Does Pregnancy Affect Hair?

Yes, pregnancy can affect your hair. Hormonal changes during pregnancy can cause noticeable differences in hair thickness and texture.

How Pregnancy Hormones Impact Hair

During pregnancy, significant hormonal fluctuations occur, primarily involving estrogen and progesterone. These shifts can profoundly influence your hair growth cycle, leading to various changes:

• Increased Hair Thickness: Many pregnant individuals experience a noticeable increase in hair thickness. This is because elevated estrogen levels can prolong the growth phase (anagen phase) of hair follicles, leading to less shedding and more hair overall.
• Decreased Hair Thinning: Conversely, some individuals might experience thinning hair, which is less common during pregnancy.
• Changes in Hair Texture: Some pregnant people might notice their hair becoming curlier, straighter, drier, or oilier than usual.

Hair Growth Cycle During Pregnancy

The typical hair growth cycle consists of three main phases:

1. Anagen (Growth Phase): Hair actively grows. This phase is prolonged by pregnancy hormones.
2. Catagen (Transition Phase): Hair growth slows and follicles shrink.
3. Telogen (Resting Phase): Hair rests and eventually falls out. Less hair reaches the telogen phase during pregnancy, leading to thicker hair overall.

Hair Treatments and Coloring During Pregnancy

When considering hair treatments or coloring during pregnancy, it’s important to be cautious and consult with a healthcare professional:

• Hair Dyes: Many hair dyes contain chemicals that some pregnant individuals may prefer to avoid. If you choose to dye your hair, consider opting for:
  • Vegetable-based dyes.
  • Highlighting or lowlighting techniques which avoid direct contact with the scalp.
  • Ensuring good ventilation and performing a patch test prior to full application.
• Hair Treatments: Strong chemical treatments like perms, relaxers, or keratin treatments should be avoided during pregnancy due to the potential for chemical absorption into the body and the lack of conclusive safety data.
• General Caution: Always prioritize natural and gentle hair care products during pregnancy and discontinue use of any products that may cause scalp irritation or allergies.

Changes After Pregnancy

After childbirth, hormonal levels drop significantly, often resulting in postpartum hair shedding, also known as telogen effluvium. This can be distressing but is usually a temporary phase as the hair growth cycle readjusts.