When you’re expecting, hair can get complicated.
Photo by Gisele Seidel from Pexels
With Mother’s Day just around the corner, we’re unpacking the pregnancy glow myth. It’s time to explore the reasons pregnancy has such a profound effect on hair growth.
The Myth of Pregnancy Glow
Mother’s Day is a chance to honor our moms and the many changes a mother’s body goes through – some of which are physically obvious and others… less apparently so.
There are some serious societal expectations when it comes to how women look and feel during pregnancy. They’re supposed to have a ‘glow’. And while there is some truth to the benefits of increased estrogen during pregnancy, there are some downsides as well. Hormones are complicated, and that stereotypical ‘pregnancy glow’ can be far cry from the reality women face, especially when it comes to their hair. When the rest of your body and life is changing, having unexpected challenges with your hair can be frustrating, add to the stress, and be downright isolating.
Why Does Hair Change During Pregnancy?
Pregnancy (and rising estrogen) is supposed to give skin and hair a glow. When it doesn’t live up to the promise, it can it can feel frustrating and isolating. Photo by Camylla Battani on Unsplash
It should come as no surprise that the same hormones that fluctuate during pregnancy can influence the hair growth cycle.
The classic pregnancy glow recipe goes like this: rising estrogen, progesterone, and other pregnancy-related hormones prolong the growth cycle (anagen phase). The result can be reduced overall shedding — thicker, fuller looking hair. Additive to this, rising estrogen leads to increased circulation and blood flow to the scalp and skin, increasing nutrient and growth factor availability and lending skin that characteristic ‘pregnancy glow’.
But it’s not a guarantee.
Pregnancy Hair Loss Versus Postpartum Shedding
During pregnancy, higher estrogen levels keep more hairs in the growth phase, so many women shed less than normal. If hair loss does happen, it’s more likely tied to stress, low iron, thyroid or autoimmune issues, nutrition gaps, or another underlying factor rather than the pregnancy itself. However, hormones are personal and everyone experiences pregnancy differently.
The classic pattern of pregnancy hair loss often happens after baby is delivered…when all that extra estrogen goes down and the hair follicles go back to normal. Photo by Sümeyye from Pexels
After delivery, estrogen drops sharply, and a lot of the hairs that were “held” in the growth phase shift into the resting phase… all at once. That leads to eventual postpartum shedding which, if it happens, kicks off 2 to 4 months postpartum.
A silver lining to this kind of hair loss is that it’s usually temporary. The hair growth cycle resets and (eventually) things get back to normal. However, shedding paired with fatigue, weight changes, a scalp that is itching, painful, or inflamed is well worth mentioning to your doctor as it can be a sign of another condition.
What Pregnancy Hair Loss Looks Like
Some signs of pregnancy-related hair loss can include:
- Increased hair in the drain or brush
- Diffuse thinning rather than a single bald patch (*though episodes of patchy alopecia areata can also flare during pregnancy*).
- Hair that feels more fragile, flat, or dry.
Sometimes it seems like while baby’s hair is coming in, mom’s is shedding out (temporarily). Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash
How to Support Hair Health Safely During Pregnancy
Motherhood is so often portrayed as a time of selflessness – caring for the baby. Often, time set aside for mom feels… well, selfish.
But the emotional impact of hair loss during a time when bodies are changing so much isn’t just cosmetic. Pregnancy and new motherhood can already feel overwhelming. While the importance of accepting what we can’t control can’t be understated, hair is a big part of our identity and confidence. Maintaining both is an important part of mental health. Hair loss doesn’t need to become part of the ‘unseen labour’.
Beyond the pre and post-natal advice of your physician, to manage pregnancy-related hair loss you can:
- Eat enough protein and nutrient rich foods to support hair and overall health.
- Consult your physician about getting enough iron and folic acid which are particularly important for both hair and the pregnancy.
- Consider continuing prenatal vitamins postpartum.
- During pregnancy, scalp massage is a safe option and can be beneficial for hair.
- Postpartum, consider introducing support products (like my Feel Confident haircare line (https://feelconfident.com/collections/hair) enriched with compounds known to assist hair health.
- For those experiencing significant hair loss while pregnant, always consult your doctor.
- Try to manage stress. Easier said than done once the sleep deprivation from nighttime feedings kick in.
- Finally, hair toppers and clip in extensions are solutions not discussed enough. They can help manage thinning until hair shedding/loss subsides or until a time when it’s safe to explore other hair loss therapies.
Things to Avoid
- Don’t try to self-treat hair loss.
- Effective over the counter medications like minoxidil and retinoids are not indicated for use during pregnancy.
- Viral supplements (beyond prenatal supplements advised by your physician) are not tested for safety during pregnancy. Herbal supplements (like green tea capsules) can be damaging to the liver. That viral new gummy is just not worth the risk.
- Influencers selling any kind of miracle hair cure.
- Tight styles, over-washing, excessive heat which can all put stress on the hair and follicle.
A Different Kind of Message This Mother’s Day
The pregnancy glow is real for some women, but so are hair changes. Though pregnancy-related postpartum hair loss is incredibly common and usually temporary, it’s also misunderstood.
And that’s a shame. Because our moms are some of the most confident people we know and deserve the confident hair they want.
From all of us at the Feel Confident family, we’re wishing mothers everywhere all the best this Mother’s Day and our one wish is that you take some self-care time off for yourself.
The content of this newsletter is for entertainment and educational purposes only. This content is not meant to provide any medical advice or treat any medical conditions. Patients must be evaluated by an appropriate healthcare provider on an individual basis and treatment must be tailored to meet that patient’s needs. Results and particular outcomes are not guaranteed.
