Mention the topic of female hair loss and some folk might think of someone like Gail Porter, who went bald after a series of traumas including a nude picture of her being projected onto the Houses of Parliament. However, some may be surprised to learn that hair loss can often occur in pregnancy.
The issue has been highlighted by a few celebrities who have endured such a problem. Katherine Ryan suffered hair loss while pregnant with each of her two children, who arrived in successive years. She posted a picture on Instagram of her tufty hair gradually returning with the caption: “Tell me you had two babies in two years.”
Others to have struggled with the problem include Abbey Clancy, who lost hair during her third pregnancy, plus Love Island star Montana Brown, who has lost hair since having a baby three months ago.
The condition is, in some ways, an unexpected one, as often hair becomes fuller and thicker than ever during pregnancy due to the effects of elevated levels of oestrogen. Reasons can include hormonal shifts and stress.
More severe problems that can cause hair loss include thyroid issues and iron deficiency, which may be exacerbated by the strain placed on the body by carrying a child.
A further issue can be postpartum shedding, which can be related to a severe drop in oestrogen levels.
The key question is whether you need a trichologist to deal with the problem. For the majority of sufferers, the answer will be no, because while you could get some treatment to bring quick relief, the problem will usually resolve itself as hormone and stress levels normalise, your body settles down and hair growth gets back to its previous pattern.
Where loss may be more permanent is if there are deeper medical conditions or psychological factors like stress, the kind of thing that can cause alopecia.
If you are suffering hair loss during or soon after pregnancy, contact our experts to assess the situation and what can be done about it.