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Maternal (Expert Forum)
Excessive hair loss one year after delivery
Patient medical question and answer from The Maternal and Child Health Forum. Health topic area and articles about newborn care
Excessive hair loss one year after delivery
by Lisa-Eberhardt, Oct 01, 1998 12:00AM
My son will be a year old next week. I have been losing quite a bit of hair for about 6-8 months. It seems to be getting worse instead of better, and I am becoming alarmed. I am treated for hypothyroidism (following treatment for Graves Disease), but my TSH levels have been fairly stable. I did not experience hair loss following two other deliveries. Please help -- I have lost over half my hair!
Dear Lisa:
Head hair is continuous being shed and renewed. Hair spends much of its time in a growing phase and a minority of time in a resting phase when it can be shed, and the hair follicle then renews the hair shaft. This occurs randomly: each hair follicle is at a different point in the cycle and hence more hair is growing than is being lost.
Following pregnancy, for unknown reasons, hair can enter a prolonged rest phase and hence more hair is being shed than is growing. Hence, the situation you describe.
Hypothyroidism is also a known cause for hair loss. Deficiency of the pituitary hormones, a rare happening that follows pregnancy, also explains hair loss. These issues should be addressed with the person managing your thyroid hormone replacement. A variety of other illness such as iron deficiency, liver and kidney illness, and drugs, notably chemotherapy, cause hair loss.
Post-pregnancy hair loss may totally reverse as the hair re-enters the growth phase. Treatments that have been tried include minoxidil (the Upjohn product to stimulate hair growth); cyproterone acetate + estrogen (not available in the USA, but available in Canada as the formulation Diane); the responses are not dramatic. Sympathetic support, a good stylist, and hair pieces are the best we have to offer.
The Department of Dermatology (313-916-2151)at Henry Ford Hospital is a resource for your problem.
Keywords: alopecia, postpartum
This informatin is provided for general education purposes only and is not a medical consultation. If your have specific questions, please contact your physician.
