Change and Hair Treatment During Pregnancy

Pregnancy and childbirth are two of the most important, wonderful and exhausting times of a woman’s life. The emotional journey is incredible and is accompanied by various physical changes as well. From a hair specialist’s point of view, the changes to a woman’s hair during this time of her life are fascinating, as full-service designer and hair color specialist Rodney Gentry explains,

A woman’s hair seems fuller and thicker during pregnancy, due to hormonal changes. In fact, the hair itself doesn’t change, but the cycle of it growing and falling out changes. This means that less hair falls out than normal during pregnancy. The result is that women feel their hair is thicker than previously.

Women Pregnancy and Hair Treatment

Increased levels of estrogen can also make hair seem shinier and alter its texture, according to BabyCenter’s Medical Advisory Board.
Many women are nervous about coloring their new, fuller hair during pregnancy, due to the potential impact that the chemicals may have on their developing baby. However, the Organization of Teratology Information Services (experts on potential reproductive risks), has advised that animal study results in this area are reassuring and that there have been no reports of hair dye causing changes in human pregnancies.

Early pregnancy is a time full of joy, hope and worry, Rodney Gentry continues, and many of my clients have been uncertain about coloring their hair, particularly during the first trimester when the developing baby is so vulnerable. While no evidence exists to show that hair dye has any impact on a pregnancy, to color or not to color is the decision of each individual woman. For those who choose not to, I provide a personalized consultation service to discuss how a new style and cut can work instead, to ensure the client feels just as glamorous without her usual color treatment.

Changes to a woman’s hair after childbirth are also interesting. The average person loses around 100 hairs per day, but after childbirth this amount rises dramatically and the higher hair loss rate continues for up to six months. This is the body’s way of getting rid of the extra hairs that it retained during pregnancy and is a perfectly natural process. However, many women find it a distressing experience, particularly those whose hair was fine to start with. Gentry comments,

Hair loss after childbirth is entirely normal, but it can impact on a woman’s confidence, particularly if she is also finding it hard to shift the ‘baby weight’ put on during her pregnancy. There is no treatment for the hair loss experienced following childbirth, but it can be aided somewhat through regular cutting and intensive conditioning treatments, such as those from Goldwell and Oribe – two great brands that we carry here at Sachi Studios.

I find that many of my clients who have had babies get a confidence boost from having their hair colored and styled professionally after the birth. It’s part of the process of them reclaiming their bodies and an important step in terms of defining their new identity as a mother.

Rodney Gentry can be contacted on tel or via RodneyGentry.com
Visit him at Sachi Studios, 10201 N Scottsdale Rd., Suite 28
Scottsdale AZ 85258 480.639.2000