Here’s how pregnancy and childbirth can affect your hair

Pregnancy has been good for Love Island star Molly-Mae Hague, who took to YouTube last week to show viewers how long, thick and healthy her hair is now.

She told viewers that her natural hair has “got a lot better” and her extensions have even been removed.

However, she added that the fruits of her impending delivery may not last.

In fact, a hairstylist recently told Molly-Mae that she could experience more hair loss after giving birth than if she hadn’t seen any improvement during pregnancy.

Like Molly-Mae, Brittany Jones – a 26-year-old from Staffordshire – found that her hair had improved dramatically during her two pregnancies in 2019 and 2021.

“My hair started out very thin and hung down to my shoulders, but then it got really thick,” she tells Metro.co.uk.

“Eventually it grew to my lower back.

“It seemed to go from weak to healthy in a matter of weeks.”

She noticed the change just after the first trimester and despite the complications of her pregnancy, she felt healthier overall.

“I think I felt more confident and nourished because I looked healthier,” she says.

But it didn’t last long.

Eight months after giving birth, Brittany’s hair changed dramatically.

“Almost half of my hair fell out and now it breaks very easily,” she says. “It’s back to pre-pregnancy.”

The hair loss made her extremely self-conscious

Brittany adds, “I was used to being able to do different hairstyles, and now I have to be wary of a thin ponytail or a noticeable break in my hair at my roots.”

What Causes Hair Loss After Childbirth?

‘Telogen Effluvium’ is the medical term for postpartum hair loss and affects between 40% and 50% of women, but it is rarely talked about.

So what causes it?

In short, it all has to do with hormones.

“Women are more likely to grow more hair during pregnancy,” explains Dr. Abdulaziz, Balwi, a hair surgeon and medical director of Elithair Hair Loss Clinic.

“This is due to an increase in the hormone estrogen, which keeps hair in the anagen (growth) phase for longer.”

Hair loss occurs when the hormones are out of balance after giving birth. It can start days, weeks or months after birth.

In short, your hair that has skipped several stages of hair loss is catching up.

Postpartum hair loss can also be caused by the stress of childbirth and caring for a newborn.

Can Hair Loss After Childbirth Be Treated?

The good news is that it’s not forever.

Your hair should grow back within a few months (if it hasn’t grown back after a year, talk to your doctor about possible causes and solutions).

Dr. Balwi suggests focusing on nutrition in the first place.

“Because the hormones are out of whack after birth, it’s important to pay attention to nutrition,” he says.

“Making sure you get the right amounts of vitamins and minerals helps support hair growth.”

He says dark leafy greens, sweet potatoes and carrots, eggs, and fish are particularly helpful.

“A regimen of vitamins high in biotin or keratin can boost hair growth,” he adds.

If all else fails, there are also mesotherapy treatments you can use to boost blood flow to your scalp.

Don’t worry if you experience hair loss after childbirth. It’s completely normal.

Just remember that help is always available and you are certainly not alone in your experience.