Q: Hi, I had a baby 7 months ago and ever since my hair has been falling out in clumps. I went to the doctor and got blood
tests which showed nothing wrong, but I am going to a wedding soon and I really need to have my hair done. Will it be safe for me to
get it dyed? It really needs doing and it’s been over a year since I got it done.
A: Hair loss after having a baby (post-partum hair loss) isn’t at all unusual. My research on the subject revealed that sometimes the
hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy can cause a shift in the growth phases of some of the hair follicles. As a result, several
of the hair follicles will enter into the shedding phase at the same time (usually a period of time after the pregnancy comes to term).
This means that a number of women experience a sudden – often dramatic – thinning of the hair a
number of months after having the baby.
Since you have been to the doctor and confirmed that there isn’t an ongoing hormonal problem, you
should be safe to proceed with your haircolor service. However, make sure that your stylist is aware that you just had a baby and that
you have been experiencing hair loss. He or she may need to use a clarifying shampoo to prepare your hair for receiving the color.
He or she will also want to perform a strand test to determine the proper timing for the service
and especially to perform a patch test to make sure you haven’t developed any sensitivity to the chemicals in the hair color mix. The
last thing you want is to have your hair colored and suddenly find yourself with chemical burns or a severe rash all over your scalp
from the chemicals used.
