13Dec
PREGNANCY AND YOUR HAIR – WHAT HAPPENS?
Our stylists see and hear it in the salon all the time – “Help! I’m pregnant, and weird things are happening to my hair! What’s going on, and how do I fix it?!” While pregnancy is an amazing thing, it also has effects on your body that are chaotic and incredibly unpredictable – and it’s not just about your taste in food!
“Don’t worry! Hair loss is very common after childbirth, but this is usually temporary....”
- Jonathan Torch
We’ve seen all sorts of effects that pregnancy has on hair, from hair loss to rapid hair growth. We see curl patterns developing, your hair becoming straighter, or even pregnancy making straight hair go curly! But the effects that pregnancy has on the hair can be controlled and helped with the use of the right products. Products that are pH balanced perfectly for the hair and scalp can help combat some of the problems that may arise as a result of your pregnancy.
On average, there are approximately 12,000 hair follicles on the head. Blood feeds these follicles through the papilla, which acts as the gateway between the hair and the body. But this “gateway”, the papilla, is constantly open, allowing any hormonal imbalance to pass through the papilla and affect the hair. Due to the natural hormone imbalance that occurs during pregnancy, there may be an increase in sebum, which occurs because the sebaceous glands are regulated by hormones. Throughout the pregnancy, hormone levels fluctuate. Androgens (male hormones) enlarge the sebaceous glands increasing sebum production, and Estrogen (female hormones) reduces the size and amount of sebum secreted from the sebaceous gland.
Sebum, and its amount in your hair, naturally moisturizes your hair – so when there are hormone imbalances, the moisture in your hair fluctuates! The result can be seen with dry, limp, or oily hair during pregnancy – all of which can be controlled by daily cleansing with Curly Hair Solutions™ Treatment Shampoo. Treatment Shampoo helps to restore the natural pH balance of your hair, so if you use it during pregnancy, it can help combat the effects of hormone imbalance, and bring some regularity to your day-to-day hairstyles.
The biggest thing we hear about hair issues during and after pregnancy is a fear or panic about hair loss. Don’t worry! Hair loss is very common after childbirth, but this is usually temporary. The hair loss will begin two to three months after the birth and will last a couple of weeks. After approximately six months, your hair will return to its normal condition, but make sure to keep regular maintenance with a good shampooing and conditioning process, and using products that strengthen the health of your curls.
