When you're pregnant, your body changes in all sorts of unexpected ways, from swollen ankles to varicose veins. This transformation, which of course can be different from woman to woman, can also extend to your hair. One hairdresser even claims she can tell if a client is pregnant as soon as she takes a look at their locks, and can easily pick up on a few tell-tale signs.
In a recent TikTok video, stylist Samantha Penn, who regularly shares haircare content, claimed 'hairdressers can tell when you're pregnant', going on to reveal the apparent giveaways she picks up on when a pregnant client is in her chair.
In the video, Samantha, who goes by the username @hairapyfamily, claimed: “Hairdressers can tell when you're pregnant, and I'll tell you how. The way I can tell if you're pregnant: your hair will either not be as curly if it's normally curly.
"[Or] it won't be as thick or thicker, so it will have a texture change. Also, there'll be little new-growth hairs randomly [on your head], so it means I can tell there's a hormonal change going on."
Although Samantha admits it does get trickier to tell when it comes to someone she's never met before, she says she can pick up on these tell-tale signs with her regular clients.
According to BabyCenter, women may feel their hair becomes fuller when during pregnancy, however, they aren't actually growing any more hair than usual, and the strands won't be any thicker.
On average, a woman will shed about 100 hairs per day, but higher levels of estrogen during pregnancy will prolong the growth phase, meaning expectant mothers will shed at a slower rate.
Some women will also find their hair becomes shinier during pregnancy, due to increased levels of estrogen and androgen. They may also experience texture changes, for example, curly hair becoming straighter, due to pregnancy-related hormonal fluctuation.
Kevin Moore from hair health company Regrowz.com told the Mirror: "Most hairdressers should be able to tell when someone is pregnant. On average individuals lost up to 50 to 100 hairs each day, during pregnancy you lost up to 300 hairs each day.
"Hair becomes thinner and more fragile, you also notice the baby hairs at the side starting to thin. This is due to a shift in hormones while pregnant and a decrease in estrogen.
"During the first trimester, the change can be shocking and stressful for anyone which could lead to hair loss. It's important to remember hair loss is temporary so you shouldn't worry."
Of course, you can experience changes with your hair for a number of reasons, and so suddenly finding your barnet is glossier than usual isn't necessarily an indication of pregnancy.
In the same video, Samantha then went on to claim that she can even tell the gender of an unborn baby judging by the condition of her client's hair.
She continued: "And what it is they say is girls take away your beauty and boys give you beauty. So, when you’re having a boy, I feel like the hair is fuller, thicker and it feels like a good texture,
“When you're having a girl, I feel like it's so oily and wet, and almost feels like you have an increase of estrogen, So that's how we can tell you're pregnant, over its texture changes and thickness, or less thick."
Although this is a common old wives' tale, and one that Samantha says she has personally found to be true, there isn't much actual evidence to link the texture of your hair to your baby's gender.
According to Healthline, pregnancy hormone levels simply don't differ enough between those carrying girls and boys to make any sort of difference to the appearance of the mother's hair. Hormones can indeed affect the condition of your hair, but this has more to do with other factors, such as age.
Kira Byrd, owner of curly hair products website Curlcentric.com, told the Mirror: "With the hormones that are produced during pregnancy, many parts of the woman’s body show obvious signs of change.
"Interestingly, the hair is included in that, which many people don't know. Some pregnant women have thicker, more voluminous hair, Whereas others have the texture change for the worse, with oilier hair, with many breakages. Another very common sign of pregnancy is curly hair becoming straight and straight hair becoming curly."
She continued: "Obviously, if you regularly use different hairdressers they won't be able to tell the difference, as it may be the first time you're using that specific one but in my experience, if you do keep going back to the same one they can absolutely see if there's a difference in the 'health' of your hair.
"Often hairdressers keep a client card with some notes on it so they can really get to know you (the client) and your hair, to ensure they deliver a high standard each time.”
Do you have a pregnancy-related story to share? Email us at julia.banim@reachplc.com
