Postpartum Hair Loss? Don’t Lose Your Head If You Lose Your Hair
Many things change during pregnancy, a lot of women get a glowing face and bulky and shiny hair, while others may experience an acne breakout on their faces and dry skin. There is a reason behind all these. During pregnancy, a woman body experience hormonal changes and increased blood flow, thus, nourishing their skin and hair.
After childbirth mother's body starts to go back to its normal state, with hormones getting back to lower levels. One of the hormones whose levels rise during pregnancy is the human Chorionic Gonadotropin, the one a pregnancy test measures. Postpartum hair loss, also known as Telogen Effluvium, is a result of the decreased levels of hormones after childbirth.
Signs of Postpartum hair loss
- Increased volumes of hair falling when you brush
- Loss of hair thickness/ volume
- Hair plugins in your shower tab
- Presence of patches on your head
The cause of postpartum hair loss
Telogen Effluvium is usually nothing to worry about. As mentioned earlier, the condition is a result of a dramatic hormonal change from pregnancy to giving birth. The body experiences some kind of a shock that causes the hair to shift from a growth to a shedding phase.
The goods news is that the condition doesn’t last for long and most mothers have their issues resolved by the time their child is celebrating their first birthday. The condition might peak when your little one is around three to four months old. So, if you are still losing hair you should not panic.
Remedies/ Treatments to try
The cause of Telogen Effluvium is natural, and sadly there are no ways to prevent it. As long as you are bearing children and need the interplay of several hormones to remain the same, you are bound to experience the condition. You can, however, use several remedies to get your healthy hair back.
1. Increase your uptake of vitamins
By now, you're probably well accustomed to taking vitamins & supplements since you've been taking them throughout pregnancy to stay healthy. Your body keeps losing certain elements through breastfeeding. Increasing your vitamin intake could save you and stop your hair from falling excessively.
You can target consuming foods rich in vitamins that improve hair growth. These include Vitamins A, B, C, D, and E. Minerals like Iron, play a role in hair loss as well.
2. Go for volumizing hair shampoo.
The idea is to make hair look thicker, volumizing shampoos or conditioners will give your hair more volume and will give the appearance of being denser.
On the other hand, some shampoos can make your hair look more shrunken and thinned. Use the ones that do not weigh down your hair. Keep it looking more glossy yet voluminous.
Once choosing therapeutic shampoo it is important to take few things into consideration. As with every medication, it has its side effects. If you are breastfeeding, keep in mind that some products may have an impact on the baby's health. You want to read the information leaflets carefully and contact a dermatologist or your physician if necessary. Also beware of miracle, expensive cures with no proven record of efficacy.
3. Eat well
As you already know, your body is making food for two. To stay healthy and have healthy babies you need to keep consuming proper, well-balanced meals. Your meals should have fruits, proteins, and vegetables that will keep your body healthy. You just gave birth to another human being, so your body needs the right food, in the right amounts to recover and get stronger.
A proper and balanced diet will nourish your entire body, leave alone the hair. As mentioned earlier, your body needs vitamins, minerals, and proteins to stay healthy and nourished. Most of these nutrients are available in the food you eat daily, which is way better than taking supplements, as they absorb better. Apart from the impact on the hair, proper eating and drinking lots of water will increase your milk production, and you wouldn't have to get stressed over insufficient milk supply.
4. Be Gentle on your hair.
Hair loss is sometimes inevitable, but you can do several things to slow down its rate. If you have noticed, that they are thinning out, be mindful about styling and try to consult your hairstylist as you should avoid certain treatments and hairstyles. One that should be certainly avoided is curling your hair on a hot rod or using a hair straightener as the heat might cause your already fragile hair to break.
If you are experiencing postpartum hair loss, you might consider giving your hair a break as much as possible.
In the bottom line, postpartum hair loss is nothing to worry about. 40% of the women experience three months after giving birth. This is especially important as stress alone plays the role. In most cases, it resolves without any medical intervention, and once your system goes back to normal, your hair will grow back.
Sources
https://www.healthline.com/health/parenting/postpartum-hair-loss#Postpartum-hair-treatments-to-try-
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hair-loss/coping-tips-for-women/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/best-vitamins-hair-growth#TOC_TITLE_HDR_10