How Much Hair Shedding Is Normal
Although the condition causes your hair to shed a significant amount, it is not serious enough to cause permanent hair loss or bald spots. Postpartum hair loss normally lasts for 12 months after childbirth. If you feel that you notice unusual excessive hair loss, you should speak with your trichologist or book an appointment with our Papilla Haircare staff for a postpartum hair loss consultation.
What Is Telogen Effluvium
Telogen effluvium, or TE, is a temporary hair loss condition brought on by a major shock or stress to the body. TE can be caused by medical conditions, temporary illness like the flu or COVID-19, or even personal stress like the loss of a loved one or a job. However, in the case of postpartum hair loss, its the shock your body experiences because of the big shifts in hormones caused by pregnancy and childbirth.
Your hair normally goes through four distinct cycles of growth. The telogen phase is often referred to as the resting phase since this is when hair follicles stop producing hair shafts and lay dormant before shedding to begin the growth cycle anew.
Typically about 8%-10% of your follicles are in the resting phase at any given time. But with TE, the shock to your body causes a disproportionate amount of hair follicles to prematurely enter the telogen phase.
In fact, by the time you start to notice excessive hair loss, youre already on the road to recovery since the shedding is a signal that your hair cycles are shifting back toward the active hair growth cycle or anagen phase.
Hair Falls Out For Many Reasons
Many new moms experience excessive hair shedding after pregnancy. Hair shedding usually peaks about four months after giving birth. By their childs first birthday, most women regain their normal hair growth. If your hair does not regain its normal fullness after one year, you may want to see a dermatologist. Something else may be causing your hair to fall out. People lose hair for many reasons, and an accurate diagnosis is essential for effective treatment.
Related AAD resources
Don’t Miss: Which Doctors Treat Hair Loss
Dermatologists Tips For New Mothers
If the excessive hair shedding bothers you, these tips from dermatologists can help until your hair regains its normal fullness.
Use shampoo and conditioner that add volume. Heres what dermatologists recommend using and avoiding:
-
Use a volumizing shampoo. These shampoos tend to contain ingredients like protein that coat the hair, making the hair appear fuller.
-
Avoid any shampoo labeled conditioning shampoo. These contain heavy conditioners that can weigh down the hair and make it look limp.
-
Use a conditioner formulated for fine hair. These contain lighter formulas that will not weigh down hair.
-
Use conditioner primarily on the ends of your hair. Applying conditioner to your scalp and all of your hair tends to weigh down hair.
-
Avoid conditioners labeled intensive conditioners. These are too heavy.
Finding the best shampoo and conditioner for thin hair is really a matter of trial and error. There is no single ingredient that makes a volumizing shampoo or conditioner for fine hair better than the rest.
Try a new hairstyle. Some haircuts make hair look fuller. An experienced stylist can tell you what will work for you.
Many new mothers prefer short hair. A short style can make hair look fuller. Short hair also can be easier to manage, which can save time. With a baby, anything that saves time can be a real boon.
How Do I Get Started Today With Treatment For My Postpartum Hair Loss
Dr. Michele Green is an expert in hair loss, whether it to postpartum hair loss or hair loss related to hormonal or metabolic changes. If you are experiencing hair thinning or new hair loss, please consult Dr. Green at her private discreet NYC dermatology office today. Dr. Green is a specialist in hair loss, and hair loss treatments, including Platelet Rich Plasma for hair loss. It is important to address the first signs of hair thinning early on, in order to prevent excessive hair loss, which cannot be treated. If you are experiencing postpartum hair loss or other types of hair loss, please contact Dr. Michele Green today at or contact her online.
Also Check: How Much Finasteride Should I Take For Hair Loss
How Hormones Affect Your Hair
Hormones are the biggest reason for your pregnancy hair changes and postpartum hair loss.
During pregnancy, your high levels of estrogen prevented your usual rate of hair loss. Normally, your hair falls out in small amounts every day. During pregnancy, your hair loss decreases. The effect is compounded by your increased blood volume and circulation, which also causes your hair to fall out less than normal.
So after your baby arrives and your hormone levels drop, your hair makes up for lost time by falling out in much bigger clumps than it normally does. The total volume of your hair loss probably isnt more than you would have lost over the last nine months, it just seems like it because its happening all at once.
Postpartum hair loss can set in any day after your baby arrives, and it sometimes continues as long as a year. It usually peaks around the 4-month mark, so if your baby is a few months old and youre still losing clumps of hair, that doesnt mean its time to panic!
Treatment Of Postpartum Hair Loss
There are times when hair regrowth after childbirth does not occur as quickly as one would like. It is important to continue taking prenatal vitamins and check other vitamin levels and hormones, to make sure that the pregnancy hormones have returned to normal. Dr. Green will do a proper assessment of your hair, scalp, and medical history, to ensure that the cause of your hair loss is not related to any systemic disease, such as lupus, or other autoimmune diseases.
If you are not breast feeding, Dr. Green may suggest other treatments for your hair loss such as topical minoxidil , or Platelet Rich Plasma to thicken your existing hair and to help encourage new hair growth. A healthy life style, proper hair health, and rest, are all important in allowing the new hair to grow. Avoiding hair styles that can pull your hair or affect your scalp should also be avoided during this time.
PRP for hair 3 sessions, 3 months
Don’t Miss: Will Stress Cause Hair Loss
What Are Hair Loss Treatments
We answered the question of when postpartum hair loss stops in detail. In addition, there may be times when the measures taken against hair loss are insufficient. In such cases, various factors play a role in the loss of your hair. These can only be determined by specialists in the field. If you think that your spills have reached the size of baldness and you cant get enough of it, you need to consult a doctor immediately. Thanks to the developing medicine, there are now serious and effective treatments for hair loss. These hair treatments are using almost all over the world. Although it is necessary to list some of the most prominent hair treatments right away
Hair mesotherapy application
FDA-approved drug treatments for hair
If I Lose Weight After Giving Birth Will That Affect My Hair Loss
Answered by: Healthilys medical team
Losing a lot of weight in a short period of time can be a trigger for hair loss, but this isnt linked to giving birth. You may want to lose any extra weight you gained during pregnancy, but its important to do this safely and avoid very low-calorie or crash diets. These arent healthy or sustainable, and can mean your body isnt getting the calories and nutrients it needs especially if youve chosen to breastfeed, as this can use up to an extra 500 calories a day.
You May Like: Do I Have Thick Or Thin Hair
Choose The Right Products
Since the hair loss associated with TE and postpartum hair loss tends to be a general thinning all over the head, you might be dealing with less density than youre used to.
Products that are geared toward fine hair will help prevent your locks from being weighed down and looking lifeless. To promote your healthy hair growth, nourish your hair with protein by switching to a volumizing shampoo and avoiding intensive conditioners these will only weigh down your hair, said Dr. Okhah.
VEGAMOUR’s GRO Revitalizing Shampoo, which features a fresh bergamot scent, offers gentle yet effective cleansing with the added bonus of our proprietary vegan silk protein Karmatin and a formulation that promotes thicker, fuller-looking hair.
Other tools to consider adding to your volumizing toolkit could include a great-smelling dry shampoo to help add lift to your roots or a multi-purpose hair foam that can add volume and texture.
How To Stop Postpartum Hair Loss
Because postpartum hair loss is a normal result of your changing hormones, it is not something that you can immediately stop. However, there are steps you can take to minimize the effects of postpartum hair loss and help promote healthy hair growth.
Here are six things you can try for postpartum hair loss treatment:
Recommended Reading: How To Fix Women’s Hair Loss
Try A New Cut And Color
First and foremost, visit a stylist for professional advice, says Scuoppo. They may recommend a different hairstyle that incorporates those fine hairs in the front. If you previously had long hair, or a layered cut with pieces that came down to the chin in the front, you may need to shorten it into long bangs that frame the face.
Celebrity stylist Oribe agrees that it’s a good idea to go shorter in the front. Sexy, short-in-the-middle, longer-at-the-sides bangs would look amazing, says Oribe. Layering your hair all over will also give you more fullness.
Coloring your hair can also give it body, says Scuoppo. If you feel that your hairline is receding and you have dark hair, highlighting the front acts as a camouflage. Or try glossing, a treatment that gives hair all-over shine.
Postpartum Hair Treatments To Try
Its normal for your hair to thin out after pregnancy. If its not worrying you, you dont need to do anything to treat it. And, unfortunately, there is nothing that has been shown to prevent or slow postpartum hair loss. But if your hair loss is bothering you, there are treatments you can try to make your hair appear fuller and healthier.
Recommended Reading: How To Thicken Very Thin Hair
How To Stop Or Prevent Postpartum Hair Loss
If the hair loss youâre experiencing is caused by hormonal changes associated with pregnancy and childbirth, the hair loss may simply stop on its own without any treatment at all.
Still, there are steps you can take to help prevent some of the hair loss:
-
Get enough vitamins and nutrients by eating lots of fruits and vegetables
-
Be gentle when you wash and brush your hair
-
Donât wear tight hairdos that can pull on your hair
-
Use only the cool setting on your hair dryer.
Above all, try to be patient with yourself. You have lots on your plate right now and there might not be much more you can do than wait it out. For some tips on handling your hair, you might like to try some of these easy hair styling cheats for new moms.
Tips For Dealing With Postpartum Hair Loss
According to David, your hair will grow back to normal even without doing anything. There is not a lot you can to help because the hair loss will correct itself anyway, he says. Just realising this will help you to cope.
However, there are some things you can do to give your hair the best chance its got when its at the growing phase. This includes:
- Use gentle hair ties. Srunchies or elastics with soft cloth coverings are your best bet.
- Tie your hair loosely. We know its difficult to leave your hair down when caring for a newborn, but if youre tying your hair up, dont pull it into a tight ponytail.
- Go natural. Blow-drying and styling your hair with curlers or flat irons is damaging on hair at the best of times. Go easy on your hair and go natural, at least till your hair is back to normal.
- If hair loss is excessive or prolonged, speak to your GP, dermatologist or a trichologist.
Also Check: Does Vitamin D3 Help With Hair Loss
Best Product For Postpartum Hair Loss
Spectral.RS
- A lightweight, leave-in, anti-thinning hair treatment that smooths hair while it works
- Compounds like biotinoyl tripeptide, adenosine, and retinol are used to strengthen hair, decrease inflammation, and promote increased blood flow
- Addresses hair loss caused by hormonal changes, menopause, and vitamin and mineral deficiencies
When Does Postpartum Hair Loss Stop
When Does Postpartum Hair Loss Stop?
Following the birth of your child, you may begin to feel like you’re regaining some normalcygetting into a routine and acquiring a bit more resta few months after the birth of your child.
Your ‘new normal’ is taking hold. And something strange occurs. Your hair begins to fall out at an astonishing rate.
But don’t worry, mother. This is a typical postpartum problem, and there are several tried and proven methods to aid with hair restoration.
When Does Postpartum Hair Loss Happen?
In most cases, telogen effluvium is caused by some form of the eventin this case, giving birth, although other reasons might exist. “Ultimately, more of your hair than usual is prompted to undergo this resting/shedding stage,” explains Dr. Shah.
She says that it ends up taking approximately three months for the hair to drop out that’s why most women experience postpartum hair loss approximately three months after giving birth.
Whenever you comb or bathe, your hair might fall out all over your scalp, or chunks might come free. Many women only lose a few strands along their forehead, giving their mane the appearance of being thinner at the front.
What Causes Postpartum Hair Loss?
Usually, your hair grows in stages .
However, due to the massive modifications in your body’s hormones throughout pregnancy, most of your hair remains in the growth stage.
Since so much of your hair falls out at one time, the amount of hair loss appears to be considerably greater.
Read Also: Can Lo Loestrin Fe Cause Hair Loss
Changing Your Hair Habits
One important way to cut back on the amount of hair youre losing requires you to rethink your hair habits.
Styling your hair with heat from a blow dryer, straightener, or electric curler can damage your hair. This can speed up hair loss and even make it worse. It can also weaken your hair, leaving your already thinning hair looking even worse.
If you think that youre experiencing postpartum hair loss, consider dropping these habits for a while.
You might even consider brushing your hair less often and using a conditioner to break up tangles so that you wont have to yank and tug with a brush to get them loose.
Its also a great idea to swap your regular hair products for organic alternatives. Organic shampoos and conditioners are gentler on your locks, and also healthier to have around your baby!