4 Reasons for Hair Loss During or After Pregnancy

Losing countless strands of hair during pregnancy might come as a shock, especially if you expected hair growth and not the opposite. Before panicking, it might help to know that hair loss is a common issue for many pregnant women, and, in most cases, the locks are likely to grow back in time.

Bear in mind it is typical to lose between 50 to 100 hair strands each day, but any more could be caused by pregnancy or an underlying condition. Here are four common reasons for hair loss during or after pregnancy.

Iron Deficiency

Pregnant women must increase low iron levels to protect their and the baby’s health. For this reason, a midwife will likely recommend taking a daily iron supplement to support the baby’s development and help you avoid anemia, which is caused by an iron deficiency.

Symptoms of anemia include:

• Hair loss
• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Pale skin
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain
• Restless legs

Anaemia is common during pregnancy, as your body needs more iron due to an increase in blood volume. Also, a pregnant woman will transfer 360mg of it to the baby, and the majority is transferred during the third trimester due to rapid growth. In addition to taking a daily iron supplement, you must adopt a healthy, balanced diet to protect your health and reverse hair loss.

Telogen Effluvium

Hair loss during or after pregnancy could be triggered by general stress or the shock of the experience. This type of hair loss is called telogen effluvium and is most common during the first trimester. The good news is this type of hair loss often isn’t permanent, and your locks will likely grow back after pregnancy.

An Underlying Condition

It is essential to talk to a doctor or midwife if you’re experiencing hair loss during pregnancy, as it might be a symptom of an underlying condition. For example, the hair loss might not be related to pregnancy, as it could be due to:

• Hereditary hair loss
• Alopecia areata
• Thyroid problems
• An infection
• Diabetes
• Scarring alopecia

The underlying condition you’re experiencing will determine if hair loss is a permanent issue or reversible. Regardless of the outcome, options are available to restore your locks. For instance, you could try hair loss medication or embark on a hair transplant for females. They are ideal options if your hair doesn’t grow back to its former state after pregnancy.

Increased Progesterone Levels

A sudden increase in progesterone levels can cause your hair to become brittle during and after pregnancy, meaning it may break at the root with ease. As a result, you might feel like you are losing your hair, but this isn’t classified as hair loss. You’ll be pleased to know the issue is likely to resolve on its own, and various at-home treatments and techniques could protect your locks.

Hair loss of any kind will feel scary during pregnancy, but you will be happy to know it isn’t a permanent problem in most cases. Pregnant women can expect their hair to grow back to its former state within six to 12 months.