Hair loss after childbirth: when not to worry, and when to see a specialist

If you ask any doctor about hair loss after childbirth, he will tell you that this is a physiological norm! That is, after childbirth, it is quite normal that hair falls out more than usual. This is due to the fact that during pregnancy, under the influence of a high level of estrogen, the hair growth phase is prolonged and they do not enter the resting phase. Our hair goes through three phases of growth, thanks to which it is regularly renewed:

1. Anagen is the period of active hair growth. Lasts an average of 2 to 8 years.
2. Catagen is a period of transition from one stage to another. This stage lasts only a few weeks, followed by the short telogen stage,
3. Telogen is the period of rest or rest of the hair. All hair that remains on the comb or falls out during the day is telogen hair.

So, those hairs that need to fall out linger on our heads for a few more months, our hormones, so to speak, prolong their life. And after childbirth, everything returns to normal, the hormonal background is normalized, so the hair en masse and at the same time goes into a resting phase, those that should have fallen out during pregnancy and those that are according to plan. Accordingly, two to three months after childbirth, hair loss begins, if it lasts no more than six months, then you should not worry. And remember that each of us is individual and the fluctuation of a month or two is still permissible. But, if the loss does not stop. Then you need to contact a specialist (trichologist, dermatologist), because the sooner you contact, the more you can save. Hair restoration is always difficult.

Causes of hair loss after childbirth

There are a number of other factors that will make hair loss worse after childbirth:

• Iron deficiency anemia, it must be controlled not only during pregnancy, but also after, and always under the guidance of a doctor.
• The body does not receive the necessary nutrients: vitamins, micro- and macroelements. Often nutritional deficiencies, diet after childbirth negatively affect the condition of the hair. Be sure to talk to your doctor about this.
• Exacerbation of chronic diseases. You should also talk about this with your doctor, if there are such diseases.
• Difficult childbirth, anesthesia during childbirth. Anesthesia is a great stress for the body and the consequences after it affect the state of our entire body, and the hair is the first to react to this. Immunity goes down, almost to zero, so take care of yourself.
• Stress and postpartum depression. Try to simplify your life as much as possible with modern "things" for the child and not refuse the help of loved ones. The release of stress hormones disrupts the blood supply to the hair papillae and causes a slowdown in hair growth, and hair from the growth stage enters the resting phase.

What can you do? At a minimum, the doctor should have told you to continue drinking the complex vitamins that you drank during pregnancy. For example, Elevit has proven itself very well under the guards, and many doctors advise him. The complex contains 12 vitamins and 7 minerals to meet the increased needs of the body during pregnancy and lactation.

Tips for hair loss after pregnancy

Redefine your daily hair care routine. After giving birth, due to changes in hormonal levels, your hair type may change. Therefore, shampoos that were previously suitable can now cause itching or even dandruff.

Try to minimize the use of a hair dryer, if possible, dry your hair naturally, and if this is not possible, then be sure to use thermal protection.

Be careful when choosing purchased tonics (serums, ampoules, tonics), they may be contraindicated for breastfeeding. The same applies to homemade hair masks.

Try to eat a balanced diet, take into account the balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Today there are many programs that can be used to calculate everything.

Scalp massage, which can become not only a part of a comprehensive hair treatment, but also a pleasant relaxing procedure. You can sign up for a massage course with a specialist, or you can do it yourself (there are many videos on how to properly massage the scalp).

If hair loss does not stop 6-8 months after childbirth, you should definitely seek the advice of a specialist, since hair loss has a lot of reasons and it is very important not to delay treatment. Sometimes hormonal changes after childbirth can provoke postpartum thyroiditis or even androgenetic alopecia.