Hair Loss After Pregnancy. Hair loss is a factor that scares many women. This condition can occur for natural reasons – as it is normal to lose 50 to 100 hairs a day – after performing chemical procedures – such as coloring, straightening, and relaxation – or at certain times in life, such as after pregnancy. Did you know that, at the end of pregnancy, a woman can lose up to 500 hairs a day? We explain the causes of this fall and whether it can be treated. You will learn the causes of hair loss after pregnancy. Check it out!
Post-pregnancy hair loss (“acid telogen effluvium”) is very common – but why does it happen and is there anything you can do to stop it? We have advice from the Hairdressing Institute
Is it true that after pregnancy hair tends to fall out?
At all times, about 90% of your hair should be constantly growing, while the other 10% of your hair follicles are at rest. New hair grows from the follicles every two to three months when the remaining hair falls out.
What happens is that, during pregnancy, hormonal changes cause a reduction in natural hair loss. During this period, the hair becomes stronger, shiny, and with thicker stems, leaving the follicles in a “resting phase”. After the baby is born, about three months after birth, all the hormones normalize and all that hair that did not fall out when you were pregnant, eventually starts to fall out.
What Causes Hair Loss After Pregnancy?
During pregnancy, your body may experience severe medical stress that will affect your hair and so you may have worse hair than when you started.
After pregnancy, there are many other problems that your hair faces.
After childbirth and what happens (blood loss, the ultimate physical and mental trauma of all) comes a drop in hormone levels – which usually happens on the 3rd day after childbirth – and some women suddenly feel depressed, tired and do not know why.
All of this can cause something called “postpartum” hair loss caused by all of the above. Is when a percentage of the hair enters a death phase.
Three months later the hair starts to fall out excessively. Why 3 months? Because it takes so long for dead hair to die from the hair follicle and fall out… This does not happen overnight.
Is there a way to treat or prevent hair loss?
In fact, there is not much to do but wait. About six months after the baby is born, the hair is already smoothing out all this hair loss. Along with normalization, the shape of the hair can also change that is, hair that was straight can become a little wavy. All this happens (again) due to hormonal changes in the phase.
Find out how many hairs fall out!
After childbirth, a woman can lose up to 500 hairs a day. But do not be surprised, this amount is not enough to make you bald. It becomes a problem if the hair continues to fall out six months immediately after pregnancy, leaving defects on the scalp. In this case, it is important to seek out a dermatologist to diagnose the problem.
Hair loss can also mean alopecia areata – a condition characterized by hair loss that may be due to hair loss or reduced appearance. Find out the amount of hair that falls out and how long it lasts.
Hair loss after pregnancy is emotional and physical. You may have thicker hair during pregnancy due to elevated estrogen levels, however, these levels decrease after childbirth, which can lead to significant hair loss. Most women usually lose between 50-100 hairs a day.
But for many new mothers, more hair can be found than usual and it is perfectly normal.
If you are self-conscious about your hair looking thin and lifeless, our doctors recommend:
- Regular treatments and a good daily routine.
- Volume shampoos can help give hair a fuller result. Splitting the hair on the side also helps to cover hair loss after pregnancy.
- Using treatments that reactivate hair follicles and stimulate hair regeneration, such as some over-the-counter treatments that include topical minoxidil 5% as a key ingredient.
- Seeking treatment as soon as possible. Most solutions are about maintaining the hair you have. Talk to your doctor before starting any treatment.
How long will my hair fall out after pregnancy?
The discharge is usually corrected about 3 months after it starts – as long as you do not have any health complications.
If you suffer from an underlying medical disorder caused or aggravated by pregnancy, this can cause something called Chronic Telogen Effluvium (CTE).
This is incredibly common in women, but post-pregnancy women tend to sit back and wait for their hair to “come back” – or just think that thinning hair is exactly what happens after you have a baby.
It is rarely mentioned and so the thinning of the hair, in this case, will continue and will continue.
The CTE can be corrected, he says, as long as you know the cause. The trick is to make sure you are not happy with your hair – if it does not grow within 6 months, contact a specialist.
What can I do to improve my hair?
Of course, watching your hair fall into masses can be a horrible experience, but not everything will fall out.
You can try bulky hair products to help your locks look and feel cosmetic on a daily basis. Eat good and healthy, lots of foods rich in protein and iron to make up for a lost time at work and try to sleep too!
It is important to remember that new hair will grow under old hair that just falls out. You just can not see it yet, as it has to grow through the hair shaft and over the scalp a few millimeters that last only a few months. Hair loss after pregnancy can be reduced with such methods. You can contact our clinic for more professional solutions.