Postpartum refers to the period after childbirth. Postpartum can be described as the period starting immediately after delivery and it can extend till 6 weeks after childbirth. During the stage of pregnancy woman undergoes lot of changes and she has several physical as well as emotional changes in her system. It is not only that several chemicals and enzymes come into play and plenty of hormone secretion make changes in the developing size of the uterus comforting the growth of infant, but her mind also undergoes many changes. There are some women who develop depression during pregnancy and there would be sort of anxiety throughout the term.
There can be tremendous growth of hair for many women during pregnancy which is followed by sudden hair loss after delivery. Extra estrogen secretion in the body helps in the growth of thick hair during pregnancy and after childbirth your hormone level gets back to normal resulting in hair loss. Hair fall may last for about 3-4 months after childbirth for many women but for some it can go up to 6 months also.
Symptoms :
Not all the postpartum women would have hair loss. It depends on the many factors including physical, psychological and environmental. Hair loss does not occur suddenly after delivery. Each day there is certain amount of hair fall even for normal person and for new mothers it can be bit higher. Hair loss may not be visible for some women and for others bunch of hairs may fall out at the back of your head.
Causes :
Fluctuation of hormone levels is the main cause for postpartum hair loss.
Treatment :
No medical treatment is needed for hair loss (which is little and temporary).
Home Remedies :
- For those having postpartum hair loss can opt for change in hair style. Get a new cut that suits your face. You can switch over to layered cut if you had long hair early.
- There are various techniques in hair-cut to hide hair loss to certain extent.
- Choose the right hair conditioner for your hair texture to keep it moist.
- Try changing a new color for your hair to get trendy look. Glossing can also be done for getting extra shining.
- You can consult an expert at salon to choose the right hairstyle so that even thin hair may look obvious and sleek.
- New moms can wear glossy hair ornaments like scarves or headbands to hide hair loss.
Hair Growth Cycle :
It is the hair follicle that decides the growth and size of hair. Blood vessels present in the follicle will give proper nourishment for hair growth.
Images, Pics, Photos and Pictures of Postpartum Hair Loss :
There Are 4 Stages In The Phase Of Hair Growth
- Anagen :
This is the first phase of hair growth. This is called the growing phase of hair which may last from 2-7 years.
- Catagen :
It is also known as transition phase during which the hair follicle gets detached from the base and shrinks.
- Telogen :
This is the resting phase of hair follicle which may lasts for 3-4 months. Not all the hair in your head is in the same phase. When 15% of the hair is in resting phase about 20-25% would be in the growing phase.
- Exogen :
It is also known as new hair phase during which new hair replaces the lost old hair. Each day about 100-150 hairs would fall out and this is quite normal for all.
Hair loss would be excess if the catogen phase gets extended or if the resting phase gets early it can cause excess of shedding. Hormonal changes during pregnancy can stimulate the growth of hair thus increasing the growing phase. For this reason many women would develop extra thick hair during pregnancy. After delivery the hormone levels become normal causing hair loss. This indicates that your hair is in the resting phase. More volumes of hair would be in the resting phase than normal due to fluctuating hormones. It can cause heavy hair loss for some women.
However all these changes are temporary and lasts for 3-4 months. You can always consult a dermatologist if you feel that postpartum hair loss is excess interfering with your image. He/she might give you right solution for low levels of iron and other vitamins. When your child completes his/her first birthday you would have regained normal hair growth automatically. If you still feel that you have excess hair loss you can visit your doctor.