Will it ever grow back? Anyone else lose all their hair after having babies?

Has anyone lost their hair so drastically after pregnancy?
Can anyone tell me about having their hair grow back after totalis?

I have had only brief instances of alopecia areata in my early twenties. A patch here and there only every few years, but the hair would always grow back. However, during my first pregnancy, my hair started to fall out more rapidly and aggressively. After I stopped breastfeeding, I started cortisone injections and the hair started to grow back. A year later, I became pregnant again, the rapid hairloss resumed and I thought the loss would stop and the hair would grow back after I stopped breastfeeding. My family was worried and associated my hair loss with breastfeeding. I always reassured them that it would all grow back after I stopped breastfeeding. Unfortunately, it was too late. It never dawned on me that it would just all fall out and never grow back.Even when I stopped breastfeeding and started back with the cortisone injections, the hair kept falling out. I have lost most of my hair.

I have not tried any other treatments and now I'm almost completely bald with just a few sad patches left. I am devastated and I feel so horrible about myself. I just can't look at myself in the mirror or be comfortable around my husband, children or anyone with my real appearance. Yet, I am tired of the itchy and hot wigs and the scarves. I don't want to be negative and I don't want this to effect me the way that it has.

I don't want to whine, but, being a woman, your hair is associated with your identity. I've been wearing a wig daily now for about a year now. I recently saw someone who I haven't seen for about 10 years and she said... Oh, you were the girl with great hair. You're hair is great!

I miss my hair! I miss my straight shiny asian hair. I miss washing and rinsing my hair. I miss swimming in the ocean and feeling how your hair slicks back after getting out of the water. I miss ponytails. I have to straighten and gloss down my wig every day because it frizzes! What is this? ahhhh!!!!

I am not trying to sound petty about having hair. But, sniff/sob, man, do I miss having hair. I hope I can be as strong and accepting as most of you one day.

But really, I hope I get my hair back.

Thank you for reading this....

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Permalink Reply by B on July 29, 2010 at 1:49am
Thanks for the reply. I'm about to buzz off the sad patches too. I want to buzz my head clean actually and I'll probably feel better about it being completely bald rather than walking around with ratty sad patches. I usually walk around my house with a scarf or hat so that my hubby and kids are not frightened ;-). I bet I'll be less shocking to my husband in the morning with it completely buzzed. Oh, I can't even bear looking at myself in the mirror in the current state.

I'm sorry about your eyelashes. I hope they grow back for you or at least get better falsies onto the market.

Thanks for sharing with me. I appreciate it. I haven't discussed this with anyone going through it... only with friends who have the greatest sympathy or friends who just demand that I "own" it or "rock" the bald look. It's nice to talk to other people who COMPLETELY understand. Thank you!
And this site is great!
Permalink Reply by clumsywendy on September 17, 2018 at 1:59pm

Hi B, I know it's been many years since your post, but it is the same situation I am going through right now. After my second child I have AU. I'm 95% hair loss and still clinging into the few hairs I have left. I'm just wondering how you are doing now and what has happened with you and gm your hair in the past few years. Do you still miss your hair? I've been missing it alot lately even though I found a really good wig and winter is soon so I'm hoping to not have to worry about a hot itchy head due to the sun. Thanks, Wendy 

Permalink Reply by NaturalAlopeciaWellness.com on September 19, 2018 at 1:55am

I'm so sorry to hear, I can't imagine what you must be going through.

Do you know what causes your hair to fall out so drastically? I've heard a lot about hair loss after pregnancy/child birth due to hormonal imbalance, but nothing to the degree that you described. It may be helpful to find out what's causing it, is it hormones or autoimmunity or something else? That way you have a bit of a direction in trying to fix it.

Best of luck.

Permalink Reply by clumsywendy on September 20, 2018 at 9:47pm

Thanks. Yes I've heard of the regular hair loss after pregnancy. With my first child, I had quite a bit but after a few months it grew back to a point I barely noticed it. For this second pregnancy, I have no clue. The doctor's are still running some tests but so far everything is normal. I'm also seeing a Naturopath to see if anything can be done with vitamins, herbs etc; but right now I'm just trying to accept it and move on. Although my family, and husband are really supportive, I find it harder to socialize with people who don't know I'm wearing a wig. I think that's the part I need to work on right now.

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