Though Chrissy Teigen has fearlessly dropped a few post-pregnancy truth bombs on us lately (including skin and cleavage changes and self-tanning fails), the reality is that there are so many changes that happen to your body that don't get talked about enough. And one of them has just come to light, thanks to a viral Instagram post that exposes the kind of hair loss that some new moms experience — and we’re not talking about a few extra hairs in the shower drain, friends.
As the video posted by Utah-based Intrepid Studio Salon shows, a very large portion of a client’s hair comes right out of her scalp with a gentle tug of her tips. Warning: It’s a pretty unsettling visual. But shock-value aside, the video has sparked more than 1.4 million views and hundreds of comments that span from, “wait WHAT...okay they did not teach us this in health class,” to “I went through that struggle too.”
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It’s something that owner Christina Kreitel sees a lot. She told Yahoo Lifestyle, “It’s become a running joke among my pregnant clients that after they give birth, I’ll have to pull out their hair. The client in the video had a baby four months ago and that’s around when the hair loss starts.”
In fact, so many people have posted relatable comments, the post is doing double-duty as a PSA, showing that the post-pregnancy shed is, in fact, quite common. The phenomenon, known as telogen effluvium (the excessive shedding of hair that new moms experience one to five months post-pregnancy), affects “somewhere between 40 to 50% of women,” according to the American Pregnancy Association.
For many, this graphic display serves as reassurance. As one commenter notes, “I’m so glad to see this. I was scared after four months postpartum — my hair shed so much I clogged the drain something serious. I’m glad that my hair was thick to begin with, but my hairline in the front took the beating ... At 11 months postpartum it's getting better ... Damn kids. LOL. Gotta love ‘em.”
But there’s actually good news at the end of all this. As the American Pregnancy Association notes, like most changes during pregnancy, such expansive hair loss is only temporary. What’s more, the organisation suggests fixes like consulting with a health care provider to ensure hormones are properly balanced; avoiding stress-inducing styles, like tight ponytails, braids and weaves; avoiding fine-tooth combs and heat styling; and eating a vitamin- and- antioxidant-rich diet, which may help encourage hair growth. The more you know.