Yup, You Will Grow Hair In Places You Didn't Before When You're Pregnant

Whether you are a nervous first-time expectant mother or a proud veteran of the pregnancy scene, you may be surprised by the way your body changes throughout the process. Though certain bodily developments are well known and to be expected — I'm looking at you, morning sickness and swollen feet — some less-talked about aspects can throw you for a loop when they do happen. It may not be something you would have ever thought to ask during your prenatal visits. For instance, do you get hair in new places when pregnant? Just because this may not necessarily seem like the kind of question that you would bring up in polite conversation, that doesn't make the concern any less real. I am certainly not afraid to admit that I freaked out the first time I found hair showing up in areas that were previously void of follicle activity of any kind.

Apparently, many pregnant women are sure that they have hair in areas that they didn't have it in before and this is a possibility, it could also be that you are just noticing darker hair in areas where peach fuzz already existed because of the way your hair grows in during pregnancy. "There are some exciting things that can happen to your body while you’re pregnant," board-certified dermatologist Dr. Jill Waibel tells Romper. "Hormones can cause things to grow — not just the baby — and a common issue is abnormal hair growth during pregnancy." So, while it may feel a bit odd, it is statistically normal for this to occur at some point as an expectant mother.

If you are anything like I was during pregnancy, the idea of having to ask your OB-GYN, best friend, or partner to check out some random, new patch of follicle growth that has cropped up in an unexpected area on your body isn't exactly your idea of a fun way to spend your time. Of course, it is helpful to keep in mind though that there is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of when it comes to the human body, pregnant or otherwise. With that being said, it is still completely normal to feel awkward when it comes to discussing the topic of unanticipated body hair growth during your pregnancy. Luckily, a few top medical experts were kind enough to share their insight with Romper so you can find the answer to your hairy question from the comfort of your own home as you privately perusing the internet.

"It is common to have increased hair growth due to the increases in progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone," Waibel tells Romper. Since your body has gone into full overdrive to make sure your baby has everything it needs to develop in your womb, it is understandable that your hormones would increase to satisfy the demand for growth. "Luckily, these exciting side effects are temporary [and] your hormonal cycles will go back to normal," Waibel further explains.

Additionally, if you're seeing hair sprout up in areas that were previously bare, it could be a bit of an optical illusion. Certified aesthetician and cosmetologist Tiffany Sposato says that she sees pregnant clients come in for hair removal treatments because they feel it is more noticeable now that they're pregnant. So take a step back and try not to scrutinize every aspect of your bodily changes during pregnancy.

As OB-GYN Dr. Leon Baginski tells Romper, "body hair, including the fine hair growth in other areas, simply gets darkened during pregnancy." So it's more likely that you just never noticed the peach fuzz before because it was lighter. Again, just like the increased hair growth, the darker and thicker hair will go back to it's indiscernible state after you give birth.

"It is completely normal to get hair in places you didn’t have it pre-pregnancy," dermatologist Dr. Sejal Shah tells Romper. "The back, stomach, and nipples are three common places this happens." Pretty much any where hair can grow is fair game during pregnancy. It may not be a fun discovery, but it's certainly reassuring to know that finding hair in unexpected places is nothing to worry about.

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