What Should You Know About Hair Care During Pregnancy?

The Pregnancy Period For Hair 

There’s more to look forward to than the birth of your child when you find out you are pregnant. You have to prepare yourself for 9 months too of good hair days. 

ParadiMirmirani, MD, a dermatologist with Kaiser Permanente in Vallejo, Calif, says lush and full, she always tells her patients that their hair will be the best it’s ever been and so enjoy it when you can. 

Hair Changes

It is found that hair does normally grow in three major phases including active growth, resting, as well as shedding. People typically shed 100 hairs every day during these phases. The extra hormones coursing through your body shift your hair cycle when you are pregnant. In this case, the hair grows or stays on your head and doesn’t shed. Here is the reason your hair seems longer and thicker than usual. 

During pregnancy, some research also suggests that hair strands actually thickens. As Mirmirani says, the diameter of the hair is found to increase. It’s thicker during pregnancy as they measured hair diameter in the third trimester and after pregnancy. 

During or after pregnancy, sometimes a woman’s hair becomes more or less curly. 

According to Mirmirani, the exact mechanism is not understood by them. Whether hormones during pregnancy can alter the shape of the hair follicle, there is a lot of thought about it. The shape of the hair fibre is dictated by the shape of the follicle. 

Avoiding Chemicals

You may wonder whether to take a break during pregnancy if you normally dye, highlight perm, or relax your hair. While others say that it's OK to continue, some doctors recommend stopping. Whereas they are OK later in pregnancy, still others say that treatments should be avoided in the first trimester. 

What is the reason behind the difference of opinion? In pregnant women, very few studies have examined the effects of dyes and other hair chemicals. There is always this possibility that these harsh chemicals may be then absorbed through the scalp during treatments and finally passed along to your growing baby. 

Dermatologist Nia Terezakis, MD, a clinical professor at Tulane University is of the opinion that you have many pores that are deep on the scalp and there’s always the potential especially if the scalp is irritated as they truly don’t know if anything is absorbed internally. The better it is the fewer chemicals. 

Consider getting highlights or using a natural dye if you are concerned about chemicals but need to keep your appearance for professional reasons. 

Dyes like henna are good for people who want to go the more natural route if you are just covering greys according to Heather Woolery-Lloyd, MD, voluntary assistant professor of dermatology at the University of Miami. 

During pregnancy, skip keratin hair-straightening treatments. Containing harmful formaldehyde are they. 

Pregnancy Hair Maintenance

Unless you use prescription dandruff shampoo, you shouldn’t need to change your shampoo, conditioner, hair spray, gel, mousse, or blow-dry and curling-iron routine while you are expecting. As some medicated shampoos can’t be used during pregnancy talk to your doctor. 

As Woolery-Lloyd says, prescription cortisone shampoo would have to be approved by your OB/GYN whereas prescription antifungal shampoo is usually OK. 
Many hair-care products are scented and some pregnant women can become overwhelmed by aromas. Switch to a fragrance-free version of the smell of your shampoo or hair spray becomes too strong to tolerate. 

Postpartum Hair Drama

To end a few months after your baby is born, expect your streak of good-hair days: beginning to fall out is all of the hair that stuck around for longer than usual. 

As Woolery Lloyd says they will have a massive loss of hair three to six months after having the baby. While it could be mild, it can be very dramatic and extremely traumatising. 

Your hair will grow normally afterward. Normal and healthy are shedding while you are recovering from pregnancy. This does not intend that you are going bald. 

The Conclusion

May be maintaining hair care is not possible during the pregnancy term. But always you can be assured you can treat it back after a few months of childbirth. So, you need not allow yourself to get dejected when you are feeling that hair loss is at its maximum. What else should you need to know about post-partum and hair fall during pregnancy? We will bring you more details so that you can be sure to fight the hair fall successfully.