Hair loss in pregnancy?

[BeachgalNY]

Hi!

Ever since I found out I was pregnant, I've noticed that my hair seems to be jumping off my head. I'm losing about three times as much hair with every shower, and tons of it is coming out when I brush my hair. Yet everything I've read and heard from friends says that estrogen usually makes your hair hold on longer, so you usually lose much less during pregnancy.

I'm really confused. I was tested for hypothyroidism, but it came back normal. At that point, my nurse practitioner said that estrogen sometimes affects people in different ways. I don't trust her much, as many of the things she's said have contradicted what other professionals have said.

Is anyone else experiencing this? Are you losing hair in clumps? If so, have you heard and reasonable explanations for why?

 

[Dream.dream]

I know hormones can do crazy things to people's bodies , a friend of Mine lost all her hair with her second daughter and they couldn't figure out why.

 

[MumToEva]

I lost a lot of hair when I was pregnant with my daughter - I had to be careful what way I parted my hair as I had quite a bald looking spot at my normal parting, and now I have what looks like a fringe growing out, but is actually re growth! Somebody told me your hair goes through cycles of growth and shedding, so if you are in a shedding stage when you get pregnant, that's why your hair falls out. For me it started to grow back within a couple of months of giving birth, and I don't seem to be losing it the same this pregnancy for some reason.

 

[SwissMiss]

I lost LOADS of hair with both my pregnancies, but don't seem to be losing any with this one!? No CLUE why the same body would react so differently but there you go. The upside is, it WILL grow back. although possibly a shade darker (or lighter I guess!) than before. I was quite blond before I had my kids and now I'm like mousy brown...
x

 

[RebaRezzelba]

I lost my hair 2 months after my son was born - it took the full year to grow it back to how it was before. During pregnancy though my hair is great - thick, shinny and very manageable - must be a hormonal thing but not sure

 

[Pearls18]

It is a hormonal thing. I didn't have it during pregnancy but after giving birth to DS my hair fell out terribly, I was scared as it wouldn't stop, my hair went so limp and horrid and my hair line is actually higher up now! However, it soon started to grow back and finally 3 years after being pregnant it has grown out and I have the same thickness throughout...now I'm pregnant again...doh!

 

[twinmummy06]

Yup, my hair starts falling out more than normal during pregnancy. But then for me it falls out in even worse in the first like 6 months after birth!

 

[chulie]

Yup MumtoEva hit the nail on the head. We have cycles of shedding and growing and depending on what stage we get pregnant we get stuck. Some women have gorgeous hair during pregnancy (like I did). Thick and lush...but as soon as you give birth your body quickly evens itself out. I lost hair badly for the first 6 months post partum. Then it took another 6 months to grow back. I had huge bald patches. Thankfully my hair is normal again. But whatever happens to your hair it will do the opposite once you give birth but have no fear it all evens out and your hair will return to normal!!

 

[allforthegirl]

If you are losing hair it usually means that you need to increase the protein intake of your diet. Which can be hard to do when we are feeling like we can't eat anything. Also talk to your Dr about it, he/she may have a good suggestion to help ease it. GL