Women throughout the ages have struggled with their hair during their expectant months: everyone has their own stories about thinner hair, thicker hair, even naturally curly hair that suddenly grows in poker straight! If you are dealing with differences in your hair due to pregnancy, there are some things you can do to make caring for and styling your hair much easier.
The first thing you need to know is why these changes are occurring: some differences in hair quality and texture are directly related to nutritional imbalances and iron deficiency. Here are some important facts about hair changes due to pregnancy, and some useful tips about dealing with the changes:
Why Is It Happening?
The baby is using up a lot of nutrients, and you may not be getting everything you used to! Iron deficiency will manifest itself through parched and dry locks that require special pampering. If you are suffering from nausea in the mornings, you may be suffering from iron deficiency as well. Be sure to augment your diet, when you are feeling better, in the afternoons and evenings, with iron-rich foods such as chicken, turkey, and spinach.
If you are finding it hard to eat as you used to, due to feeling nauseated, consider iron-fortified cereals and breads, if they are more appealing to you at this time. Proper nutrition will help restore the health of your hair, and may lessen your symptoms of morning sickness, as well.
How Can I Fix The Problem?
Be gentle: treat yourself to moisturizing masks and styling products that will tame frizzies and help you style your hair more easily. Avoid adding to much heat or using flatirons too much: they are very hard on the hair. Try to work with the natural texture of your hair during pregnancy: if it seems wavier, consider scrunching handfuls of hair gently and drying with a diffuser for angelic curls that last! If your hair is very straight, try a volumizing shampoo and conditioner to add body, and dry your hair upside down to provide more height at the roots.
Don’t Do Anything Drastic: While short hair suits some women beautifully, a drastic change is hair length may not be a great idea right now! If you are frustrated, and considering chopping all your hair off for ease of styling, you might want to ask yourself a few questions about short hair: if your face is fuller through pregnancy, will a short cut flatter its new shape? Have you enjoyed having short hair before getting pregnant? If you answered no to these questions, you should consider pinning up your hair and experimenting with accessories, rather than cutting it short. You are already going through a lot of changes, and it’s probably not the best time for a drastic makeover.
Keep Perspective: Pregnancy only lasts nine months, and most hair changes will reverse themselves after you have you new baby! A few women experience some hair loss for three to six months after giving birth, but with proper nutrition and a gentle hair-care regimen, you can expect to get back to normal in no time!
Eat Properly: There are certain vitamins and minerals that affect the health of your hair. You must have enough of vitamin A & B, and well as zinc, sulfur, silica and iodine. Here is a shopping list for better hair during pregnancy as these ingredients will help you get the nutrients we’ve outlined above:
- chicken
- egg yolks
- fish
- green beans
- almonds
- sunflower seeds
Use Home Remedies: You can experiment with age-old techniques for treating your hair with common kitchen ingredients. Olive oil has been used for thousands of years to moisturize, heal wounds, and care for the hair. Here is a natural treatment you can do right now:
Olive Oil Hair Treatment:
What you’ll need:
1/2 cup cold-pressed olive oil
A warm towel, just out of the dryer
How to apply:
Just dip your fingers into the oil, making sure your clothes are protected. Massage the oil into your hair a little at a time, making sure to cover the scalp and all of you hair. Them, wrap the warm towel around you head and rest for 20 mins.
How to rinse:
Rinse your head in warm water, then shampoo twice with gentle shampoo.
Show/Hide Comments
Show/Hide Comment Entry Form
