You may have heard that hair becomes thick and shiny during pregnancy. This may be true for some women, thanks to high levels of estrogen; however other expecting mothers experience degradation and even hair loss during pregnancy or immediately following birth. According to Starks, a clinic specializing in hair services, hair loss is normal. It can be caused by different factors, like hormones, aggressive effects on the body, or medical conditions that usually accompany pregnancy.
What are the causes of hair loss during pregnancy?
Men and women lose an average of about 50 to 100 hairs per day. During pregnancy, increased estrogen levels slow the natural cycle of hair follicle shedding. As a result, some women may actually lose less hair during pregnancy. But it’s not always the case.
Hormonal imbalance
Some women may experience thinning and hair loss due to stress or shock. This condition is called “telogen effluvium” and affects a small number of women during pregnancy.
For experts at the Starks Clinic, hair loss due to hormonal changes may not happen immediately. Instead, it can take two to four months to notice the thinning of the hair. This condition usually lasts no more than six months and does not cause permanent hair loss.
Health problems
Health problems can arise during pregnancy, resulting in telogen effluvium. The loss can be quite dramatic, especially if it is linked to a continuous imbalance of hormones or essential vitamins. So instead of losing the average of 100 hairs a day, you risk losing 300 hairs a day.
Thyroid problems
Thyroid disorders, such as hyperthyroidism (too much thyroid hormone) or hypothyroidism (too little thyroid hormone), can be difficult to spot during pregnancy. Of the two disorders, hypothyroidism is the most common, affecting around 2 or 3 in 100 pregnant women. Hair loss is a simple symptom with muscle cramps, constipation, and exhaustion. About 1 in 20 women may also have thyroid problems (postpartum thyroiditis) after the baby is born. In all cases, thyroid problems are usually diagnosed with a blood test.
Iron deficiency
As experts at Starks Clinic tell us, iron deficiency occurs when you don’t have enough red blood cells to carry oxygen to different tissues in the body. It can cause thinning of the hair as well as other symptoms, such as fatigue, an irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath on exertion, and even headaches.
Pregnant women are at increased risk of developing anemia, especially if their pregnancies are close together, if they are pregnant with twins, or if they have severe morning sickness. This situation can also be diagnosed with a blood test.
Although hair loss during pregnancy is not permanent, your hair may not return to its normal thickness until the hormone or vitamin levels have returned to their usual values.
Thanks for viewing this post. Starks currently provides age management solutions in clinics located in France and Italy. Please click below to read this article in one of these languages.
- French: La perte de cheveux et la grossesse
- Italian: Caduta dei capelli e gravidanza
