Women who have been through pregnancy will recall how they are told that they will "bloom" and their skin and hair will be "radiant" etc. Most women have one or two other things on their mind at this time! However, many women do notice their hair is thicker i.e. it has more volume. Some report stronger nails and fewer spots and blotches on the skin.....others don't. The changing hormonal environment during pregnancy has effects on skin and hair. These are poorly understood. It seems a cruel trick of nature that in the first three months after delivery, when some women are at their lowest following sleep deprivation, the typical parental anxieties and trying to keep up with all the usual domestic chores, that their hair starts to fall out.

It is estimated that up to 50% of women are affected, some who have had no problems following previous pregnancies can be affected in subsequent ones. Again the exact causes are unknown, but it is known that during pregnancy the hormonal environment affects the anagen/telogen (A/T) ratio. This keeps more hairs in the anagen phase so their are more hair follicles than normal actively producing hair fibber. After birth the hormones return to normal and the A/T ratio falls to below normal. Hairs that should have been in telogen during pregnancy go into it in a synchronous fashion. This synchrony means that more hairs than normal are in the resting (telogen) phase.
With time the A/T ratio returns to normal and hair volume increases. As the duration of telogen is typically about 3 months it will take this long to return to normal. So even once signaled to re-grow there is a delay in growth as the fibber has to grow up through the skin and emerge from the surface. This can take 3-6 weeks.

Recommendations During Pregnancy and After Delivery:

• Talk to your doctor 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, many of which are 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 cooler, lower settings.
• Supplement your diet with the following nutrients:
  Vitamin B complex
  Biotin
  Inositol
  Vitamin C with bioflavonoids
  Coenzyme Q10
  Vitamin E
  Zinc
  Horsetail
  Pygeum and Saw Palmetto