http://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/symptoms-and-solutions/postpartum-hair-loss.aspx
Postpartum Hair Loss — What It Is
Hair loss after pregnancy is the sudden shedding (sometimes in clumps) that many new mothers experience between three and six months after they give birth.
Postpartum Hair Loss — What Causes It
Normally, the average head loses 100 hairs a day — but not all at once, so you don't notice them. Your
pregnancy hormones keep those hairs from falling out (which is why your hair looks as lush as a supermodel's, or is so thick you can barely get a brush through it). But all good things must come to an end, and that includes your awesome new 'do. When those hormones drop back to normal, the extra hairs drop, too.
Postpartum Hair Loss — What You Need to Know
Don't freak: You're not going bald, you're just getting back to normal. If you're
breastfeeding, some of your extra hair may hang on to your scalp until you wean or start to supplement with formula or solids. But nursing or not, take comfort in knowing that by the time your baby is ready to blow out the candles on that first birthday cake (and has a full head of hair of his or her own, possibly), your catch-up hair loss will be finished, and your locks should be back to normal, too.
Postpartum Hair Loss — What You Can Do About It
- Keep your hair healthy by eating well and taking a prenatal vitamin supplement.
- Be extra-gentle during your shedding season to prevent excess hair loss after pregnancy. Shampoo only when necessary (Ha! As if you had time to shampoo at all!), and use a good conditioner and a wide-toothed comb to minimize tangling. Use scrunchies or barrettes to put hair up, instead of rubber bands — and don't pull hair into tight 'dos.
- Skip blow-dryers and curling and flat irons if you can (again, as if you had time to use them!), and put off any chemically based treatments (highlights, perms, straightening) until the shedding stops.
- Talk to your practitioner if your hair loss is excessive. When it's accompanied by other symptoms, hair loss after pregnancy could be a sign of postpartum thyroiditis.
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