Hair loss after pregnancy is a common condition in females where additional hair releases from the scalp, leaving bald spots behind. The situation is always temporary; hence you can regain your average hair growth in a year or before, failure to which you should consult your doctor and know more about the cause of your hair loss and the suitable treatments to use.
Hair loss after pregnancy occurs due to hormonal changes in the body, which lowers estrogen levels and causes excessive hair shedding. The falling of hair usually occurs two to four months after a new mom gives birth. Pregnancy hormones are typically known to promote hair growth and prevent hair shedding. After giving birth, the hormones will go back to their usual working way, thus causing hair to shed excessively.
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Causes of hair loss after pregnancy
There are various causes of hair loss after pregnancy. The most known causes are;
1. Hormonal changes
Changes in estrogen and progesterone hormones lead to hair loss. When someone is pregnant, the body produces more estrogen hormones that stimulate more hair follicles to grow. The growth at this stage can be thick, whole, and healthy. The hair growth also occurs at a higher speed than usual.
After the child’s delivery, the level of estrogen hormones reduces, causing the hair to enter into a resting phase where it may last for about a hundred days before it starts shedding off in excess. This is medically known as telogen effluvium.
2. Stress
Some women may have hair loss after pregnancy due to stress, which hinders the usual way in which the hormones operate. The pressure may be due to lousy delivery, causing some health complications to the child or the mother, lack of good essential provision to the newborn child, depression resulting from family issues, etc.
3. Lack of proper nutrition
Hair growth usually needs good nutrients, including iron and mineral salts that help in strengthening the cells responsible for the development of hair follicles. This is why it is constantly advisable to have proper nutrition in your diet whether you are pregnant or not.
Inadequate iron in your body after pregnancy may lead to hair falling, which might only come back to its normal after you take the required nutrients. After incubation, you should consult your doctor on which types of food you need to eat to prevent hair loss problems.
4. Health problems
Health problems occurring after birth may also lead to hair loss. This is because of the inability of hormones to balance well and go back to their usual way of working. The hair fall may be so dramatic until one gets the required treatments for the same. It would help if you frequently visited your doctor after birth to ensure that you are on the safer side.
5. Thyroid Diseases
Inflammation of thyroid glands usually makes thyroid hormones not balance. This, in turn, leads to thyroid diseases. The doctors diagnose these thyroid diseases by carrying out a blood test on a nursing woman to know if the chances of hair loss may be due to the condition. Imbalanced thyroid hormones are known to cause excessive hair loss from the scalp.
Symptoms of hair loss after pregnancy
The common symptoms of hair loss after pregnancy are;
1. Cluster of hair on the brush
One may notice some hair clusters on the brush when they are combing or brushing their hair. This may be evidence that they are experiencing hair loss that thrived during their pregnancy period. These hair losses do not lead to patches like in other types of hair loss, so you do not need to stress yourself about it.
2. Hard fingernails
Some women might experience hard fingernails due to hair loss after pregnancy. It is usually expected, and one should not worry about it since the nails will be regular after the hair growth goes back to its normal growth phase.
3. Excessive hair shedding
All hair that grew due to increased estrogen during pregnancy might fall excessively after pregnancy due to a reduction in the levels of estrogens. Although it’s not something to worry about, you may consult your doctor to confirm that the hair loss does not have another cause apart from being related to child delivery.
Treatments of hair loss after pregnancy
The best treatments of hair loss after pregnancy include;
1. Patience
Being patient can help treat hair loss after pregnancy since the hair growth will go back to its normal growth phase after six months to one year. So you should rest and wait for the excess hair that grew during pregnancy to fall for your growth cycle to be expected as it used to be before you became pregnant.
2. Use of proper nutrition supplements
Proper nutritional supplements can help in boosting hair growth after pregnancy. Ensure that your diet contains nutrients and vitamins that will strengthen the cells responsible for your hair growth.
3. Stress reduction
Reducing stress can also help in treating hair loss after pregnancy. Hormonal imbalance, which causes hair to fall, may get well balanced when one reduces stress. You should consult your friends and families on how to take care of the news if it is your first of motherhood. This will prevent any stress that may come as a result of taking care of the baby.
Conclusion
Women should not worry about hair loss after pregnancy since it is a temporary condition that goes away after some time. However, you should ensure a proper diet and refuse stress to ensure that it doesn’t take long before it ends.