Hair falling out after pregnancy

[Andrea157]

Hi,

Just wondering if anyone else is in the same predicament that I seem to be in - having given birth just over 3 months ago to my beautiful little girl, for the past 4 weeks my hair has started to fall out. I was told that this was to be 'expected', but it now seems to have gone to extremes - my hair is falling out in big massive strands and I've already gone bare at my temples and my fringe is now practically non-existent...I'm finding it very distressing. Spent £40 odd pounds in Boots on hair loss shampoo, conditioner, hair thickening serum and volumising mousse...all to no avail, as hair still coming out in big clumps and strands!!

Just wondering if anyone else is having this problem and if so, what was the outcome. Going to see GP on Wednesday, think it could be thyroid or hormonal imbalance possibly, then again I dread to think it may be alopecia!!

Well some loss is indeed to be expected but not normally to that degree. Do go to the GP and get your hormones checked. They can go awry in the year after childbirth.

Thank you very kindly for the response, much appreciated - can't wait until I see GP - sounds a bit yuck, but collected my AWOL hair from plug saver this morning to show GP just how much hair I'm losing on a daily basis - it's frightening!

Hello, my hair did similar both times with y DC (DS just 6 mths old and it has started to calm down again). I was literally getting handfulls every morning in the shower. I've gone thin at the temples (very thin) so have had a thicker fringe cut in, which has helped no end.

As I say it has calmed down now, so I'm feeling happier, but yours does sound eexcessive so gp to the GP. I am sure it will stop though.

Hi, mine did the same after DS1.

Hormones in pregnancy prevent hair loss. Then after you have given birth the hormones change and your hair starts coming out again. Mine seemed to be coming out loads. The doc said if it is more than 50 hairs a day to worry. It stopped a few months later and went back to normal hair fall out.

Hope this makes you feel better.

Happened to DW. Very noticably thin at the front with a receding hairline. She just changed her hairstyle for a while to hide it and it eventually grew back.

Luckily the weather will be drawing in from September so don a hat and hope it passes quickly. But do get yourself checked out first.

Thanks so much for the great support guys, I feel much better knowing that I'm not alone and the advice is trully appreciated!! Re: how much hair I'm losing on a daily basis - I wish it was 50, but sadly it's much worse, my estimation is that I'm losing at least 100 - 150 (might be more). I'm stressing about trying not to stress about it too much

Might try the hat option - it's windy and rainy here in Irvine tomorrow...nothing much changes. Thanks once again to you all who replied.

I'm going through this now (DS2 is nearly 4mo) loads coming out especially when I wash it. It happened with DS1 as well and seemed to go on for ages but it did eventually go back to normal can't remember exactly when, though!

Hi Andrea157,

My hair started to fall out about 3 yrs ago -not through pregnancy so not sure if this will help your condition - but through other health issues. My hairdresser recommended a shampoo for loss of and extremely thinning hair plus a scalp therapy called NIOXIN - if you do a google search you will find the official website for more info. It is fabulous, it is quite expensive but well worth it. It smells fabulous and its all natural ingredients. The scalp therapy makes your scalp tingle and the follicle booster really does make a difference.

There is different strengthes depending on how severe the hair loss is. I use the shampoo and scalp therapy still to this day (as a normal shampoo) even although my hair has returned to even better condition than it was.

You can buy a starter kitt (approx £35)from a proffesional hairdressers to see if you like it but I now buy it through a US internet site which is quite a bit cheaper.

If you want the web address let me know. Hope it helps.

Hi Luckywhite,

Received blood test results back from GP yesterday - everything is fine. Have been using a steroid lotion from GP since last Wednesday, which is helping a little, but hair still coming out. Have just bought Nioxin Intensive Therapy Follicle Booster and Nioxin System 4 Duo - I'll see how this goes and if all else fails I'm going to have to do a Britney Spears!! Thanks for the advice and help.