I'm pregnant and my hair is falling out. Is this normal?
Sally Sago answers:
For most women, the hormonal changes that take place during pregnancy actually make your hair appear healthier. It is more common for hair to fall out after the birth of the baby rather than when you are pregnant. Hair loss during pregnancy is quite unusual.
There is little information available about hair loss during pregnancy, but one possibility is that dry hair may become drier as a result of high levels of progesterone, the female hormone produced in the ovaries. Progesterone works with oestrogen to regulate the reproductive cycle. If this is the case, your hair will be more prone to crack and break, especially in later pregnancy. As it breaks off near the roots it may appear to be hair loss, although it actually isn't. Either way, this can be very distressing.
Speak with your midwife or doctor to make sure there is no other reason for your problem, especially if you have any long-term medical or dietary condition.
Meanwhile:
do not over brush your hair
treat it gently
use a mild shampoo
contact a well-qualified hairdresser for more advice
be careful about the use of chemicals, such as colours or perms, as hair can react differently to treatments when you are pregnant
You can be fairly certain that your hair will return to normal after the birth of your baby and there's no reason to think that it will happen again in a future pregnancy.