Postpartum Hair Loss Treatment

DO NOT FREEK OUT PLEASE

Your hair becomes very lush, lustrous and full during pregnancy and you feel so excited as if you are a supermodel with all that fullness. It is a sad tale then when you start losing the vibe after delivery even at a faster rate compared to pre pregnancy that you get alarmed that you may be going bald.

Do not despair, this is all normal and there is no reason to panic too much as a result of the hair loss.

Postpartum hair loss is a normal physiological shedding of the hair that you retained during pregnancy combined with the reduced rate of hair loss that occurs in pregnancy.

This condition is also referred as postpartum alopecia and it can occur in up to 90% of women who just delivered.

Not all women experience it to the same degree and it can occur in your present pregnancy and not occur in the next. It can be mild and barely noticeable, moderate, losing hair that is quite noticeable and of concern to you necessitating your seeking an answer and it can also be severe and alarming as it is falling off in clumps.

CAUSE OF YOUR HAIRLOSS

The hormonal changes of your pregnancy leads to a lot of changes in you and these changes are exemplified in other places and also in addition, to the hair. The hormone estrogen increases in level during pregnancy and this increase in level of estrogen reduces the rate at which the normal daily loss of hair occurs and it also makes the hair thicker and straighter and reduces the rate of hair breakage as the hormone maintains the hair in the resting stage for a longer duration in pregnancy than outside pregnancy.

Under normal circumstances you lose an average of 80 to 100 hairs per day. This is suspended in pregnancy as a result of the rising estrogen levels.

All these gains will eventually have to be paid for some 3 months following your delivery as the hormones return to normal levels and this is the reason for the noticeable hair loss after delivery.

WHAT WILL YOU OBSERVE

Postpartum alopecia or hair loss is more noticeable on the frontal aspect of your scalp, on the hairlines where it is very prominent, it gives a sign of a receding hairline. You may also notice the hair attaching in clumps to the comb when you brush your hair or an unusual amount of hair clogging the shower drain or bath tub after taking your bath. There may also be a noticeable amount of hair deposited on the pillow on waking up .

HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH YOUR POSTPARTUM HAIR LOSS

As you have been assured that hair loss following delivery is a normal physiological event occasioned by pregnancy, this should be reassuring to you as you go through this phase. Nonetheless, there are actions you can take to maintain an aura of normalcy through this phase till you regrow your hair.

Well-balanced diet –

Eat a well-balanced diet that is rich in protein as proteins help in hastening your regrowth of your hair. Continue to take your prenatal vitamins and ensure that your iron, ferritin, blood sugar, calcium, zinc and vitamin D levels are all normal.

Be gentle –

During the shading phase be very gentle on the hair. Use a wide toothed comb to comb the hair. Avoid putting the hair in tight ponytails as it encourages breakages and as much as possible do not use rubber bands to hold the hair.

Use shampoo when necessary-

The idea that the use of shampoo is not allowed is false. You should use more of volumizing shampoo that contains protein that adds depth to the hair making it appear fuller and use good conditioners made specifically for fine hair to reduce the weight on the hair.

Chemicals –

Avoid the use of any chemically based treatment process on your hair during this time until the phase of hair loss ends.

Try a new hairstyle-

Some special hairstyles make the hair look fuller than others and the stylist should be of immense help here and how you part your hair also matters at this time as it can help to hide the receding hairline if you part on the side than when you part in the center

Wear hair ornaments-

Hair ornaments like scarves, bandannas and even caps can be used to disguise the temporary hair loss.

See your Dermatologist-

Most hair loss peak by the 4th to 6th month of delivery and most mothers recover by their child’s first birthday. If the hair loss is taking much longer to recover there may be other associated medical problems that may be the cause hence the need to see your dermatologist for a proper diagnosis and effective treatment.

Laser treatment-

If your dermatologist has ascertained that you have no other underlying medical condition and your hair is not recovering as fast as expected, home laser therapy can be employed to stimulate new hair growth. There are other medications that can be tried also to improve hair growth and your dermatologist will be your best guide as to the proper treatment so do consult properly.

THINGS TO BE ON THE LOOK OUT FOR

Postpartum thyroiditis –

This can present with excessive hair loss following pregnancy that fail to recover with time. In this case your thyroid hormones have been disrupted by the pregnancy altering its levels postpartum .

Female pattern baldness-

This is a genetic predisposition of some women to baldness. This can be precipitated by pregnancy and postpartum hair loss becomes the initial presenting feature that persists beyond one year, the expected time of recovery from postpartum hair loss. The pattern of baldness is also characteristically thins on the top and front of the hair.

Baby hair tourniquet-

This is when a strand of hair gets entangled on your baby’s finger or toe and can tighten and constrict blood flow to the baby’s affected site causing inadvertent injury to the baby if it goes unnoticed. There is no need to panic and once noticed should be gently untwined and released to reestablish blow flow. If it is too tight or deep in the skin you should take the baby to the doctor to help in removing it.

IN CONCLUSION

Postpartum hair loss or alopecia is a distressing symptom of the postpartum period that results from the decoupling of the hair maintaining effect of the pregnancy hormones. It is a normal phenomenon that resolves in time within the first year of giving birth. You should undertake palliative measures to keep your hair looking relatively good and lustrous while you wait for new hair to regrow and return your hair to its prepregnancy state.

Avoid engaging in acts that can make the loss more prominent and worsen your hair outlook before regeneration of hair recurs and ensure you see your dermatologist if you notice signs suggestive of other medical conditions.

Dr mawa

To your postpartum health and freedom

mypostnatalmanagement.com