The answers? Yes, it depends, and it’s worth focusing on standard hair care lessons. Here’s everything you need to know, vetted by experts. Perhaps you’re familiar with the oft-cited “pregnancy glow.” That’s because “Pregnancy causes a spike in hormone levels including estrogen, progesterone, oxytocin, and prolactin,” says hair restoration specialist Craig Ziering, D.O., FAOCD, FISHRS, FAAD, owner of Ziering Medical. “Blood volume also rises during pregnancy, as much as 50%1.” As a result, many expecting mothers experience dewy, slightly-flushed skin and (you guessed it) a longer and thicker mane. After childbirth, though, there’s a quick drop in those hormones—with greater hair shedding a result. It’s perhaps even more noticeable if you experienced a particularly full head of pregnancy locks, Ziering notes, but rest assured that it’s a perfectly normal condition, and hair does grow back after some time. And for what it’s worth: There’s not much you can do to prevent postpartum hair loss (or predict whether it will happen to you). If it’s been a full year and you haven’t seen any improvement, you might want to visit a derm or hair specialist to make sure there isn’t another underlying condition happening simultaneously, says Ziering.
