Hair Loss! HELP!

Updated on February 25, 2009
S.S. asks from Orem, UT
18 answers

I'm losing my hair, my sister said it's a hormonal thing that happens after you have a baby, but when does it stop? Is there anything I can do? I could make a wig with all the hair I'm losing! Any advice? Thanks!

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So What Happened?

Well just after I posted this request, I saw another one that was just the same so I should have just read that, but thank you all so much for your responses to this question and my questions of the past! Love you mamas out there! We should have some sort of "mama" reunion sometime so we can get together and see the babies we've been talking about! :)

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F.J.

answers from Salt Lake City on

I also had this problem after my daughter was born. I seriously thought at the rate I was losing I would be bald in a month. I went to the doctor where he did a hair test.. literally grabed and pulled a handful of hair out. He said oh yeah you are losing more than normal. He put me on a mild antidepressant because after talking he thought I was feeling overwhelmed with the stress of a new baby added to working full time and being a wife and mother to my other 3 children. I only took it for about a month i didn't find it really changed the hair loss which I thought was my real stressful situation. Eventually it did lessen but I still lose more now than I did before the birth of my 4th and last child. So I do think it has something to do with hormones. But I still have plenty of hair.

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A.T.

answers from Denver on

S., it's normal, try not to worry about it, worry doesn't solve anything and with post-partum hair loss there's not a thing to be 'done'.
For a long while after my daughter was born I remember having to clean out the drain every time I took a shower---and the dustbunnies! My husband even noticed the population explosion of dustbunnies, mostly born of MY hair, instead of the cat's.
It will taper off at some point. I think it really took about a year before my hair was back to 'normal'.
Congratulations new mama, good work!
A.

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A.B.

answers from Pocatello on

Ahhh...the three month postpartum hair loss...I remember it all too well! Mine was really bad (especially since my hair wasn't very thick to begin with) and it came to a point where I thought if it went on for one more week, I would truly be bald. Good news...I'm not bald! It does stop falling out (I think it was around 5 months for me). Better news...it grows back! A few weeks after you stop pulling out fists of hair in the shower you will begin to notice the little baby hairs growing in. Of course it will take some time before the new hair is long enough to make your hair feel thicker again (and you have to go through the stage where the hair is too short to do anything but stick straight up...I'm there right now...it's lovely!) but, it'll come back in. Just hang in there and be comforted that there will soon come a time when you won't leave a hair trail behind you everywhere you go! :)

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G.M.

answers from Denver on

Sounds like there ia a nutritional problem....are you getting your minerals? Remember if you do not get all the necessary minerals your body won't even be able to use the vitamins you consume. If you would like an idea for a good mineral supplement...a natural food liquid...send me an email and I will provide you with a complimentary sample to try. G. ____@____.com

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K.D.

answers from Denver on

I'd say it's okay now. If it's still happening in another 3 months and not getting better, I'd ask your doctor to check your thyroid. Congratulations on the new baby!

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S.W.

answers from Pocatello on

I had the hairloss problem with all 4 of my babies but to varying degrees. My second baby was the worst and I went and saw the doctor who did a blood test and my thyroid was low. The 3rd and 4th pregnancies hairloss was not as bad because my thyroid levels were in normal range. I still lost hair which is normal but it is a good idea to get your thyroid checked after having a baby because of all the hormonal changes that happen. If its low its and easy fix to your hair falling out.

Good Luck and CONGRATS on your new little one!

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C.W.

answers from Denver on

Please go to the doctor and get your thyroid levels checked. This is a common sign of low thyroid, along with tiredness, depression, low appetite, and constipation. It is very common to develop thyroid problems in the post-partum period. I developed mine when my 6th child was 9 months old.

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J.R.

answers from Grand Junction on

Hi S.,

It happened to me too. Just keep taking your prenatals. I found that when I stayed on my prenatal vitamins, that it stopped falling out faster and thickened up quicker. Good luck.

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M.M.

answers from Salt Lake City on

I am currently on child #2. With child #1 it started when he was about 3 months old and ended when he was 5 months. With child #2 it started when she was about 3 months and now she is 4 1/2 months, so I'm hoping that it will stop around 5 months too. But it does eventually end, thankfully. Just hang in there. I just had to think of it this way: "If I knew I would go bald when I had a child, would I do it again?" And the answer is of course I would, they are totally worth it. And luckily you don't have to go totally bald.

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A.S.

answers from Denver on

Totally, totally, totally normal. I swore I was going to have to re-plumb the house when my hair started to go...in the mirror though, I hardly noticed a difference. Try not to freak out :-) Just schedule for a nice haircut!

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V.F.

answers from Cheyenne on

Hang in there...it is scary when you see your floor covered with enough hair to make a wig. I was terrified when it started happening to me. But yes it is normal and it will end. With both of my kids it slowed down around 6 - 7 months. And as for what you can do...just keep regularly taking your vitamins. Hope you can hang in there till then.

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P.G.

answers from Salt Lake City on

I have been told that most times hair falls out it is due to the stress that is going on in your life.

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B.S.

answers from Salt Lake City on

I thought this was totally normal and actually have told many women it is, and I still think it is to some extent. However, I found out a couple weeks ago that I have low thyroid, and hair loss is a side affect. Some hair loss is normal after pregnancy, but if it is really bad and your concerned, talk to your doctor, it could be a sign that something is wrong. Good luck.

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K.P.

answers from Fort Collins on

S., I too lost a ton of hair after my daughter's birth and I was devastated! Mine fell out over the course of about 3 months, but I'm the only one who has noticed-believe me, I've asked friends and family if they could tell, as I thought I was going to have to cut it. It slows eventually and then returns to the normal amount of loss; hang in there!

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V.J.

answers from Salt Lake City on

It is a hormonal thing after you have a baby. I lost tons of hair about three months after giving birth with each of my four children. So don't worry, it will come back. I burned my toes on one foot with a heating pad last spring and it took 10 months to heal. I also lost most of my hair due to the burn about three months afterward. It's all grown back now. So, hair is very sensitive.

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J.H.

answers from Billings on

Probably not what you want to hear, but I started losing hair when my son was born, and he is 2 1/2 now, and it is still falling ot. It has slowed down a LOT, but I literally have about half the hair I used to have! Thankfully, I had a TON of hair before. What I have done that helps is: don't wear your hair in a ponytail (it puts a lot of stress on the scalp and causes it to fall out more); use Nioxin shampoo; take a good vitamin; keep my hair relatively short (mine is just below chin length) to avoid scalp stress (the heavier the hair, the more it pulls at the roots).

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H.H.

answers from Austin on

Oh my Gosh - don't you hate it! My husband used to get so annoyed at all my hair EVERYWHERE! I had a nice little bald spot underneath. I started really noticed my hair loss at around 2 months after birth, and starting growing it back at about 5 or 6 months after birth. I have these little "baby bangs" sticking out of my head that look a little silly. I guess people say it's totally normal. I never heard of any "miracle" anything. Sorry I'm not being that helpful, but I just wanted to let you know that I know how you feel and that it's normal.

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K.B.

answers from Denver on

Yikes S.!! Ihad the same problem with all three kids but at different times (either pregnant or post partum). I just tried to not touch my hair at all through the day so I didn't give it any more reason to fall out. I stopped putting my hair up, and washed/dried/combed it very carefully. It does stop, but it's up to your body when it does... Hang in there.. BTW, I also kept taking my prenatals, not sure if that helped or not with mine.. Good luck.

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