Thick-fast growing hair is what many women love but a man does not attain all his heart's desires. A lot of changes will take place in a woman's body during pregnancy and postpartum. Sure, Hair loss is one of the most common ones. Your hair may seem thicker during pregnancy and after your baby's birth, you would notice a temporary loss of hair from your head. In this blog, you will know what hair loss is, its causes, and its treatment.
What Is Postpartum Hair Loss?
A lot of women after giving birth may have some hair loss. You might notice that you're losing a little from your head. Although you may feel worried about that, you have to know that postpartum hair loss is normal and temporary. As soon as your pregnancy hormones settle down, your hair will return to normal.
What Causes Hair Loss After Giving Birth?
The hair growth cycle passes into 3 stages, from root growth to hair shedding. These are known as:
- The Anagen phase
- Catagen phase
- Telogen phase.
On our bodies, all types of hair grow in a cycle from two to seven years. The active or growing phase is called anagen and this phase determines the length of hair which varies between people due to age, genetics, and health. After a period of time, the hair follicle enters a transition phase where hair stops growing then shedding occurs (exogen) and the process starts again.
Hermon changes before, during, and after pregnancy can affect your hair growth. It’s totally normal to have a postpartum hormonal imbalance that causes postpartum hair loss. Around 40-50% of women in the months following childbirth suffer from hair loss.
How do hormones affect your hair growth?
During pregnancy, your body increases producing estrogen. At this time, you will notice that your hair grows faster during pregnancy than before. when you give birth, estrogen levels return to their pre-pregnancy levels. So, follicles enter the resting phase. After 100 days in the resting phase, your hair may begin to shed.
Also, stress, nutrition, and thyroiditis impact hormone levels which affects hair growth.
In common cases, postpartum hair loss starts from two to four months after childbirth. The amount of hair loss is different for every woman. However, your hair loss may seem more if you have long hair.
You have to remember that postpartum hair loss is only temporary. Normal hair growth typically returns after 6 months of delivering your baby. In some cases, it may continue up to a year after childbirth.
What is the treatment?
A lot of women suffer from hair loss after giving birth and it is a normal result of your changing hormones. so that, you can't immediately stop it. However, we will provide you some steps to minimize postpartum hair loss and help you promote healthy hair growth.
- Maintain a healthy diet
A healthy diet is important to your overall recovery and stops postpartum hair loss from progressing and getting worse. Make sure that your diet includes vitamins and nutrients found in vegetables and fresh fruit. Also, remember to drink water throughout the day in order to stay hydrated.
- Take nutritional supplements
supplements such as Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Omega 3, and Zinc can help stop hair loss and promote hair regrowth but before taking any supplement, talk to your doctor.
- Reduce stress
As we mentioned before, stress may cause hormone imbalances. So, It's better to try practicing different relaxation techniques like meditation or breathing exercises to help reduce stress.
- Change your hair care routine
you have to know that when your hair is wet, it will be more fragile. So wait for it to dry and then brush gently. Also, avoid using hot rollers to prevent further damage because of excessive heat. Also, Try using shampoo with biotin and silica and a deep-moisture conditioner.
Enjoy your beautiful look during your pregnancy, because in the months following delivery, you may experience postpartum hair loss. I want to remind you again that postpartum hair loss is only temporary and your normal hair will return after six months.