How to Deal With Post-Pregnancy Hair Loss: The Experts Weigh In

Among the many physical changes that take place during the nine-plus months of pregnancy, differences in hair volume and texture are among the most celebrated. “Estrogen levels rise and are at an all-time high, and that has a positive impact on skin and hair,” says New York City–based hair-restoration surgeon Dr. Carlos Wesley, whose own wife, Anna Kaiser, is pregnant and currently experiencing this firsthand. “Estrogen binds to little estrogen receptors at the base of follicles, and it holds the hair for a longer period of time in the growth phase. The caliber of your hair is higher as well, and if you increase the caliber of every hair on your head, you increase the overall volume by about 38 percent.”  

But, unfortunately, the lustrous lengths women enjoy during the pre-natal period tend not to last long beyond birth. The subsequent decline in estrogen levels and rise of the stress hormone cortisol causes hair to move from the anagen cycle (growth) to the telogen phase (shedding), Wesley describes. “About nine weeks after birth, you lose 30 percent of your hair,” he says. “It does come back, but it comes back thinner, finer.”

As for what that actually looks like, stylist Joey Silvestera, who tends to the downtown set at his Tribeca Blackstones salon in the Roxy Hotel, offers a firsthand observation: “You shed all that hair that you didn’t lose during the pregnancy,” he says, citing the appearance of “baby bangs” as a typical result. “It is the common loss and regrowth around the hairline and temples that is most noticeable.”

There are, however, a few styling tricks that can help minimize the awkwardness, according to both experts. “You shouldn’t wear it back as much, no ponytails and top knots for a while, and wear it forward by creating these curtains that cover the hairline,” Silvestera says. He suggests asking your stylist for “deeper layers,” more face-framing pieces, or even a full set of fringe to avoid the appearance of a seemingly receding hairline. (He also points out that the thinning can even be a welcome reprieve for those women who may have unruly or unmanageable hair to begin with.) Wesley also recommends washing the hair with gentle pressure two to three times a week. “That massaging helps reduce the stress to the scalp and hair,” he explains.

However, if you’re onto your second or third baby and hair shows no sign of rebounding, Wesley suggests platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatments, which have been used for Alopecia patients. It involves drawing blood, spinning it in a centrifuge to isolate the platelet concentrate, and then injecting that back into the scalp. “This may seem extreme, but that’s one of the things that people can do preemptively, a way of getting the hair to come back sooner, and it can sometimes really minimize the percentage of your hair that’s in the telogen phase,” he says. Two treatments spaced three months apart are suggested, as studies have proven that doing only one has the same efficacy as a saline injection, according to Wesley. “Supplements like biotin can also help, and an increase in soy in the diet,” he adds. For those women suffering from iron deficiency, an uptick in protein-rich foods like red meat and kale is encouraged. 

For his part, Wesley has already advised his wife to start with diet, but she has informed him that “these aren’t the foods she is craving,” he laughs. “Women might be afraid of all these changes, especially with a newborn, but at the end of it—hair loss or not—you’ll have a beautiful baby.”

 

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