Hair tips during pregnancy and breastfeeding

Most women get thick beautiful hair during their pregnancy. This is because pregnancy hormones stop the normal cycle of hair growth and loss. Hair strands you would normally lose stay longer and your hair feels thicker. During breastfeeding, you will gradually lose the hair strands you otherwise should have lost during your nine-month pregnancy. Your hair normally regains its balance 6 – 12 months after childbirth.

You can boost your hair by:

• Washing your hair with mild shampoo and conditioner only when needed
• Detangling your hair with a wide-toothed comb and staying away from tight hairstyles such as ponytails, braids, etc.
• Refraining from using hairdryers, hair irons, and hot rolls that may damage the hair. Also refrain from using chemical hair treatments, such as perms, colouring, and toning.
• Eating healthy and nutritious food, and exercising to get the blood circulation going.

Hair colouring during pregnancy

Based on the limited scientific material available today, it is harmless to dye or highlight hair during pregnancy. However, chemicals are absorbed through the scalp and it cannot be completely ruled out that the pregnancy or the fetus is not impacted negatively.

To minimize the risks, keep the following in mind:

• Avoid dying your hair during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy as the fetus’ organs are formed during these sensitive weeks.
• If you dye your hair yourself, make sure to wear protective gloves and have good air ventilation around you. Keep the treatment as short time as possible and be careful to wash your scalp well after.
• If you are doing highlights, ensure that only minimal amounts of chemicals come in contact with your scalp.
• If you have your hair dyed or bleached in a salon, you may want to opt for a Certified Green Salon that has committed to complying with strict standards that avoid chemicals that are toxic or harmful to people’s health and the environment.
• If you are unable to go to a Certified Green Salon, you can ask your hairdresser to do a balayage treatment instead. A good balayage colouring lasts for several months.
• Pregnancy hormones can make hair react differently to a dye – you may get a different colour than expected. And perms can make the hair curly rather than wavy.