resting phase (the resting phase is when hair starts to fall out). Then after child birth, the hair goes into the resting phase, and hair loss starts to occur.

This can be distressing but remember it is a phase that will right itself in time, and will cause no long lasting damage. Meanwhile, the following can help –

• Stick to simple hair styles after pregnancy. So not use hair styles that put pressure on the hair, because this will only exacerbate hair loss. Braids, cornrows and pigtails are styles that may pull and pinch, so avoid them.
• Eat foods that are good for hair and promote hair growth. Natural foods such as fruit and vegetables contain not only a number of beneficial nutrients, they also protect the follicle of the hair and help the hair grow.
• It could be that the body is deficient in certain vitamins after pregnancy and childbirth, which literally takes a lot out of you. So consult a physician about any vitamin supplements that you may require, which may help not only your hair but also keep you in better health.