First of all congratulations on your pregnancy!

You’re certainly aware there will be many changes to come in the months ahead. However, one of those changes could affect your hair, and there are a few details you need to be aware of to prevent any shocks. Your hair can react to pregnancy in different ways; it can become thicker than it was before, or it could become thin and start to fall out. Let’s take a look at why these things happen during pregnancy so you can be prepared, no matter what your case may be.

Hormones have tremendous effects on your hair. Estrogen plays a large part in the way that your hair reacts. If your hair begins to grow faster and becomes thicker, it can most likely be attributed to an increased amount of estrogen throughout your body. Due to this increase in estrogen, your metabolism works at a faster pace. This will result in a bigger ‘rush’ of nutrients throughout your body, which will include your hair follicles.

If your hair falls out during pregnancy, it’s a result of not receiving an adequate amount of the nutrients your body needs. Without those essential nutrients, your body simply cannot produce the required amount of estrogen. This will be most often noticed during the first trimester of your pregnancy, and is normally a result of morning sickness and potential vomiting.

This is one of the reasons why prenatal vitamins are such an important addition to your regime, from the time you find out you are pregnant. It is very important to make sure you are getting the right amounts of nutrients during this time to allow your body to stay balanced. You must remember than your growing baby will be using up a large part of your own supply, and so you require higher amounts of these nutrients than usual.

Another change that you may notice during pregnancy is a change in the style in which your hair grows. Your hair may not only be fuller or thinner, but could also change from straight to curly, or have the opposite effect. This is just another result of the hormonal changes your body is experiencing.

More changes can also occur after your baby is born. You may find that after delivery, your hair is thinning or falling out. This is especially true if you’ve needed anesthesia. Usually, the first three to six months after pregnancy will cause a change in your hair. This should be expected and is completely normal. This is a result of your estrogen levels being able to return to a normal level, slowing down the delivery of nutrients throughout your body.

Knowing what changes your body goes through, both during and after pregnancy, will help you adjust your hair care routine in order to keep it as healthy as possible. Taking some extra time and effort to pamper yourself (and your hair) during this precious milestone of your life will not only help to keep your hair healthy, but will allow you to enjoy your pregnancy all the more.