# Postpartum hair loss - I am going bald!



## Dillpicklechip (Nov 10, 2006)

Oh man, I am freaking out. I have definitely been noticing that after this (my third) baby I have been losing more hair than with the previous two. But I figured, oh well, it's just the hair shedding that didn't fall out when I was pregnant. Even when I saw huge clumps of hair on my brush, I said to myself, "This is just hair that was supposed to come out before."

BUT this morning I went to brush back my hair into a pony tail and I saw that I HAVE A BIG BALD SPOT. In the corner of my forehead, where most people's hairline naturally goes back, there is a patch that goes back at least two inches farther from where my hairline used to be. In the patch is just little wispy hairs. It sort of looks like I shaved that patch a few weeks ago and it's starting to grow back.

There is another bald spot on the left side but it's not quite as bad. All my hair is however very, very thin and I am afraid I may have bald patches at the back too but I'm afraid to really examine it!

OMG...is this normal? Ds just turned 4 months old. Somebody please tell me that by 4 months the worst hair loss is over...somebody please tell me that this hair will all grow back! At this rate I am going to be wearing a wig pretty soon!

My sister, who is a hairdresser, tells me that lots of people get bald patches and that it will all grow back, but I have seen some other people online saying that their hair STAYED thin...I'm sorry for freaking out over something essentially trivial but I have always had very long hair, I feel it's a part of my identity and the thought that I'm only going to have a couple of wispy strings left soon has been making me depressed all day!


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## Peony (Nov 27, 2003)

I lost A LOT of hair after DD2 was born, far more then I had ever before. It didn't stop until right after she turned 1. I did end up cutting my long hair because it was so thin, but I'm pleased to say that now that it's 2 years after she was born, it's growing back in.







I've had thick hair before, and it seems like it's going to be thick again, I still have the little hairs sticking up everywhere in some places so we shall see.


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## birthangeldoula (Feb 1, 2008)

a friend of mine lost so much hair she donned a wig for a while. Within a year though her hair grew back and it looks fine! It must just be hormones..?


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## MsBlack (Apr 10, 2007)

I noticed exactly the same thing a few months after my dc #3 was born--like a receding hairline in the manner of male-pattern baldness, the wispy hairs, etc. It scared me too, but it all came back over the following year.

Yeah, hormones probably, maybe a touch of system depletion. Probably couldn't hurt to make sure you are eating well, still taking pn supplements, getting enough rest (when possible!).


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## jecombs (Mar 6, 2008)

I definitely had a receeding hairline a few months after DD was born! It took about about a year to get back to it's normal state.

If you're really concerned, maybe your dr. or MW can check your thyroid. Low thyroid can cause excessive hair loss, beyond what you would expect post-partum


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## Dillpicklechip (Nov 10, 2006)

Thank you for the responses. It's good to know I'm not the only one.

I do eat well and I get a reasonable amount of sleep. I guess I am just going to have to be patient and wait for that hair to grow back. And in the meantime, I am being VERY careful with washing, brushing etc to make sure I don't pull out any extra hairs.

My husband is being so sweet about this, he keeps singing me the country song "Forever and Ever, Amen" which has these words:
_They say that time takes it's toll on a body
Makes a young girl's brown hair turn grey
But honey, I don't care, I ain't in love with your hair
And if it all fell out well I'd love you anyway_







:


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## RGsMom (Nov 21, 2008)

I lost TONS of hair too - DH noticed it was significantly more even! Umm, it stopped for me about 15 months or so, after I was preggo again, lol


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## Veritaserum (Apr 24, 2004)

I've lost a lot more this time around (#5) and it turns out that I have hypo-thyroidism. You might want to get your thyroid checked....


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## cottonwood (Nov 20, 2001)

It's not common to lose that much hair, so in that sense, no it's not normal. And yes, it's a big red flag for thyroid trouble.










(by the way, your dh is a gem







)


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## Dillpicklechip (Nov 10, 2006)

All day today I keep checking the big bald patch in the mirror...I just can't help it, it's like when you're a kid and your tongue keeps going to the space where you lost a tooth!

One thing I am going to try is iron supplementation. Someone on another board I post on told me that when she got bald patches she went to her naturopath, who told her that her iron was low. Another person told me that her hair stopped falling out after she started taking Floradix iron supplement. So I'll give it a try. I did have really bad bleeding after this last baby so it's totally possible that I have low iron. Anyway, it won't hurt and it's worth a try.


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## emaye_to_2 (Jan 16, 2008)

OP, I am sending you a big hug right now!

My hair started falling out after my first child. Actually it was always thin..
I've been vegetarian since age 14. It was waaaayyy worse than the normal post-pregnancy shedding. First they told me, good news your anemic... just take this iron supplement for three months. It didn't do much for my hair thinning tho. Afterwards I went to a dermatologist and a specialist.. basically they told me that pregnancy can 'unmask' a genetic predisposition to thinning hair which many women do have. Do the women in your family have thin hair? I've learned how to deal with it but it definitely doesn't make me happy.

If you had PP bleeding I would get your iron levels checked for sure.. good luck!


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## Pod4One (Nov 28, 2005)

My hair started falling out right around the 4 month post-partum mark too, at least that's when it was at it's worst. I had two bald patches just above my temples that went back about 1-2 inches - it was freaky! I have fine hair, but lots of it, and it all cam back just fine.

It's not common to lose that much hair? Says who? I don't remember there being a chart anywhere that says what is and isn't common about pregnancy and the post-partum period. Granted, not a bad idea to get your thyriod checked if *you* think it's too much or it doesn't taper off soon, but from the responses here you can see - it happens!


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## weety (Jan 5, 2004)

typin onehanded

some hair loss is normal postpartum
but I'd get your thyroid checked..postpartum thyroiditis is quite common


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## Dillpicklechip (Nov 10, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *emaye_to_2* 
Afterwards I went to a dermatologist and a specialist.. basically they told me that pregnancy can 'unmask' a genetic predisposition to thinning hair which many women do have. Do the women in your family have thin hair? I've learned how to deal with it but it definitely doesn't make me happy.

Interesting idea...my mom does have pretty thin hair, although my grandma, who is 90 and had 5 kids, still has thick hair!


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## Stanton Weissnat (Apr 19, 2021)

After having my baby, I lost so much hair I felt like I was going bald! It is a natural cycle but I wanted my thick luscious hair back. So my doctor told me to use dermalmd hair growth serum and I didn't think it would work well but for the price, it couldn't hurt. I used it as a serum and added it to my shampoo. I no longer have the balding look; little hairs have grown it so you no longer see my shiny white scalp. My mom also started using this same hair growth treatment and notice less hair is falling out too.


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## Alberto322 (Jun 16, 2021)

What types of pills did you try? There are a lot of great options out there, but a great option would be and have a talk with a professional to see what your body is lacking in and to try to approach that exact area. Personally, I've taken drops from this company Wellabs Drops after my pregnancy and they did wonders for me. Of course, every body is different and reacts differntly, so that's why I recommend talking to a specialist beforehand.


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## profelita (Aug 19, 2015)

Biotin supplement has helped mine look fuller.


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