Being a new mom isn’t easy. The dramatic changes in responsibilities and routines, chronic sleep deprivation, and other new challenges can be overwhelming. However, for many women, the weeks and months after giving birth also come with another unwanted and unexpected sight: hair loss.
Recently, a former contestant on The Bachelor and Married At First Sight, Jamie Otis, shared her experiences and struggles with postpartum hair loss. Also called postpartum alopecia – the phenomenon affects up to 90 percent of new mothers who have some degree of hair loss three to five months after giving birth. For many women like Otis, the hair loss includes excessive shedding, even hair falling out in clumps, during that time. The good news for moms is that this hair loss is almost always temporary and hair growth returns to normal in plenty of time for the child’s first birthday party.
Hormonal Whiplash
Pregnancy causes wild fluctuations in hormones, as every mom knows. But these hormonal upheavals don’t end after delivery. The months that follow childbirth also see dramatic changes in hormone levels as the body works its way back to its normal state. This hormonal whiplash can take a toll on hair as well.
Many women notice that their hair seems thicker and fuller during pregnancy than it did beforehand. This is because of elevated estrogen levels that increase the percentage of hairs in the growth cycle, while simultaneously freezing hair that is in the resting phase of hair growth. After pregnancy, estrogen levels fall dramatically, and all the hair that was growing so impressively starts to fall out. While we all shed hair regularly, at a rate of around 80 hairs per day, the extent of postpartum shedding can raise that number to closer to 400 hairs a day.
While you may not be able to stop postpartum shedding, changing up your hairstyle and keeping control of your stress levels can help you ride out this temporary condition. Just as life slowly returns to a new normal as the months go by after having a baby, so too will your hair.
Call the Miami Hair Institute Today If You Have Postpartum Hair Loss Questions
While most postpartum hair loss is temporary, not all hair loss problems are. If you are concerned about or are experiencing hair loss and want to know what you can do about it, please contact the Miami Hair Institute. Our world-renowned physicians diagnose and treat hair loss cases through advanced hair restoration surgery techniques and alternative non-invasive treatments.
To receive a personalized evaluation and treatment plan, contact us online or call our office directly at 305-925-0222.