New mom? If you’ve been noticing thinner or falling hair since welcoming your bundle of joy, it’s time to read up on post-partum hair loss.
What causes post-partum hair loss?
While you were pregnant, those lovely hormones probably helped give you great skin, a glowing, radiant complexion and a thick head of hair. Now that baby’s arrived, your hair’s falling out in what seems like clumps. All those hormonal changes your body is going through post-partum often result in a number of less than glamorous side-effects, such as adult acne, broken veins or blood vessels and thinning hair. But don’t panic: this is actually completely normal (if a little unfair).
The average head loses around
hairs per day
The average head loses around 100 hairs per day, but the elevated levels of oestrogen that develop while we’re pregnant slow the hair fibre’s natural life cycle, resulting in noticeably thicker hair. The flipside? The normal hair loss process is accelerated once baby arrives, with the majority of women losing most or all of their excess ‘pregnancy hair’ between three and six months after giving birth. If you breastfeed, you might hang on to your luscious mane for a little while longer, but by the time your baby’s weaned, things are probably going to be back to normal in the hair department.
In a nutshell? Your sudden ‘hair loss’ is more of an optical illusion - your hair coming out of nine months of suspended animation, if you will.
Tips for dealing with post-partum hair loss
Firstly - relax! It might sound easier said than done with a new baby at home, but stress is one of the leading causes of hair loss, so setting some time aside for yourself is likely to help with symptoms. As scientific communication expert Laurie Jacquet says, making time for activities that help you chill out - whether that’s reading, taking a bath or doing a gentle form of exercise - aren’t just great for limiting the impact stress has on the body, they can also help with feelings of low self-esteem (particularly common in the days and weeks following childbirth).
In terms of diet, make sure you’re eating enough protein - essential for healthy hair. Vitamin supplements, such as these natural remedies for hair loss are also worth looking into - just be sure to check with your doctor beforehand. For a clinically effective solution to hair loss, Vichy’s Aminexil Clinical 5 has been proven to target five of the leading causes of hair loss, with 96% of users noting an improvement in the quality of their hair within three weeks of beginning treatment.[1]
If your hair has become noticeably thinner since giving birth, it may be worth talking to your doctor to rule out a postpartum thyroid disorder. A healthy thyroid = healthy hair!
[1] Consumer use test, 137 subjects. Self-evaluation.