Pregnancy is uncomfortable enough, the last thing you probably want to handle is dry scalp and dandruff flakes in your hair. Unfortunately dry scalp and dandruff during pregnancy is becoming more common with over 20% of women reporting some sort of issue. Read on to hear what may be causing this for you and how to take care of it without harsh chemical or damaging ingredients.
dandruff during pregnancy! Do you have it?
There could be many reasons for having dry flaking scalp and what looks like dandruff during pregnancy. But you need to remember you are pregnant, so make sure you keep an eye on your own personal situation and see your doctor immediately if you think the dandruff is excessive or persistent.
Dry scalp and flaking may be a sign of other issues going on.
Hormonal Changes Are the main cause of Dry Scalp and dandruff during pregnancy
If you haven't had symptoms of dry scalp before pregnancy, your new hormone levels may be playing the biggest factor in your situation.
It's not uncommon for women who are pregnant to notice that their hair seems fuller and longer and seems to grow a lot faster while pregnant. That's the plus side of the equation for your hormone levels being higher and effecting the hair growth cycle.
At the same time those same elevations in hormone levels can also play a role in how you excrete waste from your body; and with that you may experience your scalp and skin flaking more than normal and producing dandruff during pregnancy.
It's not just your emotions that are sensitive during pregnancy.
Let's be honest, sometimes things get a little out of control and even the most innocent remark from your husband or child can lead you down a thought road of hurt feelings and sadness, till something else happens and you are ecstatic and energized.
Don't worry you're normal and experiencing what your body is going through.
When you're pregnant your body is more sensitive to everything. Even to the normal bacteria that lives on your skin and scalp. Where there was no issue when you were not pregnant, a new issue can arise even if you changed nothing in your hair routine.
That normal fungi on your scalp is now seen as an irritant by your scalp and then your body will overreact to protect the scalp. Dandruff is a result of your body's overreaction to that normal fungus.
Your non-pregnancy hair care routine may become an issue for your scalp
The next common cause for dandruff during pregnancy is dermatitis caused by hair care products.
As you've learned, while pregnant your body is more sensitive to the normal bacteria that lives on your skin and scalp. This is the same when it comes to your hair care regimen.
It's not that the products you've been using are bad or not gentle, they just may not fit your current situation.
Shampoos, conditioners, and styling products can become irritating and cause issues for you once your hormone levels change and your scalp reacts differently to that normal process. If this is the case, you may be in luck, because getting rid of the irritant may be all you need to lose the flakes.
That's why I recommend you try this step first. Change things up a bit to see if that's all you need.
Hopefully switching to a new shampoo or cutting down on that hair spray might be able to help solve your problem very quickly.
Changing your shampoo when your pregnant can help alleviate dandruff concerns.
When looking for a new shampoo to try, you may want to go with a less irritating and more moisturizing Sulfate Free shampoo.
These shampoos use a gentler and less drying ingredient than typical shampoos to cleanse the hair. Sulfate free shampoos are typically less damaging to the hair and less irritating to the scalp. They also help to NOT fade your hair color. So if you are still coloring during your pregnancy, sulfate free shampoos can help the color to last longer, so in essence you can color less often.
Lightweight and No build up conditioners can help to reduce the flakes while pregnant.
Conditioners are great for making your hair feel soft and tangle free. They are like a fabric softener for your hair.
Unfortunately some of them are rich in ingredients that actually weigh down the hair and build up over time. That build up on your scalp and hair can cause flaking and dandruff like issues especially if the conditioner is being over used.
Trying a new conditioner that doesn't weigh your hair down is a good place to start. If you had very damaged hair before you were pregnant, you may be using a conditioner that is too heavy for your current hair. While you may not need the nutrients from the conditioner anymore, remember those hormones are at work again and helping your hair to look great, you may need to switch to a lighter conditioner with great de-tangling properties to make sure your hair is silky smooth or your curls have that natural bounce.
If you don't normally use a conditioner, you may want to try a leave in conditioner to help de-tangle and protect your hair from the styling heat. Again pay attention when you start these new products to see if they help your situation.
It may be trial and error for a bit.
When using conditioners remember not to apply them to the scalp or roots of your hair, only apply to the mids and ends of the hair. If you do apply to the scalp it will only weigh your hair down, make it look greasy, and could give you flakes 🙁
So keep it off the scalp.
Natural Dandruff Relief
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Your OB/GYN IS a resource of information
If eliminating suspect products doesn't help, then make sure that you speak with your OB/GYN.
They may be able to give you guidance on more natural solutions to the dry scalp and also help you to understand what is ok and what is not recommended.
Eating a healthy diet and getting the proper nutrients in your system is also key to beautiful hair while pregnant
Making sure you are getting proper nutrition is a must while pregnant and will also help your hair to look and feel amazing.
Paying attention to your vitamin levels and nutrition are key to a healthy pregnancy and can also help your hair and scalp to be properly moisturized and nourished. It's worth taking a look at your diet to see if something there may be causing your dryness and flaking scalp.
Speak to your OB/GYN for a detailed nutrition plan, and have her go over your vitamin and nutrient levels with you. Normally cutting out sugary foods, a well balanced diet, and a prenatal vitamin with biotin can be a great start to combating dandruff issues during pregnancy.
Want to see what foods contribute to hair loss? Check out this post!
NATURAL REMEDIES FOR FLAKING SCALP AND DANDRUFF DURING PREGNANCY
Check out these natural remedies for dry scalp if you want to go Au Natural! You can get these quite easily and put in the work to prepare them. Or you can try RevuCell Organics! We have most of these ingredients in all the products.
Good Luck on your new journey and Congratulations for the family to come. We hope this post has helped steer you in the right direction to help solve your dandruff during pregnancy issues.
ALOE VERA
Aloe Vera contains natural anti-fungal properties that remove dandruff causing fungus and yeast on the scalp. It also soothes and moisturizes the scalp and removes dead skin cells. Aloe Vera also has cleansing enzymes that eliminate the dead skin flakes and dandruff. Used alone or in combination with other healthy natural remedies Aloe Vera can help you to get a handle on the flakes problem.
DIRECTIONS:
Use Pure Aloe Vera as a lotion that you massage onto the scalp. It's best to use fresh aloe vera directly from the plant as it is pure and will have the highest concentration of enzymes and compounds for your scalp without any preservatives.
APPLE CIDER VINEGAR
Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is a very gentle purifying scalp treatment for dry scalp and dandruff during pregnancy. ACV is rich in anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial compounds that help to remove the fungus that is associated with dandruff. By using ACV regularly you can make sure your scalp is clean of all the issues that could cause the flaking scalp and dandruff.
DIRECTIONS:
You can make an ACV hair treatment very easily by mixing 1 part of ACV with 2 parts warm water. After you have shampoo'd your hair apply the ACV treatment to your scalp and massage it in and through your hair.Let it sit for 45 minutes and then rinse clean with warm water. You can do this at night before you go to bed and then shampoo the hair clean in the morning.
GARLIC
Garlic helps to increase blood flow to the scalp. It also helps to remove toxins and impurities that clog the scalp creating dandruff like flakes and contributing to diminished hair growth. The most potent way to use Garlic is straight on the scalp. Rubbing the scalp with the garlic can help to stimulate the scalp for less hair flakes. Finely chopped garlic can also be stored in argan or olive oil and then the infused oil can be used topically. The oils basically serve as a carrier oil for the nutrients in the garlic to reach your scalp.
DIRECTIONS:
You can make a garlic and argan oil serum to apply to the hair after shampooing. Add finely chopped garlic to argan oil in a container that can be saved. Apply to the hair on a nightly basis. It is safe to leave this oil treatment in, but if you feel the scent of the garlic is too strong, you can let that serum sit for about 45 minutes then shampoo your hair out again.
Avoid Medicated Dandruff Shampoos while pregnant.
Check with your OB/GYN before you use a medicated shampoo as many of the ingredients may not be safe to use while pregnant. Every doctor has a different opinion on this but it is important for you to make the right choice for yourself.
I would rather error on the side of caution with this one and only use natural remedies that are not medicated.
Natural Dandruff Relief
We're so excited for your future family, and as a special gift for you, please enjoy The RevuCell Organics Trio Kit for Healthy Beautiful Fuller Looking Hair with out the flakes at a special price for just you! Includes: 8.5 oz Shampoo, 8.5 oz Conditioner & 2 oz Leave-in
A $100 value for Only:
$20
Just sign up to get exclusive access to this one time offer!
Hurry, it's only while supplies last! Limit 1 per customer.
Avoiding Chemical Salon Services can reduce your chances of having dandruff during pregnancy
If you normally color or straighten your hair and are still doing those procedures while pregnant, this may develop into a number of issue for you.
We are all different and and all prioritize the look of our hair diffidently. So I won't preach what you should do.
I will however remind you that while pregnant your scalp and skin is a lot more sensitive and using treatments that normally would not bother you, may bother you now.
So you have to weigh the options for yourself. But remember if you do have dandruff while pregnant, and you are having chemical services to your hair, this may be the reason for your flakes problem.
And that can be another easy fix.
Check out other tips from parents.com about a healthy pregnancy.
Hopefully this article helps you on your quest to finding a solution to your pregnancy dandruff. If you liked the article make sure you Like and Share it! We would really appreciate it. Check out some of the RevuCell Organics products at a fine salon near you, Amazon, or our Web Shop.
And make sure to check out one of our other articles...
Pregnancy is uncomfortable enough, the last thing you probably want to handle is dry scalp and dandruff flakes in your hair. Unfortunately dry scalp and dandruff during pregnancy is becoming more common with over 20% of women reporting some sort of issue. Read on to hear what may be causing this for you and how to take care of it without harsh chemical or damaging ingredients.
