Telogen effluvium!!
It sounds like something Harry Potter would shout in a battle over evil in the newest “Harry Potter and the other jeweled mirror of evil controlled by that good guy that was really a bad guy” movie.
relax HP fans… I like the movies
I was starting to wonder if someone had put a spell on my head for rapid hair loss. Then I remembered that it has happened before. Three times before to be exact.
I remembered that the birth of each of my children caused my hair to fall out in giant clumps and turn my showers into baths.
I also remembered that, while this is COMPLETELY NORMAL and will stop, it can be aggravated by poor nutrition and stress. **insert sound of me googling “postpartum hair loss” **
While most of what I read was a “just wait and it will stop” recommendation I did stumble upon some suggestions:
From American Pregnancy’s Website:
Recommendations for Your Hair During Pregnancy and After Delivery:
There are a number of things that you might do to have healthier hair and/or reduce hair loss during pregnancy and after delivery:
- Consult with your health care provider to ensure a proper balance of hormones
- Avoid pigtails, cornrows, hair weaves, braids and tight hair rollers which can pull and stress your hair
- Eat a diet high in fruits and vegetables, which contain flavonoids and antioxidants that may provide protection for the hair follicles and encourage hair growth
- Use shampoos and conditioners that contain biotin and silica
- Hair is fragile when it is wet, so be gentle; avoid fine tooth combs
- If you need to use blow dryers and other heated hair instruments, try to use the cool setting
- Supplement your diet with the following nutrients:
- Vitamin B complex (Catergory A)
- Biotin (Possibly safe; orally and appropriately)
- Vitamin C (Catergory A)
- Vitamin E ( Likely safe if amount does not exceed the RDA; possibly safe if it does)
- Zinc (Likely safe when used orally and appropriately; likely unsafe when used orally in high doses)
Telogen effluvium is the excessive shedding following pregnancy that can last up to six months.
Oh my goodness! When I was losing my hair then, I thought I was going bald! I also thought it was my thyroid medicine screwed up – but it was that monkeys fault. Why dont they warn you about these things before you think about having a baby right? Probably because we wouldnt wanna have one. LOL
I went to get my hair cut and there was hair wrapped around my scrunchie and it was SOOO embarrassing! There are a ton of things I was never told about pregnancy, birth and kids… and some of the things I was told I thought were exaggerations because no one wanted me making babies too early!
Ah! The things we experience to have our little monkeys. Remind me when in February I’m asking again – where is all my hair going? 😉