Why Is My Hair Falling Out?

I have a 4 month old and my hair is falling out too!! my obgyn said don't worry unless i have bald spots!! hehe

Hello M.,

My hair did the exact same thing. I had braids in my hair during my pregnancy, so my hair came out in extremely large amounts. My beautician advised me to put a Protein Treatment on my hair. I did that and the falling out and breakage stopped almost immediately. But bottomline, as everyone mentioned, it's normal after giving birth. Good Luck.

It is normal to lose hair after having a baby. My twins are 7 months old and I am still losing hair!

Why am I losing my hair? (From Babycenter.com)

If your hair got thicker during your pregnancy, you may now start to shed it in handfuls. This happens to some new moms around one to four months after having their baby. Don't worry — you won't go bald. Just as high estrogen levels caused you to lose less hair during pregnancy, decreasing estrogen levels postpartum may cause you to shed more. It's replaced by new hair, though, and the shedding tapers off, so your hair should be back to normal within a year. On the bright side, if you suffered from excess facial and body hair during pregnancy (the result of an increase in hormones called androgens), you can expect to lose that hair three to six months after having your baby.

It is normal. Hormones and all. I started to get small bald spots even. Finally went away months later. Don't worry to much, if it continues my doctor said a dermatologist would handle hair loss.

Hair falling out is generally because of hormones. However, I too had this problem and mine ended up being a hormonal imbalance due to thryroid function problems post partum. A simple blood test will let you know if this is indeed your situation..tell your doctor you need to have your TSH tested. I hope things work out for you! Congrats on your 4 month old. :)

My hair fell out too, it was very scary-I know what you're going through. Eventually it stoped-my hair is thinner now than it used to be. Everyone said it was from the change in hormones.

This is completely normal! Mine started to fall out when DD was about 3 months old. Mine lasted about a month or two I think. It's gross, I know, but it won't last forever!

Hello M., I don't know what your race is but I'm black and in 40% of Black women if you have receive an Epidural while in labor and than got a perm afterwards that will cause your hair to fall out. I'm not sure if it also happens in other races. So that could be the case .I have been doing hair for awhile and have seen this happening to some of my customers and asks and read on it. Hope this help. congratulation on your son

This is completely normal! My hair started to fall out when my daughter was 3 months old. She is now 4 months and it is still coming out like crazy! I had a check up at my doctors about a week after it started happening and I was told that it is your hormones getting back to normal after having a baby. She said it can take up to three months to get back to normal. Think about it... did your hair fall out when you were pregnant? Mine hardly ever did, so now it is just natures way of catching up!!

Good luck!

It's the word you have learned to hate during pregnancy. HORMONS. I had the same thing happen my son is 8 and there are still times when for no real reason it starts to fall out more than other time. You will find there are several things that changes after having that wonderful bundle of joy. Good Luck

It is completely normal. You probably didn't lose any or much hair while you were pregnant and now you will lose all that you should have lost then. Don't worry. It will soon stop falling out so much.

M.,
When you were pregnant, you did not lose as much hair as you normally do. Sometime after the baby is born, Mom loses hair that she retained during the pregnancy. It will stop eventually. All that extra hair is part of what makes pregnant women look so "healthy" and "glowing". I'd give it awhile before making a panic-call to the doctor.

Blessings,
P.

Hi M., It is falling out because you have a 4 month old ;-). You don't shed your hair when pregnant and it's your body's way of making up for 9 months of not shedding. That's also why you probably had ultra lush hair when pregnant. It happened to me and yes, it's kind of gross but totally normal postpartum. I would run my fingers through my hair while shampooing and literally come up with handfuls of hair. I kept a plastic cup in the shower to collect it and keep it from all going down the drain and creating a plumbing problem. I think it took about a month and a half to two months before it stopped. Just know it's a totally normal part of pregnancy after the fact and it's not stress, a thyroid problem etc.

Hello!

My name is S. and I am a hairstylist. I just wanted you to know that it is normal to have hair loss after pregnancy. Your body is going through a harmonal change so don't panic. Allow yourself another 6 months to adjust to your nomal harmonal state. If you are in need of any chemical services, please seek a professional stylist and be selective. If you need any more advise, please feel free to contact me at ###-###-#### or email me back.

Nothing is wrong - just part of the process. It will continue to fall out for at least a few more months and gradually get less and less. Pretty disgusting though...and will end up clogging the drain.

Hi,
My son is nearly 4 months old and I've been losing hair too. It is normal to lose some hair because your hormones are shifting back to the non pregnant stage. My doctor checked my thyroid and said that was the reason. I hope you can ask about that. Good luck!

Don't worry! This is completely normal! Your hair growth slows down during pregnancy (something to do with hormones), and the goes back to normal around the 3rd month. So, with all that extra growth going on, you get alot of hair falling out too. It was the same with me, and it can really freak you out. Just give it a couple of months, and if it doesn't stop after that, then you might consider going to see someone about it. For now...don't worry about it.

My sister and I had a similar thing happen. While we are pregnant, our hair is especially thick and lush. It's like NONE of it falls out. Then, after we have the baby, our hormone levels change, and it's like all the hair we didn't gradually lose over 9 months of pregnancy comes out all at once, plus a little more. I have long hair so even just a few hairs seem like a lot but I would actually have to clean the brush out every time I brushed my hair because it was so clogged up.It gets a little ragged and thin, but it does bounce back. I would just give it a few weeks, and then get a trim to make it look better. It shouldn't last for more than a few more weeks.

Just so you know, it has nothing to do with medications or anything. It is completely normal. When you are pregnant, the hormones change so that your hair does not fall out at it normal rate. That is why some women notice thicker hair while they are pregnant. A few months after you have the baby, these hormones begin to return to a lower rate. Your body is just getting rid of all the extra hair it kept through your pregnancy. It should return to normal within 2-4 months.

M.,

***Wash your hair with white vinegar (either will probably work cider or white). I used white. Vinegar acts as a neutralizer and will/should stop the shedding immediately. You may have to do it twice in the same week. You can then shampoo with a regular shampoo so that the smell is not in your hair. Then see my message below for a shampoo to use. ** I didn't learn this until my 3rd baby - from a hair dresser who wanted to know why I was looking for the Nioxin shampoo.

My hair started doing that after my first two babies, although it really grew while being pregnant. I asked my hairdresser and she recommended Nioxin shampoo and conditioner. They have it for every hair type (permed, colored or just thinning hair). You can read about it online, www.nioxin.com. They have a whole line, even vitamins. I found it cheapest in the salons at Walmart. They often have a combo pack for a good price ($25-$40). You can also purchase it at Ulta (Ulta 2) and there is a salon at the Parks Mall in Arlington that carries it. Hulen Mall might have a salon that carries it, you may want to check. It will slow down the shedding process. It may take a month or two before you notice anything but it definitely works; give it some time. I still use it now, to slow the natural process of shedding. Just start with the cleanser (shampoo) and scalp therapy (conditioner). If you find a 3 pack that includes the scalp treatment that is a bonus.

You might want to see your Dr. and make sure there isn't a thyroid problem. Hyper and Hypothyroidism can both do it. I had hyperthyroidism during my first trimester brought on by the pregnancy and lost a ton of hair. I found out that alot of postpardum can be a thyroid issue just because of all the hormones your body already produces along with the amount it increases with the baby.
Stress can be definately the issue to.
Doesn't hurt to rule it all out.

I had them test the "Free" T3 and T4 on my thyroid.
Good Luck!

I have a 4 month old, as well, and my hair is falling out too...just like it did when my daughter was about this age. I can barely see the shower drain after I wash my hair. During pregnancy, you practically stop the normal shedding of daily hairs, which is why our hair always looks so good. Now that your hormone levels are returning to normal, you are shedding all of the hair you kept during the 9 months. It can even look & feel a bit thinner than what you're used to, but you won't go bald! Eventually, your old hair will be back. Try the Nioxin line of hair care for a few months. It does seem to make a difference. Go to their website to find a salon near you that sells it. I was also told to try to go 2-3 days between shampooing, and just be gentle with hair brushing.

That is common after you have a baby. Women normally loose small amounts of hair every day and when you get pregnant you don't loose any until your hormones go back to normal, then it all comes out at once after baby. Be sure to get your hormones checked to make sure it's not your thyroid, but it sounds like a normal case of post baby hair loss.

I had the same thing happen. I believe that it is the changes in hormones your body is going through after having your son. Its fairly common from what I understand and evens out in time. Keep taking your prenatal vitamins, they are still important for giving you important nutrients. As your hormones level out the hair should stop falling out so much. Hope that helps. You are not alone!

I'm sure all the other moms are going to tell you the same thing, but it's perfectly normal for hair to fall out around 4 months post-delivery. With both of my children, I lost a fair amount of hair starting at the very same time, but it soon filled back out. Have fun and enjoy that baby!

Hi Marnrva, I am a licensed cosmmetologist.I don't know what all medications you were given during birth but, that is probably the reason this is happening. Give this time & if it doesn't stop soon or it gets worse you need to go to the Dr.Many things can cause your hair to fall out. Sometimes it's simple things & others it is more serious. I wouldn't worry for now. I would buy a good shampoo & conditioner (beauty supply) & that should help.Also vitamins will help too.Try & not shampoo everyday for now. You can also buy a tub of cholesterol (very inexpensive) put on wet hair & leave for about 30 minutes or longer. Then rinse. Hope things get better.

That happened to me after my first child was born and I was told it was the anesthetic. I think they gave me something to help. Ask your doctor. A.

The same thing happened to me after my first son. I called my Dr. and they said it was just my hormones adjusting. They didn't give me anything for it. It continued for a while then it got better so it's not a permanent thing.

I hope that helps,
S.'

It's because the hormones in your body are all out of whack, so to speak right now. You've been pregnant for 9 months your body was souped up on all the pregnancy related hormones and now that you are postpartum it's trying to get back to normal. It's common to lose more hair then normal after delivery. If you are bothered by it or think it's just abnormally too much then contact your Dr and see what they say. Maybe you take vitamins or something to help out.

Congrats on your new baby : )

That is very very normal. Mine started to fall out at the exact same time. when my son was about 4 months. it lasted until he was about 7 or 8 months. :( Its a pain, but nothing you can do really.