Hair Falling Out

Updated on November 02, 2008
G.R. asks from Dallas, TX
11 answers

My son is about 5 months old and recently these past two weeks my hair has been falling out. Has anybody had this experience before? Is there anything I can do to control it? I still drink my prenatal vitamins because I'm breastfeeding. I don't know what to do. Will my hair grow back that I'm losing??????

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T.O.

answers from Dallas on

It can be related to the pregnancy/birth... but it can also be thyroid. Next time you're at the doc ask him about it. He might want to check your levels.

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S.S.

answers from Wichita Falls on

IDK if it is the same thing - but my hair looked better than it ever had while I was pregnant. Turns out you don't lose your normal 100 strands a day while your pregnant.. but from 3 to 9 months or so post partum, you lose what you should have loss + the normal 100 a day. It stopped by the time my hair got back to its pre pregnancy state, though.

In the mean time, you can get a hair catcher at Lowe's for less than $5 to save on the plumbing bills.

HTH
S.

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J.O.

answers from Dallas on

This is completely normal. Some women just lose the hair that their bodies held on to during pregnancy, and some us lose more. I'm in the same boat as you -- my daughter is almost 5 months old and the hair that frames my face is very, very thin. My hair did the same thing when my son was right at 5 months old. It will grow back!

It may help some if you avoid anything that could pull on your hair, like ponytails, wearing hats, etc.

Hang in there!

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P.N.

answers from Dallas on

Gina,
Hair loss in normal. Its our hormones out of wack. It will stop once they settle down. I have 2 kids 8 and 14 and my hair still falls out, but more just grows back in. I have really thick hair so you would never know its coming out unless you looked at my floor.lol When i asked my OB when i had my 8yr old she said if i feel like you can see it then get some Rogain for women. Since your breastfeeding I wouldnt do it. It will slow down hang in there. Make sure you are getting your hair trimmed every 6 weeks. This seemed to help me.

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A.D.

answers from Dallas on

I lost tons of hair each time I gave birth. It seemed like it fell out for 10 months or so. Probably just hormonal.

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S.C.

answers from Dallas on

Gina, funny I just read an article in Dallas Child, November Issue about hairloss.. it stated that "built-up up stress can trigger whats called telogen effluvium(TE) or an increased shedding of hair occuring 3-4 mths after a stressful event", it just stated to make sure "moms are getting enough iron and give it some time, time and patience are the only true cure to TE"..so you might want to get your iron level checked.. but my son will be 3 in December, I have no Thyroid problem and I am still losing hair.. so I will be getting some iron supplements..

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L.R.

answers from Dallas on

I'm pretty sure that's in the normal time frame. A few months after giving birth your hair falls out like crazy because your hormones are shifting and getting back to post baby normal. It seems like you'll be bald, but you're actually just catching up on all the hair you DID NOT lose during pregnancy.

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J.T.

answers from Dallas on

I haven't seen any mention of Arbonne products to you. Try them and good luck.

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T.D.

answers from Dallas on

Gina,
This just happened to a good friend of mine a few months ago. Her son was four months old and she was breastfeeding. And then she started losing her hair in big clumps. She went to the doctor and after having some bloodwork done found out that it was a thyroid problem in addition to postpartum depression. She got on medication for the thyroid and also for the depression and her hair stopped falling out. She felt much better then too. I would definitely ask your doctor to have your thyroid checked. It's not something you want to mess around with!

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L.G.

answers from Dallas on

Gina,
You have had alot of good responses. I just want to make sure that you consider the thyroid issue. I had thyroid problems when my son was 5 months also. I was so week that I couldn't even pick up my son. My doc told me that 6-8% of women have thyroid issues postpardum. Most of them balance out on their own, but some don't. The thyroid is a hormone, so all of the ones telling you it your hormones are correct, however if it is your thyroid, you do need to get it checked out. Your thyroid controls everything. If your thyroid is working overtime, then all of your organs are working overtime, and can cause fatigue and weightloss. Your thyroid can also do the opposite, and not work enough, which will cause weight gain. This is something that I think you should get checked out. Look at all the signs though. If you are lossing alot and I mean alot of hair, fatigued, unexplained weight loss or gain, it never hurts to talk to your doctor about it.
Good Luck!!!

M.M.

answers from Houston on

I am a hairstylist so I will try to explain this.

Your hair that WOULD have fallen out during pregnancy and early breastfeeding doesn't like it typically would due to hormones... which leads to the thicker hair than normal.

But now that your breastfeeding is most likely slowing down some since your son is 5 months now, your hair is getting back to it's normal routine and what didn't fall out when it should have, will start to fall out now.

You will also notice little soft and pointy end baby hairs growing in around your part, and hairline soon. As a stylist, when we see a women for the first time and see this, we usually ask if they recently had a baby and the answer is always "yes, how did you know!?"

Around 4-8 months after having both my kids my hair came out in clumps, but it usually goes back to normal around a year/year and a half.

Thyroid problems are another cause of hair thinning, but if it has never been a problem before, the hair thinning is most likely die to hormones.

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