Pregnancy is one of the most exciting moments in a woman’s life, although there’s one thing that could reduce the excitement. During pregnancy, the natural cycle of hair is being interrupted and as a result, changes in the hair growth patterns exist.
Significant hormonal changes occur in a woman’s body when she’s pregnant. One of the changes is an increase in the level of estrogen which causes most hair follicles to shift into the growth phase so hair production is at its peak. The increased estrogen will also inhibit some follicles in the shedding phase so only a few hairs shed this time. Because of these changes in the hair growth cycle, most pregnant women report experiencing a boost in hair volume, hair thickness, hair length, and general hair feel. However, the excitement for hair growth is short-lived as the positive changes are replaced with hair shedding after childbirth.
Most women lose a large number of hairs a few months after childbirth. This loss is also hormone-related since during pregnancy, the increase in the level of estrogen allows the body to keep those hairs that would have fallen out normally. Once the hormones return to pre-pregnancy state, those hairs shed and a new cycle begins.
After the delivery, there is a dramatic drop in the level of estrogen that will predispose hair follicles to enter the shedding phase. Since no new hair growth is being produced while a lot are being shed, women report significant hair loss during this period of time.
Although most women get alarmed on the above-average amount of hair fall they experience during this time, it’s needless to worry and there’s often no need for hair loss treatments as the hair growth cycle will eventually be normalized. New hair growths will be noticeable about six months to a year after childbirth.
