Postpartum Alopecia

[bocaburger]

So, I know it's normal to lose some hair around now, but it feels like I am losing a LOT. It's noticeably thinning and I pull large clumps out of my hairbrush every couple days. How do I know what's normal and what's too much?

I'm nervous because I've always had thin hair and my sister has had significant hair loss that has really affected to confidence. Before pregnancy I was taking biotin supplements because all the hormones of IF treatments made my hair fall out, but I'd rather not take any extra supplements while breastfeeding.

Has anyone dealt with this in past pregnancies? If so, was the hair loss permanent or did it come back eventually? Any suggestions for shampoos/ brushes/ cuts/styles that could help it look thicker?

[hollyberry]

No suggestions, but o just wanted to say that my hair has started to fall out and I have also thin hair. It makes me sad because just about a month ago I was thinking it was as still loooking good. I liked the thicker hair.

Right now my hair is long and because of the babies I always have it up so no real style. I used to always wear it short like a bob with layers, and that had always made it look fuller. I am now contemplating going back to short. But not beaing able to wear it in a ponytail is stopping me. Plus when would I have time to go to a hair dresser???

[annbuhdan]

With my first baby, I had enough hair loss that it was very patchy in front. My hair was EVERYWHERE. If I took a bath, there would be a layer of hair over the water. (Gross, but just to give you an idea.) It did all grow back, which was also not fun because of all the little spiky new hairs sticking out all over my head. What you're experiencing sounds normal to me, but I'd say you should notice the hair loss level off and stop soon.

[bocaburger]

hollyberry I'm having the same debate. My mom's hairdresser comes to her house so I am thinking of having her come when we visit. I think a cut and style would make it look less stringy but my babies love to grab hair so I need to be able to put it up too.

[hollyberry]

Dec 2, 2016 8:34:14 GMT -5 bocaburger said:

hollyberry I'm having the same debate. My mom's hairdresser comes to her house so I am thinking of having her come when we visit. I think a cut and style would make it look less stringy but my babies love to grab hair so I need to be able to put it up too.

Having a hairdresser come to the house would definitely be ideal. MH has never been alone with the two and since they are still pretty unpredictable picking time to go to one would be hard. (MH gets frustrated easy and I don't think he is ready to have them completely alone. He has been with them without me, but my mom or his mom was there.)

Maybe a long bob then? Just past the shoulders and it should be able to go up. Or to feel at least new maybe some highlights, but again all that takes time.

[meagpt22]

bocaburger I have thin hair and felt like I lost a lot of hair. I had some noticeable areas of thinning hair.
My hair stopped falling out around 1 year PP, right around the time I became pregnant again. So those areas filled out again. I'm curious how it looks this go around.

[elebishi]

I was actually diagnosed with alopecia areata by a dermatologist after DD2. She was born in July - hair started falling out in November - in March I noticed a quarter sized bald patch on the top of my head. By June, 1/3 of my head on the top was bald. This is in addition to the "normal" hair loss that causes thinning around the edges. The doctor actually looked at my head in June and said "you poor soul". However, peach fuzz started growing back pretty immediately. Based on that regrowth and the pattern in which it was falling out, the doctor was certain I would make a "full recovery". It stopped falling out when I weaned in August. It's still about 1/3 the length of my other hair, but is just as thick as it used to be.

Don't mean to jump in with a horror story, but it can happen. The doctor said I was predisposed to it because it is genetic and my maternal aunt had it at one point. I also have some autoimmune issues and hypothyroid - alopecia is autoimmune. My case was fairly extreme - I know many women who had small patches that stayed small and grew back just fine!

On the other hand, I had no excessive hair loss after DD1. Not even the normal postpartum hair loss.

So I guess I would just keep an eye on it. It can seem like a lot and still be completely normal. I will say, my hairdresser and the dermatologist advised me to wean to get the alopecia to slow down. I didn't listen, of course. And then when I weaned, my hair stopped falling out. I'm fully prepared to wean right away if I notice it (bald patches) happening this time around.

Most of my friends just ended up cutting their hair a shorter style, because the excessive amounts of hair loss seems even worse with long hair. I'm team ponytail, so I never go too short

[bocaburger]

Thanks for sharing elebishi. I also have Hashimotos so it's good to know that alopecia could be related and I will keep a closer eye on it.