Help I’m Pregnant and Losing My Hair

Help, I’m pregnant and losing hair. Why is this happening to me?

From what I understand and have read - pregnant women can experience thinning hair due to hormone changes in the body. If your hair is thinning as a result of these hormonal changes, you could be experiencing telogen effluvium - a condition of diffuse thinning of the hair caused by varying hormonal changes/stress factors. The good news is hair loss caused by hormonal changes/stress is typically reversible.

Dr. Wiliam Rassman, a well respected member of our Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians states on our hair restoration discussion forums:

“Telogen effluvium is a condition of losing hair and it may happen due to different stimulations. One example of it is in women who have just delivered a baby. This condition could be reversible, if patient is not prone to some type of genetic hair loss. A microscopic examination of patient’s scalp can tell us more about the type of the hair loss. Patients may also need a thorough medical evaluation to rule out the other treatable medical causes of hair loss that are often seen in women.”

And…

“Telogen effluvium (TE) is a type of hair loss, which is characterized by a diffuse hair shedding. It usually has a rapid onset but a chronic type is also reported. It is generally a reaction to medications, metabolic and hormonal changes. TE is generally a reversible process, if it happens to normal hair. On the other hand if hair is miniaturized, TE can precipitate the loss that could be irreversible. This is exactly what happens in shock loss after hair transplant surgery when patients lose their miniaturized hair. Some common causes of TE are:

Hormonal manipulation (e,g, birth control pills)
Medications can rarely cause TE such as beta-blockers, anticoagulants, retinoids (including excess vitamin A), propylthiouracil, and immunization agents.
Allergic contact dermatitis of the scalp”

I do, however, recommend consulting with a doctor to determine the cause of your hair loss condition.

Bill - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center
View my Hair Loss Weblog

Technorati Tags: losing hair, pregnant women, thinning hair, telogen effluvium, diffuse thinning, hair restoration, genetic hair loss, hair loss, TE, hair shedding, hair transplant, miniaturized hair