During pregnancy, there is a change in texture and growth in a woman’s hair. Hormones can speed up hair growth and reduce hair loss. Most of these hair alterations aren't permanent. Many women lose hair after giving birth or after they stop breastfeeding. Hormonal changes might influence your hair during pregnancy, making it thicker or thinner.
Your hair has a life cycle of its own. Each hair develops for two or three months before being pushed out by a new hair developing in the same follicle (the tube-shaped sheath that surrounds the hair beneath the skin). This cycle shifts during pregnancy.
Around 15 weeks of pregnancy, some women notice that their hair is thicker.
This isn't because each hair strand becomes thicker. Rather, the hair stays in the growing phase of its cycle for longer, resulting in fewer hairs falling out than typical. An increase in the hormone oestrogen is to blame. Many women will see an increase of growth from the hair on their scalp as well as other areas on the body. Others during pregnancy, have a greater loss of hair, due to a drop in oestrogen level.
Hair loss is also prevalent in women after their oestrogen levels return to normal levels after pregnancy. This causes the extra hair from the growing phase to transition to the resting phase, where it falls out more frequently than normal until 3-4 months after your child is born.
By the time your kid is around 12 months old, your hair growth will have returned to normal.
Hair is more prone to frizz, during pregnancy. When there's a little more precipitation in the air, those dry pieces fly out of line to gain moisture. Some women who experience dry hair may also notice that it feels more brittle and prone to breakage. Although hormones might cause dry hair in some pregnant women, others may experience the opposite problem and notice that their strands become more prone to oil.
The changes to your hair like all other pregnant symptoms, are just temporary. Take these steps to minimize and prevent permanent loss:
· Taking vitamins
· Don't wash your hair too often.
· Don't forget to use conditioner after shampooing.
· Air dry hair or rather than turning on the blow dryer.
· Use a wide-tooth comb or finger detangle on wet hair
· Minimize use of heat and chemicals
· Wear hairstyles with no tension
· Avoid hair products that contain silicone, oils, or lanolin, as these might weigh hair down.
· Wash away excess conditioner and styling products with a clarifying shampoo to remove buildup.
· Monitor hair loss if it is excessive contact your doctor