Postpartum Catastrophe - **Pic Included**

[Qurlyqt]

Who cares about shedding after pregnancy? I didn't... I expected it! However, WHAT is with my disappearing temples?! I had postpartum shedding with my 22 month old but nothing like this!

I am truly in a panic! My twins are 3 1/2 months old and as I was detangling my hair a couple of nights ago, I noticed the hair in my temple areas had vanished! I kept talking to myself, "You're seeing things - look again!" "Go to another bathroom, the lighting is wrong here!" "You just lifted your hair up at a weird angle." "Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale."

I RAN downstairs, grabbed the camera, snapped a pic, and just stared. Within 12 hours, I was sitting at the dermatologist hoping he'd say it was alopecia but he could do some injections into the spot to stimulate growth. Instead, he said it was female pattern baldness and he would suggest Rogaine but the hair still may not grow back! My husband says to get a second opinion. My mother says, "That devil IS a lie!" My sister says, "Bangs are in, just swoop your long hair over the spots." What do the hair experts (my LHCF family) say?

Have any of you experienced this? Did yours grow back? What did you use, if anything?

I'm still nursing, taking prenatal vitamins, trying not to stress and make it worse. Can anyone tell me where to go from here?

 

[Qurlyqt]

whoops - forgot to attach pic...

 

[KhandiB]

Happened to me. Bald Temples, thinned out hair ..

*sorry*

But from what I understand there is nothing you can do about PPS except continue to take care of your hair like your normally would and just wait for it to grow back ..

 

[Proudpiscean]

First of all, I'm sorry you're going through this {{{Hugs}}}. Congrats on your twins!
Definitely get a second opinion from a dermatologist! Try things to stimulate the scalp in that area, like massages to increase circulation. You could also try BT or MTG.....just be careful with putting things on your scalp (especially rogaine) since you're still nursing, as it could enter the circulation. Hopefully, once your hormones regulate things will improve.

I found a recipe (here on LHCF) for an essential oil blend that is suppose to help regrow hair (again ask a doctor if it's okay because you're nursing):



Essential Oil Blend for Hair Growth


1. Thyme essential oil - 2 drops
2. Atlas cedarwood essential oil - 2 drops
3. Lavender essential oil - 3 drops
4. Rosemary essential oil - 3 drops
5. Jojoba oil - 1/2 teaspoon
6. Grapeseed oil - 4 teaspoons



Add the first four ingredients into a small glass jar. Mix well. Now add the remaining two ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Massage this mixture into your scalp for at least two minutes every night. Wrap your head in a warm towel after treatment.


Good luck to you!

 

[sweetcashew]

It happened to me too. Lots of shedding and completely bald temples. Like you, I was in denial. I kept thinking that my mind was playing tricks on me. I kept asking everyone if my temples were thinning and they'd say yes. But I say, maybe not, could it be?
When it got completely bald, I was shocked.
I'm relaxed so I stopped perming that area. It's now about 4 months since it went bald and that area has completely grown in. Thicker than it was before too.
Hopefully yours grow back. But I know in most cases of postpartum hair loss the hair will grow back. Be patient.

 

[Bklynqueen]

Poor thing, I totally understand what you are going through- the same thing happened to me, exactly at 3 months postpartem. I looked exactly like you did. Unfortunately, my extremely thick hairline has never been the same. It grew back a little but it was weak, vellous hair that easily came out. I suffer through this if I put too much protein on my hairline or if it's handled roughly. It has been (shockingly) 4 years for me. So right now, I massage my scalp area for 10- 15 minutes maybe 2 X a day, use a mixture of peppermint, rosemary, aloe vera, cinnamon oils, and a lil' bit of cayanne pepper and it seems like my sleeping hair follicles are starting to wake up. I just ordered Emu oil ( which I suggest you get right now!) because of it's healing and penetrating properties. I've read great things about this oil restoring sleeping hair follicles and encouraging new hair growth in Alopecia sufferers. A member of this board, I think her name is Trimbrade (sp?) or something like that- sorry if I misspelled, made a post last year, w/ pics that showed her damaged hairline restored to health by Emu oil. Check out her album- her progress was EXCELLENT and took about 3 months. I hope this gives you hope.

 

[Bklynqueen]

I forgot, did you stop taking your prenatals? I stopped taking my prenatals, and was anemic and this made things much worse for me..

 

[curlycraze]

Who cares about shedding after pregnancy? I didn't... I expected it! However, WHAT is with my disappearing temples?! I had postpartum shedding with my 22 month old but nothing like this!

I am truly in a panic! My twins are 3 1/2 months old and as I was detangling my hair a couple of nights ago, I noticed the hair in my temple areas had vanished! I kept talking to myself, "You're seeing things - look again!" "Go to another bathroom, the lighting is wrong here!" "You just lifted your hair up at a weird angle." "Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale."

I RAN downstairs, grabbed the camera, snapped a pic, and just stared. Within 12 hours, I was sitting at the dermatologist hoping he'd say it was alopecia but he could do some injections into the spot to stimulate growth. Instead, he said it was female pattern baldness and he would suggest Rogaine but the hair still may not grow back! My husband says to get a second opinion. My mother says, "That devil IS a lie!" My sister says, "Bangs are in, just swoop your long hair over the spots." What do the hair experts (my LHCF family) say?

Have any of you experienced this? Did yours grow back? What did you use, if anything?

I'm still nursing, taking prenatal vitamins, trying not to stress and make it worse. Can anyone tell me where to go from here?

It happened to me. What I did--Kept taking prenatals and a B vitamin that regulates hormones (I was told that postpartum hairloss is hormonal), no relaxer in that area, I washed and conditioned with Nioxin in that area only. Also, I quit wearing ponytails. It is 8 months since that time and my hair has returned to normal. I know the feeling, good luck with everything.

 

[neonbright]

I would say if all else fells, get some Boundless Tresses. Yes Postpartum can be bad on the hair, I shedded some but I had to take my prenatals for 8 months after my daughter was born, because of my health. So I think that is why my shedding was minmum and it grew like weeds.

 

[hair_wit_favor]

oh my...mine was just like that!!! I used ORS Fertilizing serum, I think that's the name for it, you can check out my fotki, i have a pic of the bottle in my products folder...dont stress they will come back, I dont have any before pics of mine, but my hair has grown back....mine were back within 2-3 weeks, and my beautician was so shocked it grew back so fast...

 

[sunnydaze]

Hey girl,

Yea it happened to me too. Starting at about 5 months, I could pull gobs and gobs of hair out. I was mortified. It kept going for about 3 months and then stopped. It will grow back in.

 

[InNeedofHairapy]

It should grow back. From what I've heard, everyone goes through the hair falling out stage after pregnancy...maybe try scalp massages or something to get the circulation back to that area...or some BT or something?

I don't really know, but I'm bumping for tips since I have the PPS to look forward to in a few motnhs myself

 

[Guyaneek]

I'm really sorry this happened to you. I don't have any advice but I want to know how things turn out. I am considering having another baby next year. I don't want this to happen to me AGAIN! This is how I ended up at LHCF

 

[PatTodd]

Awww !! This happened to me almost exactly one year ago when my son was 6 months old. It was horrible, gobs and gobs of hair in my comb and going down the drain. It lasted for about two months and then stopped. There was a big thread started by Cayenne - I will try to find it for you.

 

[PatTodd]

Here's Cayenne's thread:

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=104154&highlight=cayenne0622+shedding

There are lots of other threads on the board about postpartum shedding and shedding in general. Maybe you'll find some coping strategies or products you can use. I know it's hard but with patience and time I am sure that your hair will come back.

 

[MJ]

I got this from info from babycenter.com, saying why it happens

Many new moms are surprised to find themselves shedding more hair than usual in the first few months after giving birth, but it's perfectly normal. And there's no need to panic: You won't go bald. In fact, your hair should be back to normal by your baby's first birthday.

Here's what's going on. Normally, about 85 to 95 percent of the hair on your head is growing and the other 5 to 15 percent is in a resting stage. After the resting period, this hair falls out — often while you're brushing or shampooing it — and is replaced by new growth. An average woman sheds about 100 hairs a day.

During pregnancy, increased levels of estrogen prolong the growing stage. There are fewer hairs in the resting stage and fewer falling out each day, so you have thicker, more luxuriant tresses.

After you give birth, your estrogen levels take a tumble and a lot more hair follicles enter the resting stage. Soon you'll have more hair coming out in the shower or on the brush. This unusual shedding will taper off and your hair will be back to its pre-pregnancy thickness about six to 12 months after you give birth.

By the way, not all women notice dramatic changes in their hair during pregnancy or the postpartum period. Among those who do, it tends to be more obvious among women with longer hair.

 

[MJ]

Also, instead of rogaine you may want to try BT or something like that. HTH

 

[ShiShiPooPoo]

Happened to me about 4 months ago.

I had my daughter in December and then soon after I noticed my hair was coming out in the same area as yours. Eventually, I looked like those men who are in the beginning stages of baldness. I never had that before. I laid off the relaxer and stretched for 4 months. I used Glover's in those spots and just tried to leave it alone. Now it is back to normal but that was scary for a minute. Don't worry, it will come back. I think it has to do with your hormones and what not. Once they begin to balance out again, it will grow again. Don't worry. Don't worry. Don't worry.

 

[Qurlyqt]

Thanks so much for all of your replies. You guys have given me hope! (I had really considered shaving my head - literally!)

I am going to sit down today and create an action plan, based on suggestions from you all. According to you guys, it sounds like patience is key. I rubbed some Frenchee's on it last night and had the nerve to look at it this morning hoping to see some peach fuzz, knowing dern well that nothing works that fast.

MJ - thanks for the article! It made me feel better.

Sweetcashew - you are an inspiration! And you are so pretty!

Now I'm off to research the products/oils recommended... and to find out what BT is.

 

[Valerie]

What I found that after my daughter was born, eight months, I noticed that my hair would not hold a style, it just keep flopping all over the place, anyway, I started taking some vitamins, plus castor oil, I rubbed into my hair, plus I steamed my hair with castor oil and my hair returned to normal. Put warm castor oil, with olive on your temples and massage and mix with any other essential oils recipes and your hair will grow back in no time. Also good take evening primrose oil, vitamin E and 2 teaspoons of extra virgin oil and flaxseed oil, that will also improve your hair. Congratulations on the birth of your twins.

 

[Seeking8Rights]

Who cares about shedding after pregnancy? I didn't... I expected it! However, WHAT is with my disappearing temples?! I had postpartum shedding with my 22 month old but nothing like this!

I am truly in a panic! My twins are 3 1/2 months old and as I was detangling my hair a couple of nights ago, I noticed the hair in my temple areas had vanished! I kept talking to myself, "You're seeing things - look again!" "Go to another bathroom, the lighting is wrong here!" "You just lifted your hair up at a weird angle." "Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale."

I RAN downstairs, grabbed the camera, snapped a pic, and just stared. Within 12 hours, I was sitting at the dermatologist hoping he'd say it was alopecia but he could do some injections into the spot to stimulate growth. Instead, he said it was female pattern baldness and he would suggest Rogaine but the hair still may not grow back! My husband says to get a second opinion. My mother says, "That devil IS a lie!" My sister says, "Bangs are in, just swoop your long hair over the spots." What do the hair experts (my LHCF family) say?

Have any of you experienced this? Did yours grow back? What did you use, if anything?

I'm still nursing, taking prenatal vitamins, trying not to stress and make it worse. Can anyone tell me where to go from here?

Same thing happend to me with my first. It will grow back, your hormone levels are rebalancing.

Continue with your prenatals, add some biotin (check with doc on the biotin first) and EFA's and drink plenty water. This to shall pass...(like them labor pains did)

 

[gorgeoushair]

Is there a difference between female pattern baldness and alopecia?

 

[Legend]

Alter Ego Cren stops my occasional shedding in its tracks. Period. I highly reccommend this product. I purchase it from Sickbay.

Now, a few words of caution : as with any new product, it does require a patch test. Also, sometimes--if I've been rubbing my scalp while washing--it does burn a little but passes quickly. So, i have to remebr to be gentle. On the package, it states the product not reccommended for sensitive scalps.

That said, if you can use it, it works like a charm!

 

[Mom23]

The same thing happened to me with my last child, and I used Nioxin Follicle Booster. It helped to fill in my edges. It started working in about 3 weeks. I could see little hairs sprouting up, and I didn't relax that area at all until I actually had hair there. Good Luck!! It will get better.

 

[back2relaxed]

Happened to me too!! I was soo distraught. I had hair down my back and bald all the way around!! It did grow back, but its different now! Softer, finer..easy to damage...

 

[Hair Peace]

The same thing happened to me too...and having my braids in too tight didn't help matters much either! Honestly, I haven't done anything to my temples, but there's definitely some peach fuzz there now.

I'm still nursing too; taking the vits listed in my siggy. The UltraNourish has biotin in it and baby girl is just fine. In fact, everybody keeps talking about how lush her hair is!

I got this from kellymom.com about biotin:

Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin that is present in every living cell. Human milk normally contains variable amounts of biotin. The biotin content of human milk increases with the progression of lactation, and is directly related to the amount of biotin in mom's plasma (blood). The biotin content of human milk is hundreds of times greater than the content in maternal plasma. (from "Nutrition During Lactation," Institute of Medicine). Taking a biotin supplement might change the taste of your milk.

HTH!

 

[LadyCee]

subscribing....

 

[motherx2esq]

WOW! I never thought that could be the reason for my disappearing temples! I did not notice it until a couple of years ago. My younget is now almost 6. Six years is a long time but I did not care for my hair before just a year ago. Thanks for this post; it shed a little light for me. I hope it gets better for you soon. Good thing it didn't take you 6 years to find out what the cause was. Congrats on the twins!