What Is Hair Loss After Childbirth
Postpartum alopecia, also called “acute telogen effluvium,” is the sudden but temporary hair loss that occurs in most women who have just given birth. Either young mothers lose their hair a little all over their heads, or the phenomenon is concentrated in the forehead line.
It is true that this hair loss is a cause for concern, but rest assured, it is typical of the postpartum period.
Why Does Your Hair Get Thicker During Pregnancy
Its thought that excess hair growth in pregnancy is related to oestrogen. During pregnancy the body releases oestrogen, which causes the hair growth and loss cycle to slow down. So rather than shedding hair as normal, the scalp retains it. As a result you may notice that your eyelashes, the hair on your head and eyebrows grow thicker during pregnancy.
Not all women will find that their hair grows thicker and shinier during pregnancy in fact some may even experience hair loss during this time. Hair loss during pregnancy is relatively uncommon, but you can expect your hair to go through several changes over the course of your pregnancy.
What Should I Eat For Thick Hair
A healthy and nutritious diet during and after pregnancy can be really beneficial for preventing hair loss and maintaining good health. Drink plenty of fluids and eat a balanced diet to replenish all the lost minerals & nutrients from your body. Ensure you include food items from these groups for a healthy diet:
- Fruits and berries
- Beans
- Soya rich food products
Foods rich with antioxidants provide excellent protection to hair follicles. Keeping tonnes of vitamins like A, C, D and E as well as essential proteins like biotin in your diet can help you a lot.
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Managing Postpartum Hair Loss
Unfortunately, no single drug therapy has been found to reverse or prevent the occurrence of postpartum alopecia, and currently, management protocols only include education about hair cycles and reassurance to minimize anxiety.
Some recommendations to try to limit hair loss after pregnancy and try to return to a pre-pregnancy hair quicker, include:
Dietary changes. Essential vitamin supplements and high protein, fresh fruits, and vegetables in the diet can help combat hair loss postpartum. The recommended nutrients by the American Pregnancy Association include Vitamin B complex, biotin , Iron, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and Zinc, etc. Regular gentle-moderate exercise. This can help to smoothen the physical transition of the body to its pre pregnancy state.Using gentle hair shampoo and conditioner formulas during this period can further lessen hair loss.Using a wide-toothed comb to ease detangling of hair without extra force and opting for looser hairstyles can also lessen traction on already weakened roots.Avoiding any chemical-based treatments such as concentrated dyes, highlights, perms, and straightening agents during this period.Gentle messaging of castor or almond oil can also stimulate healthy hair growth.Minimizing stress levels as much as possible. Increased stress levels elevate the cortisol, a steroid hormone that negatively impacts the hair cycle, further exacerbating the damage.
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When Does Postpartum Hair Loss Stop
The effects of postpartum hair loss excessive shedding of the hair does stop after the hair follicles that remained in the resting stage during pregnancy have completed their shedding stage. Following the shedding stage, regrowth occurs, though often, the hair does not grow back as densely as before. The shedding stage of the hair that arrested in the resting phase during pregnancy typically ends between six and fifteen months after birth. In other words, postpartum hair loss should stop after six to fifteen months.
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What Induces Hair Loss After Childbirth
The average individual loses roughly 100 hairs per day, but they don’t fall out all at once, so they go unnoticed. On the other hand, hormonal changes prevent those hairs from coming out, making your hair look as luxurious as a supermodel’s or so dense that you can hardly comb it through. We will suggest you use Hair Folli’s Hair Growth Shampoo for that.
Use An Invigorating Shampoo
The best shampoo for postpartum hair loss delivers a variety of boosting ingredients to the scalp to help encourage natural hair growth after giving birth.
The Watermans Grow Me Shampoo is formulated with Biotin and Argan Oil, two ingredients renowned for their hair-loving properties that help to maintain strong and healthy-looking strands. This shampoo also cares for your scalp, creating the optimal environment for natural postpartum hair loss regrowth.
Expert tip: Take time to massage the shampoo into the scalp. The motion of the massage is a great way to stimulate the hair follicles.
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Does Breastfeeding Cause Postpartum Hair Loss
Three years ago when I was still pregnant with my youngest I researched anything and everything that would prevent postpartum hair loss. I joined every Mommy community out there and grilled seasoned Moms about what they had done that worked. I was surprised that so many seemed to blame breastfeeding on their hair loss.
Do you lose vitamins while breastfeeding?
The more I thought about it, the more the possibility grew on me. When I had my first son I was breastfeeding exclusively and I remember feeling so drained and depleted after. I ate more while pumping than I did during my pregnancy, which made me wonder now years later had I lost vitamins while pumping? Had that loss affected my hair? Was feeding the baby literally the cause of my hair loss?
The consensus Ive been able to find is this: It comes down to the mothers diet. Breastmilk is rich in vitamins and minerals that are needed to protect the health of a baby, and promote their growth and development. If the mothers diet is poor, then either the nutrients in the breastmilk may be compromised or the mothers own health could be affected.
Alright, since I was taking my prenatal while breastfeeding and eating decent that should have covered the nutrition for the breastmilk, but then why did my hair still fall out?
I took my prenatal while breastfeeding, why did my hair still fall out?
What can I do to minimize the hair loss?
The Takeaway:
Menopausal Hair Loss: Is It Reversible
Menopause is a time of extreme hormonal changes that typically occurs around the late 40s and early 50s. After menopause, many different physical symptoms can appear, including menopausal hair loss. These symptoms can also include hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, insomnia, and vaginal dryness.
Many people want to know if hormonal hair loss can be reversed. The answer is yes! Fortunately, unlike genetic hair loss, most hair loss caused by hormonal imbalances is reversible.
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How To Control Hair Fall During Pregnancy
There are some things you can do to reduce hair loss or have healthier hair during pregnancy.
These above tips can help to reduce hair loss to an extent. You may follow them, along with a few harmless home remedies.
Postpartum Hair Growth: How Long Will It Take
Depending on the individual, postpartum hair growth will be different for everyone. Some women may experience very little postpartum hair loss and others may experience severe thinning and even balding in some areas. Unfortunately, there is no way to tell how long it will take for your hair to grow back. However, according to research, it is common for the hair to return to normal no later than one year post delivery.
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Deficiency In Thyroid Hormone
Hypothyroidism is characterized by a decline in the production of thyroid hormone in the body and is common among women today. The thyroid hormone is responsible for maintaining the basal metabolic rate, digestive system, mental health, and even the nails and hair. The deficiency of this hormone could cause the hair to fall .
Postpartum Hair Loss : Hair Fall After Pregnancy
For me, it was too much, the reason was not just the hormones trying to settle but the over stressed-out life made it more cumbersome. Handling the work, baby, and house all together single-handedly took a lot of toll on my health. To me, the hair loss after baby birth was for more than a year. Though now it has stabilized, I really feel a lot of hair thinning has already done disaster to my personality. Im sure many mamas would have similar problems of hair loss and thinning after baby birth.
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Postpartum Hair Loss Oils
Have you ever heard of neem oil? Itâs a safe organic and biodegradable oil that is said to help stimulate hair follicle growth. Plenty of Amazon reviewers have had success with this particular neem oil, stating âI left it on for an hour then continued with my normal routine of shampoo and conditioner. No other product, prescription, otc, natural or otherwise, has left my scalp feeling this refreshed and scab-free after the first use. I will continue to use on a weekly basis.â One con? It does have a particular smell to it, but plenty of customers have found workarounds, like including peppermint in the mix. Since plenty of people have found success, itâs a mere small price to pay. As a bonus, it can also help control acne breakouts.
Can I Use My Usual Beauty Products Even Though I Am Breastfeeding
Most topical products are safe and do not get absorbed into the bloodstream. What you should avoid are products that contain salicylic acid, Retinol, retinoid, or Hydroxy Acid. Keep in mind that your breastfeeding body is different from your pre-pregnancy body. Thus, you may experience sensitivity to some ingredients that you have used before.
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Use A Volumising Shampoo
To prevent roots from falling flat, a volumising shampoo can make a world of difference. Todays formulations serve multiple purposes – noticeable lift that doesnt weigh hair down and hydration too. Shu Uemura Muroto Volume Shampoo, £18.80, is a prime example of this and Pauls top pick. Containing mineral-rich deep sea water and Himalayan crystals it leaves hair both fuller and healthier looking.
L’Oreal Professionnel Mythic Oil Nourishing Shampoo, £12.40, is also a great option, and Craigs top pick thanks to its moisturising cocktail of argan oil and myrrh extract – the ideal combo for hair thats dull and dehydrated.
Impact Of Hormones On Your Hair
The most common cause of pregnancy hair changes and postpartum hair loss is hormones.
Your elevated oestrogen levels keep you from losing hair at the normal rate throughout pregnancy. Your hair normally falls out in little volumes throughout the day. Hair loss is reduced during pregnancy. Your increased blood volume and circulation exacerbate the effect, causing your hair to fall out less than usual.
As a result, once your baby is born, and your hormone levels have dropped, your hair compensates by falling out in much larger clumps than usual. Your hair loss is probably not more than you would have lost during the previous nine months it only appears that way as it’s all occurring at once.
Postpartum hair loss can begin as soon as your baby is born and can last up to a year. It normally increases around the 4 months, so don’t panic if your baby is a few months old and you’re still shedding patches of hair.
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So All This Hair Loss Is Normal
Yes! Telogen effluvium is often a scary experience since it can feel like literally all your hair is falling out at once. Its a type of hair loss that hits hard and fast, before your body gets back to baseline and the hair growth cycles you had been accustomed to restart.
With TE and postpartum hair loss, its the major impact of childbirth on the body that triggers hair loss and it can take up to several months after birth for the hair shedding to happen. When it does, any hair follicle that moved into the telogen phase after birth is likely to shed its hair, even though hair doesnt typically fall out in the telogen phase. Since about 30% of the follicles on our head are in the telogen phase at any given time, this can mean a lot of hair loss in a hurry.
Once your postpartum hair loss happens, it can be quite overwhelming. While its unlikely that youll lose more hair than you would have done during the previous nine months, the sudden occurrence of this hair loss can make it feel like all of your hair is falling out, added Dr. Tang.
The takeaway? Even though it might feel like it, all your hair is NOT falling out. Phew!
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Follow My Babys Growth
Hair loss postpartum, though stressful, is a completely normal symptom of your changing hormones after birth. One of the postpartum symptoms you shouldnt neglect, however, is depression. Be sure to speak to your loved ones or doctor if you are feeling highly anxious, angry, or overwhelmed in the weeks and months following delivery.
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Does Pregnancy Cause Abnormal Hair Loss
Hair loss that is connected to pregnancy usually occurs after delivery. During pregnancy, an increased number of hairs go into the resting phase, which is part of the normal hair loss cycle.This condition is not serious enough to cause bald spots or permanent hair loss, and it should begin to diminish within 3-4 months after delivery. If you feel that you are experiencing unusual hair loss while you are pregnant, this may be due to a vitamin or mineral deficiency.
Considerations For Herbal Hair Treatments
Sometimes your hair can show signs of changes in your hormones and nutrition. Some studies show that herbs might help by affecting your hair follicles and enzymes, but more research is needed. Your doctor can help you decide if herbal hair treatments are safe for you.
Show Sources
American Academy of Dermatology Association: âDo you have hair loss or hair shedding?â âHair loss: Tips for managing.â
American Family Physician: âHair Loss: Common Causes and Treatment.â
Archives of Dermatological Research: âHerbal preparations for the treatment of hair loss.â
Dermatologic Therapy: â5-Alpha reductase inhibitors in androgenetic alopecia: Shifting paradigms, current concepts, comparative efficacy, and safety.â
Indian Journal of Plastic Surgery: âHerbal cosmetics in ancient India.â
International Journal of Food Science: âMineral Properties and Dietary Value of Raw and Processed Stinging Nettle .â
Journal of Cosmetic Science: âA new strategy to modulate alopecia using a combination of two specific and unique ingredients.â
Medical Archives: âProprietary Herbal Extract Downregulates the Gene Expression of IL-1α in HaCaT Cells: Possible Implications Against Nonscarring Alopecia.â
Skin Appendage Disorders: âThe Role of Diet as an Adjuvant Treatment in Scarring and Nonscarring Alopecia.â
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