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How To Manage Postpartum Hair Loss

Hair Growth During Pregnancy

HOW TO MANAGE POSTPARTUM HAIR LOSS

During pregnancy, hormone levels fluctuate dramatically. Those hormones are not only responsible for the mood swings, changes in libido, and food cravings, but they also manifest in physical changes. The so-called pregnancy glow is a real phenomenon thanks to hormones like progesterone and estrogen, and the pregnancy surges can often elicit stronger nails, clearer skin, and plumped up lips and/or breasts.

The hormonal shifts during pregnancy are also favorable for hair growth because they cause the hair follicles to stay in the anagen stage of the hair growth cycle for a longer period of time. The result? Many pregnant women experience lustrous, thicker manes.

Nevertheless, some strands still fall during gestation. Despite the overall improvement in hair, most women will still notice some degree of shedding, says Benjamin Paul, MD, a New York City-based board certified facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon who specialized in hair restoration. This is because hair has a life cycle and some hairs will be ready to shed while pregnant. It is normal in pregnancy to shed 50 to 100 hairs a day. If you are shedding more than 100 hairs per day, you should consider seeing a physician to discuss your hair loss.

Can Postpartum Hair Loss Or Changes Be A Sign Of A Problem

After giving birth, your life wont be the same. Your hair might always be a bit thinner now than it was before you became a parent, too. Although, it will grow normally.

You might also be surprised to see hair growing in places other than on your head. During pregnancy, increased levels of androgen hormones can also cause more hair to grow on your abdomen or face. Luckily, this extra fuzz usually goes away by about six months postpartum. Waxing or shaving this hair is a solution if it bothers you.

While postpartum hair loss is normal, medical conditions such as thyroid problems or anemia can cause hair loss. If you feel like youre shedding a whole lot of hair with no end in sight, mention it to your doctor to rule out other issues.

Postpartum Hair Loss Serums & Treatments

If you need a low-maintenance solution that can be incorporated into your regular hair care routine, this natural hair serum can be mixed right into your shampoo to stimulate those lazy follicles with a variety of natural plant extracts. It also prevents split ends while nourishing your scalp, so youâll end up with an all-around healthy head. âI bought this product to try to lengthen and thicken my hair, and after a couple of weeks, Iâm starting to see a real difference,â said one Amazon reviewer. âUsed this product for hair and the hairs feel so much stronger but soft to the touch. It is easy to apply and doesnât irritate my skin or my eyes.â

Also Check: Does Alpha Lipoic Acid Cause Hair Loss

Reduce Stress And Make Time To Relax

Being a mom is stressful, especially if this is your first baby. You go from having all your spare time being just for you to juggling work and parenthood. Free time and a good nights sleep often is a thing of the past.

Even though youre deeply in love with your baby, its stressful for both your body and mind. Try to get your partner on board with giving you a little bit of relaxation time, even if its just 30 minutes so you can enjoy a long hot bath. Or ask them to give you one of those scalp massages we mentioned earlier!

Try Different Hair Accessories

Postpartum Hair Loss / Hair Skin& Nails

If youre trying to focus on a way to cover up the thinning or hair loss while youre working on the other ways to recover your hair, try different styles and hair accessories! Youd be surprised what a good headband or bandana can do! Maybe try an up-do and swoop your hair around in a way that it will hold its form and you can cover up the thinning and loss until it comes back because it WILL come back!

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When Will Postpartum Hair Loss Stop

The good news is its typically over by the time your baby reaches 6 months of age, although some women have reported their thinning hair lasted until their babys first birthday. So, while it isnt fun while its happening, it is relatively short-lived.

And, remember, there are ways to deal with it or make it less noticeable so dont let it diminish the joy youll get from being a mom. Although I felt pretty self-conscious about my hair loss following the birth of my baby, I tried to keep it in perspective that there were worse things that could be happening to me. In the meantime, I did everything I could to make my hair look fuller so I didnt feel as bad about it.

Its not like I woke up one day, stared at my head in the mirror, and noticed miraculous growth. But I did notice less hair in my hairbrush and fewer hairs falling out. Then, months later, I noticed I wasnt having to do as many tricks to fake a full head of hair I actually had it again!

How Hormonal Changes Influence Hair

Hormonal changes during pregnancy prevent you from the usual hair fall. We generally lose some hair each day. However, during pregnancy, increased levels of estrogen decrease the rate at which we normally lose hair. The increased blood volume and circulation also support and nourish hair, and this is also the main reason to notice decreased hair fall.

However, right after delivery, all these hormonal changes return back to the normal level. Even the blood volume gradually gets back to normal. As a result, hair fall occurs. It is normal to observe larger clumps of hair falling out, and there is less you can do about it.

Read Also: What Doctor Deals With Hair Loss

Beware Of A Hair Tourniquet

New mothers also should watch out for hair tourniquets. A hair tourniquet forms when a strand of hair falls out and wraps around a babys toe, finger, or other body part. A single strand can wrap so tightly that it cuts off circulation or causes an infection.

Dont panic. The likelihood of your baby getting a hair tourniquet is very rare. Knowing what to do, however, can be helpful.

If you see a shed hair wrapped around your baby finger, toe, or other body part, you must remove it. Here what you should do:

  • Look for a loose end and gently unwind the hair.

  • Sometimes you will not see a loose end, so youll need something to gently cut the hair, such as a small knife or scissors.

  • If you cannot remove the hair because it is wound too tightly or enmeshed in your babys skin, you need to get medical help. Call your babys doctor or take your baby to the emergency room. Sometimes a doctor has to remove a hair tourniquet.

Pregnancy And Postpartum Hair Changes

My Postpartum Shedding & Hair Loss: 5 Tips on How To Manage Postpartum Shedding

When youre pregnant, your estrogen levels keep increasing, before peaking around the time you give birth. That causes multiple changes to your body, including your hair growth cycle.

During pregnancy, you arent shedding as much hair as you were before, says Ob/Gyn Erica Newlin, MD. You may notice you get very luscious, thicker hair.

But once youve given birth, and in the time after, you can expect a steady decrease in estrogen levels. That means these extra hairs finally make their exit all at once during the postpartum period.

After delivery, your body is suddenly catching up, and so the shedding may be way more intense, Dr. Newlin explains.

This intensity even has a name: telogen effluvium. In that beginning period, sometimes you can find that youre pulling handfuls of hair out in the shower, Dr. Newlin notes. For people with longer hair, it can be quite noticeable.

Read Also: How To Stop Excessive Hair Loss

Try A Natural Hair Pack

Just like an oil massage, a hair pack made with natural ingredients from the kitchen can also help promote healthy hair growth. There are many hair packs you can create right at home with little effort and time.

  • Fenugreek Soak some fenugreek seeds overnight. Strain the soaking water and apply it to the scalp. Leave for 2 hours and wash off.
  • Curd Apply plain, un-sweeteened curd or yogurt to the scalp and hair shaft. Leave on for 15 minutes and wash off.
  • Eggs Mix two egg whites with olive oil and apply over the scalp. Leave for 30 minutes and wash off.
  • Avocado Mix the flesh of a ripe avocado with a tablespoon of coconut milk. Apply on the scalp and leave to dry.
  • Bhringraj Grind a handful of bhringraj leaves to a paste. Apply to the hair. Let it dry and wash off.

Remember to use shampoo to wash off the pack so youre not left with any residue.

Thirty To Sixty Percent Of Women Experience Postpartum Hair Loss Said Cosmetologist Dr Geetika Mittal Gupta

From certain health conditions to lack of sufficient nutrients in ones diet, reasons for hair loss could be many. But did you know that is also equally common for women to lose hair after giving birth? Postpartum hair fall is quite normal and is usually caused by hormonal changes in the body during pregnancy and after delivery.

Thirty to sixty percent of women experience postpartum hair loss. This condition is called postpartum alopecia and it happens because of the hormonal changes in the body. The good news? Its temporary, said cosmetologist Dr Geetika Mittal Gupta.

In case you have been looking for remedies to manage postpartum alopecia, Dr Mittal-Gupta shared five effective ways to manage the condition:

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Dont stop taking hair supplements

Post childbirth, dont stop taking hair supplements unless advised by your doctor. The supplements have essential vitamins in them and will help prevent hair loss to a great extent.

Eat a nutritious diet

Eat a diet that is balanced and filled with dark leafy vegetables, sweet potatoes, fresh fruit, etc. If you dont have fish in your diet, consider taking omega 3 fatty acid supplements. What you eat, contributes a lot to how your hair and skin looks.

Switch your hair care treatment

Sleep well and get good rest

But if you still see clumps of hair falling post the first birthday of your baby, then it is time to see an expert, she suggested.

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What Causes Hair Loss After Baby

The body experiences soaring estrogen and progesterone levels during pregnancy, says Salinger, which causes hair to remain in an ongoing stage of growth, creating thicker, more lustrous strands. Then your hormones level out in the months following childbirth. Hair remains in this resting stage for approximately three months before it falls out and new growth shows itself, says Salinger. Typically the regrowth is in the form of baby bangs appearing along the hairline.

What Are Some Home Remedies To Support Hair Growth

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Here are some useful home remedies that may help promote and support hair growth:

  • Adequate nutrition: Besides hormones, deficiencies of vitamin D, niacin, zinc, essential fatty acids, oriron can cause hair loss .

Consume a healthy diet with nutrient-rich foods such as leafy vegetables, soya, sprouts, curd, peas, and oranges. Various multivitamin supplements are available and can be consumed after consulting a doctor.

  • Egg white mask: This classic remedy for hair fall can be prepared with one tablespoon of honey and olive oil mixed with an egg white. Leave it on for 30 minutes and rinse thoroughly. The vitamins and egg albumen help repair damaged hair, while honey and olive oil account for shinier and conditioned hair .
  • Castor oil: Castor oil mainly comprises ricinoleic acid, which promotes blood supply to the scalp, thus increasing hair growth and preventing hair fall. Castor oil can be used with coconut oil, known for its antibacterial properties, as a hair mask for about three hours. Then, rinse it off thoroughly with water .
  • Curd: It is among the most popular ingredients to prevent hair fall while promoting healthy hair growth. Curd contains vitamin B3, calcium, lactic acid, and fatty acid, among other nutrients. Mix two to three tablespoons of curd and one tablespoon of lemon juice and apply it to your hair for around 30 minutes before rinsing .

Also Check: Does Lack Of Water Cause Hair Loss

Were Losing Our Hair After Giving Birth But These Postpartum Hair Loss Treatments Can Really Help

We only recommend products we love and that we think you will, too. We may receive a portion of sales from products purchased from this article, which was written by our Commerce team.

Postpartum hair loss treatments â in the form of shampoos, supplements, and other remedies â are on the long list of must-haves you didnât realize you needed until after Babyâs arrival. Yes, ladies, hair loss after pregnancy is a thing. And if youâre wondering how to prevent postpartum hair loss, stay tuned. There are certain practices, as well as treatments and products, that can help keep shedding at bay. But before you start feeling sad about losing your luscious locks, we want you to know that itâs temporary, and they will grow back, all healthy and new.

As it stands, pregnancy comes with its fair share of less-than-pretty perks, from nausea and constant headaches, to constipation and swelling all over . So while you may have been prepared for post-baby recovery with some high-quality vitamins, stress-relieving bath bombs, and new yoga gear to use as you bounce back into shape, you may not have planned on the ever-obnoxious postpartum hair loss .

All that said, it helps to learn a bit about postpartum hair loss, and adding hair loss treatments to your stash of pregnancy essentials can actually reduce postpartum shedding. What causes postpartum hair loss?

Manage Stress As Best As You Can

Being a new parent is hard. Period. Managing the stress that comes along with parenthood becomes doubly important since stress can induce or prolong hair loss.

Be sure to have a whole box of stress management tools at the ready, which could include things like exercise, meditation, getting as much sleep as you can, and even just getting some fresh air.

Also: 9 Ways to Lower Cortisol Naturally

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How Your Hormones Change During Pregnancy And Postpartum

During pregnancy, your hormones change dramatically.

One of the first to spike is human chorionic gonadotropin, or hCG. Thats the hormone your pregnancy test measured and its rising levels indicated that you were pregnant. Pregnancy also causes several other hormone levels to rise, including estrogen, progesterone, oxytocin, and prolactin. Your blood volume also rose during pregnancy, to as much as 50 percent greater volume than normal by your due date.

Immediately after your baby is born, several of your hormone levels drop quickly, including estrogen and progesterone. Those hormones will be almost back to normal levels within 24 hours after birth, although prolactin will stay high as long as youre breast-feeding.

Your blood volume also decreases, but its drop is more gradual. It gets back to normal a few weeks after your baby arrives.

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