Key tips to understand and manage postpartum hairloss

There are many discomforts that a woman goes through before during and after pregnancy. In order to maintain health at a balanced pace its best to recognise the signs of irregularities and manage them right away. When a woman is pregnant she retains all of her natural sources of vitamins, nutrients and keratins for the baby. Which is why pregnant women often get the “pregnancy glow”. In order to understand the concept of post pregnancy loss we need to understand the fundamentals of hair, skin and nail production and why it can change or stop, especially when someone is stressed, change in their diet or environment, ill or pregnant. An average woman who is not pregnant sheds about 100 strands of hair a day. And 90 per cent of our hair is constantly at a growing phase. The other 10 per cent is temporarily at rest until the new cycle shifts. During pregnancy however, amplified levels of estrogen extend the growing stage. There is less hair in the resting stage and less hair is falling out each day, so you have thicker, more resistant hair. After you give birth, your estrogen levels take an enormous change and many hair follicles enter the resting stage. Soon you'll have more hair coming out in the shower or on the brush. This infrequent shedding will slowly reduce and your hair will be back to its pre-pregnancy thickness about six to 12 months after you give birth. Not all women experience these vast changes in their hair during pregnancy or the postpartum phase. In fact, many women go through additional hair growth especially around the hairline and feel like they have more hair after pregnancy. Among those who do, it tends to be more obvious amid the women with longer hair, and whose hair grows faster.

 

Key tips to manage hair loss

Unfortunately you won't be able to completely stop the hair from falling out, as your hormone levels need to balance itself naturally. You can experiment with different thickening remedies such as “filling hairstyles” or natural thickening products and ingredients such as honey and avocado mask, coconut oil, canola oil or you can visit your local hair salon for a thickening hair treatment. Leave the oils on your hair overnight then wash out the next day. It’s best to do this using an old pillowcase to prevent spoiling. For a more “tidier” treatment this can be done during the day when hair is pulled back and away from the face. This will stimulate your scalp, amplify the cycle to give your hair a fuller look during this transition period. Try not to use dry shampoo during this period as it can additionally dry the scalp, slow down your natural oil production and enhance hair loss. It is very important that you brush your hair daily to prevent unhealthy buildups of hair and poor blood flow on your scalp. Many women are tired of picking up hair out of their shower drains and picking up strands off the bathroom floor, now may be a good time to go for a short cut. Speak to your hairstylist to determine what hairstyles best suit your face shape, bone structure and lifestyle. Importantly, for women with long hair; strands of your locks may end up tightly covered around your baby's tiny appendages, including his fingers, toes, wrists, ankles, and penis. This is called a “hair tourniquet”, and it can be quite painful for your little one, as it may lead to slowing down or even cutting off their circulation if left tangled for too long. If you find him crying for no apparent reason, it’s best to have a thorough check carefully for constricted strands of hair. Hair loss can also be managed via healthy balanced diet consumption including drinking plenty of water, avoid smoking and drinking alcohol and restrict sugar from your diet. Avoiding air-conditioning as this can cause dehydration and may slow down this phase.