How to deal with postpartum hair loss?

Pregnancy is one of the most common physiological conditions that a woman will experience in her life. After pregnancy there are a whole lot of changes which happen in the woman's body. One of them is postpartum hair loss. After delivery about two to three months later they experience massive hair fall and this condition is well documented as acute telogen effluvium. 

What is telogen effluvium? 

Normally most of the hair on your head which is between 85% to 95% is in the growing phase, and the rest which is 5% to 15% is in the resting state. After the resting state, hair tends to fall out and this is normally more noticeable after shampooing or brushing. 

An average woman would lose 50 to 100 hair per day. Now during pregnancy, the progesterone and estrogen levels in the body increase and this tends to increase the growing phase of the hair. So less hair go to the shedding period. There are fewer hair in resting stage and fewer hair is falling out each day. therefore hair appears thicker and much more voluminous. 

After birth the progesterone and estrogen levels fall and as a result of this, several more of the hair go into the shedding phase and fall out. This phenomenon is called telogen effluvium. We commonly call this as postpartum hair loss. 

Its very normal and happens in most women in most cases. However the good news is that the hair will regrow naturally between six and twelve months. 

How to deal with postpartum hair loss? 

Be extra gentle while shampooing and combing your hair. Use a wide tooth comb. Do not brush your hair when they are wet as wet hair are more fragile.

Get a haircut done that is easy to maintain. Do not use heat treatments on hair. Heat damages your hair and damaged hair are more prone to breaking. 

Take vitamin supplements prescribed by your doctor. You must take iron and calcium supplements during postpartum period. Many people neglect about taking supplements after delivery. But you should take them in order to have healthy hair. 

Eat healthy food that is rich in protein. After childbirth many women tend to concentrate on taking care of their newborn baby. But its equally important to take care of your health. Include healthy diet that is rich in protein. 

Avoid stress as much as possible. Although postpartum hair loss is common, stress can make it worse. Get enough sleep and do not take stress. 

Postpartum hair loss is very common in almost every woman. You shouldn't be worried if you are shedding more hair than usual after delivery. This process is completely normal. It occurs to all women after pregnancy and it's part of your body readjusting biologically to the process that it has just been through and it's new requirements. 

The good news is that the normal patterns of hair growth will return within one year of postpartum by the time of your baby's first birthday. 

What if your hair doesn't grow even after an year after childbirth? 

In most women hair regrowth happens between 3 to 12 months after childbirth. If you observe excessive hair fall and no regrowth even after one year has passed, then its abnormal. You must consult a doctor and get a thyroid test done. It can also mean vitamin deficiency. It can be any other underlying conditions. So it's better to consult a doctor. 

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