Self-care routine is a cherished novelty for all new moms. So, when you finally get to indulge in your hair-care routine and find clumps of hair tangled in large bunches in your hairbrush, it can be quite an alarming discovery.
We are here to assure you that the shedding of hair post newborn delivery is quite a normal process. Postpartum hair loss is a general occurrence for most women in the six months that follow giving birth.
Causes of Postpartum Hair Loss
During pregnancy, every woman experiences tremendously high levels of progesterone and estrogen. Due to this, the women experience continuous hair growth throughout their pregnancy and will surely notice lustrous and thicker strands.
Once you are through with the delivery, your hormones then begin to level out in the following six months. Your hair remains in the resting stage for approximately the first three months and then begins to fall out. Soon after, you will notice the re-growth taking place, which is generally in the shape of baby bangs along your hairline.
How long does it take for Postpartum Hair Loss to Stop?
The alarming rate at which your hair falls in postpartum might be scary to say the least, but the good news is that it is usually only temporary. Many women experience postpartum hair loss for merely four months, while others may experience it for a bit longer.
Normally, your hair growth pattern should return to normal six months post your postpartum period. However, there is also a possibility that you may be one of those women who suffer postpartum hair loss for around a year after you childbirth.
In case of severe symptoms or excessive hair loss for more than a year, you must consult your doctor.
Tips to Combat Postpartum Hair Loss
You can effectively manage your postpartum hair loss in several ways. However, one thing you must take note of is that postpartum hair loss is a normal occurrence due to your changing hormones. Therefore, you cannot expect it to stop immediately.
The following tips are going to help you minimize the impact of your postpartum hair loss and will be helpful in gradually promoting healthy re-growth of your hair.
1.Nutritional Supplements
It is natural for new moms to feel overly worried about their postpartum hair loss. If you are an anxious mommy too, perhaps you should consult your doctor regarding mineral supplements or vitamin intake. These are helpful agents of hair re-growth and stopping or minimizing hair fall.
The American Pregnancy Association approves of the following for postpartum hair loss
- Vitamin E
- Iron
- Zinc
- Vitamin C
- Biotin (B7) or Vitamin B complex.
2. Laser Hair Clips
Laser caps are one of the most advanced and effective treatments for hair re-growth. You may consider this as a convenient remedy to tackle your postpartum hair loss issues. Laser hair caps have several benefits, including:
- It will revitalize your frail and damaged hair
- It can also reverse the postpartum hair loss
- You will experience thicker and healthier hair follicles
- Laser caps treat balding and thinning hair
- There are no side effects, and the device is FDA-cleared
- It is an effective and safe hair loss treatment for women ages 18 and older
3. Healthy and Balanced Diet
There is no doubt about the fact that a balanced and healthy diet is optimal for every person’s wellbeing and good health. For postpartum mothers, in particular, one cannot overstate the importance of a healthy diet, since it plays an integral part in restoring and halting the postpartum hair fall from progressing.
One major way of combating your hair fall is to maintain the required balance of nutrients and vitamins. You must include fresh fruits, whole grains, and vegetables as these are the biggest sources of nutrients. In addition, it is equally important to remember that a sufficient intake of water is also compulsory for thorough hydration.
4. Hairstyle Change
We are all well aware of the postpartum mom hairstyle, aren’t we? Well, a shorter hairstyle is not only practical and easy to manage for new moms; it also effectively reduces the appearance of the postpartum process.
You may be very fond of your hair length but think of it from an alternative perspective. An adjustment in your styling will reduce the level of stress on your fragile hair and enable it to re-grow faster with less burden.
You must also try not to brush your hair too vigorously when in postpartum. This could split or tear your delicate hair, nor should you force it into brutal styles like cornrow braids, ponytails, and weaves.
You are bound to feel overwhelmed following the months after your childbirth, but you must not ignore the issue at any cost.
5. Improve Your Hair Care Routine
An alteration in your hair care routine may also prove beneficial in reducing your hair loss. You might try a shampoo for postpartum hair fall, one that contains silica and biotin along with a deeply moisturizing conditioner.
Conclusion
Postpartum hair loss is a very natural process that most women experience post-delivery. There are certain ways in which you can reduce the amount of hair fall. However, you must also remember that postpartum often corrects itself once your hormones start normalizing and return to the balanced level.
I had so much anxiety over postpartum hair loss. My first pregnancy i had such a bad experience too that it just validated it. i stressed and made the whole thing worse. I feel like its mom code to share but my second pregnancy I got recommended a postpartum hair loss vitamin from Baby Blues (https://babyblues.care/) : has biotin, collagen, b12, vitamin a,c,d , zinc, folate etc. Like you mentioned looking into the supplement helped so much.
My shedding was nothing like my first pregnancy and my hair has had pretty amazing re growth. Definitely recommend to the new mama’s. I’m super curious about the laser caps too so thanks for sharing.
Thank you Nicole for sharing. Did it get better for you?