Postpartum hair loss in women
Post-partum hair loss s normally due to a general body “fatigue” after giving birth and/or the sudden change in estrogen hormones with giving birth, also gives rise to increased hair loss and this may be one of the first symptoms noticed. Many women also suffer from thyroid dysfunction after childbirth that coupled with post-pregnancy hair loss is known as post-partum thyroiditis.
Postpartum hair loss or pregnancy hair loss is noticed after pregnancy and it comes as a surprise to many new moms. But it is normal to start losing hair for many months after giving birth. This hair loss problem affects around 10% of women.
There is no need to panic as once those pregnancy hormones level off after delivery, your hair will start to grow. Rest assured you will not go bald.
postpartum hair loss normaly starts at around three months after birth. The amount of time between your pregnancy period and the onset of shedding corresponds to the length of the resting phase of hair growth (between 1 and 6 months, with an average of three months). The loss of hair can seem more extreme if your hair grew much more than normal during pregnancy, or if you have long hair. Within six months, or between 6 and 12 months after birth,most women will return to their usual hair growth cycle.
Why do postpartum hair loss occurs?
Post-partum hair loss is most often caused by a traumatic physical event such as childbirth. The event results in a disruption of the normal hair cycle and subsequent shedding of the hair. This is best explained by Dr. Thomas J. Waliser, a physician at The Russell Center for Women in Englewood, Colo.He says that in order to understand telogen effluvium, it is very important to understand the cycle of healthy hair growth. Dr. Waliser, says that normal hair growth occurs in three cycles:
The Anagen Phase – This is the active growth of hair
The Catagen Phase is a very short deactivation phase where the hair follicles prepare to become inactive.
The Telogen Phase, which lasts for three to four months ,is when the hair is no longer growing but remains loose in the hair shaft until it falls out.
The average person loses about 100 hairs each day. But according to Dr. Waliser, after a woman gives birth, there is a rapid change in these phases and appreciable hair loss occurs as a large number of follicles shed at once. This is what we called telogen effluvium. It normally occurs one to five months postpartum and ceases within 15 months as follicles gradually revert to the Anagen growth phase.
The most important thing to remember concerning telogen effluvium is that it is a temporary condition and soon your hair will be growing again.
In general,he believes that postpartum hair loss is self-corrective, and no treatment is necessary, as it typically disappears after about 15 months postpartum. “Pesistent or chronic telogen effluvium requires a medical evaluation to rule out androgen alopecia (male and female pattern baldness) or other metabolic or disease states,” says Dr. Randell.
Here are a tips for you to consider while you wait for your hair to return to its normal growth cycle?
Get yourself a good haircut and experiment with different hairstyles.
A good quality shampoo and conditioner may help.
Try different styling products, such as mousses or texturizers that “bulk up” the appearance of your hair.
Avoid using a comb or brush that pulls or stresses the hair.
A multivitamin/mineral supplement may be helpful. Make sure you are getting enough protein.
So postpartum hair loss is nothing unusual and it can occur after any pregnancy.It is just a passing phase and you need not worry about it.
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