Your hair during pregnancy
December 1st 2010 03:11
Whether you're pregnant right now, or are simply planning to have children at some point in the future, it's worth knowing about what kinds of changes you can expect your hair to go through during this difficult but amazing time. Pregnancy is undoubtedly a life-changing (and body-changing!) experience for all women, and many will find that their hair starts doing some rather strange things over the course of these nine months as well.
First of all, keep in mind that because every pregnancy is different, every woman is going to experience different changes to her hair - and some won't have any changes at all! But most of us will find that our hair is not quite the same as it was before we conceived.
The lucky ones will notice that their hair has become thicker, shinier, and more healthy-looking than ever before. Many will find that their hair growth rate picks up some major speed, and that their nails are stronger and faster-growing too. This is due to those wonderful pregnancy hormones that trigger a surge in blood circulation while boosting the body's metabolism - two key contributors to faster hair growth. The added thickness of the hair is due to the fact that your elevated estrogen levels are keeping your strands in the telogen phase ("resting" phase) for longer than usual, thus minimising hair loss.
As for the not-so-lucky? They will find that their hair becomes dull, tangles easily, and can become either very greasy or very dry. Straight hair may develop an annoying kink, while curly hair often decides that this is the time to fall flat. To combat this, you'll need to purchase different hair care products that are more suited to your hair's current requirements, as well as trying out some new styling techniques. But don't despair: in nearly all cases, a woman's hair will return to how it used to be within six months of her child's birth.
When it comes to colouring, perming, or using a hair relaxer, the general consensus is that the less you do these things, the better off you and your baby will be. There's currently no evidence to show that undergoing these treatments during pregnancy definitely does do harm to the baby (mostly because no researcher would be so unethical as to test such a hypothesis on pregnant women), but generally speaking, you'll want to keep harsh chemicals away from your scalp as much as you can, as they are absorbed into your bloodstream.
If you absolutely must colour your hair during pregnancy, then doing so with highlights or balayage - techniques that keep the dye mostly off your scalp - is the best way to go about it. As for perms and relaxers, be aware that your pregnant body's hormone levels may end up giving you a less than ideal result... like a head full of frizz. The fact that your hair is likely to be growing faster than usual means that the treatment will need re-doing much sooner as well.
Something that you should definitely take advantage of is the abundance of free time you have right now - well, abundant compared to the seriously minimal free time you'll have after the baby is born! In those first few months after the birth, you'll likely be hard pressed finding the time to do anything with your hair that doesn't involve a ponytail.
So, take this time to play with your hair to your heart's content: experiment with new hairstyles and products, and get your hair trimmed before you're too big to lumber your way into the salon. A new haircut can do wonders for your self image, but unless your hair is already short then it's best to not do anything too drastic. Your pregnancy weight gain will make your face look puffier than usual in those last few months, and you may find a very short cut to be unflattering. In general, having longer hair is best during and after pregnancy because it takes less time to style, and it won't fall in your face when you're feeding, changing and bathing your new baby.
And once your child has entered the world, you'll find that there will be a whole new set of hair-related issues to deal with... but that's for another blog. Enjoy this time and make the most of it! Best of luck to you all.
Pregnancy hair: for some it's a dream, for others, a nightmare.
First of all, keep in mind that because every pregnancy is different, every woman is going to experience different changes to her hair - and some won't have any changes at all! But most of us will find that our hair is not quite the same as it was before we conceived.
The lucky ones will notice that their hair has become thicker, shinier, and more healthy-looking than ever before. Many will find that their hair growth rate picks up some major speed, and that their nails are stronger and faster-growing too. This is due to those wonderful pregnancy hormones that trigger a surge in blood circulation while boosting the body's metabolism - two key contributors to faster hair growth. The added thickness of the hair is due to the fact that your elevated estrogen levels are keeping your strands in the telogen phase ("resting" phase) for longer than usual, thus minimising hair loss.
As for the not-so-lucky? They will find that their hair becomes dull, tangles easily, and can become either very greasy or very dry. Straight hair may develop an annoying kink, while curly hair often decides that this is the time to fall flat. To combat this, you'll need to purchase different hair care products that are more suited to your hair's current requirements, as well as trying out some new styling techniques. But don't despair: in nearly all cases, a woman's hair will return to how it used to be within six months of her child's birth.
When it comes to colouring, perming, or using a hair relaxer, the general consensus is that the less you do these things, the better off you and your baby will be. There's currently no evidence to show that undergoing these treatments during pregnancy definitely does do harm to the baby (mostly because no researcher would be so unethical as to test such a hypothesis on pregnant women), but generally speaking, you'll want to keep harsh chemicals away from your scalp as much as you can, as they are absorbed into your bloodstream.
If you absolutely must colour your hair during pregnancy, then doing so with highlights or balayage - techniques that keep the dye mostly off your scalp - is the best way to go about it. As for perms and relaxers, be aware that your pregnant body's hormone levels may end up giving you a less than ideal result... like a head full of frizz. The fact that your hair is likely to be growing faster than usual means that the treatment will need re-doing much sooner as well.
Something that you should definitely take advantage of is the abundance of free time you have right now - well, abundant compared to the seriously minimal free time you'll have after the baby is born! In those first few months after the birth, you'll likely be hard pressed finding the time to do anything with your hair that doesn't involve a ponytail.
So, take this time to play with your hair to your heart's content: experiment with new hairstyles and products, and get your hair trimmed before you're too big to lumber your way into the salon. A new haircut can do wonders for your self image, but unless your hair is already short then it's best to not do anything too drastic. Your pregnancy weight gain will make your face look puffier than usual in those last few months, and you may find a very short cut to be unflattering. In general, having longer hair is best during and after pregnancy because it takes less time to style, and it won't fall in your face when you're feeding, changing and bathing your new baby.
And once your child has entered the world, you'll find that there will be a whole new set of hair-related issues to deal with... but that's for another blog. Enjoy this time and make the most of it! Best of luck to you all.
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