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Hair falls out after childbirth: what to do? Video
There is a misconception about why hair falls out after childbirth. Many women associate this process with breastfeeding, believing that the nutrients in milk are “borrowed” from the mother’s body. However, postpartum hair can also fall out in women who do not breastfeed.
Hair falls out after childbirth
Factors affecting hair loss
Not every woman has to deal with hair loss after childbirth. However, you should know that this process is mostly natural and there is nothing terrible in it. But it will be better if you know what are the causes of hair loss, since they are the result of various malfunctions in the body.
The most common factors that contribute to intense hair loss after childbirth are:
- changes in hormonal levels
- chronic lack of sleep
- postpartum stress
- malnutrition
- lack of essential trace elements and vitamins
- insufficient nutrition of hair follicles
- consequences of general anesthesia after cesarean section
After childbirth, during the period of breastfeeding, the level of estrogens – female sex hormones that are also responsible for the condition of the hair – sharply decreases in the female body.
Chronic lack of sleep and postpartum stress accompany women in the first months after childbirth. The child cries, and the experience of a young mother to understand the reason for this is sometimes very lacking. The baby has a puffy tummy or he refuses to suck milk – there can be many such reasons for frustration. Added to this is insufficient and irregular sleep. As a result, the entire body of a woman suffers, and mainly hair, since it is one of the main indicators of existing problems.
Another problem is malnutrition. It often happens that the exhausted mother of a newborn does not even have time to comb, let alone eat calmly and with high quality. In this case, her body spends its reserve reserves, and then the hair begins to fade and fall out strongly. In addition, during the period of breastfeeding, most of the incoming trace elements (especially calcium) and vitamins go to the baby along with milk, bypassing the needs of the woman’s body.
In the period after childbirth, the restructuring of the mother’s body to normal functioning may give a slight failure, which can disrupt normal blood circulation in the upper layers of the scalp. As a result, the nutrition of the hair follicles becomes insufficient, while the hair itself begins to grow worse and fall out.
How to deal with hair loss after childbirth?
When breastfeeding, it is necessary for the woman to get enough calcium for herself and her baby. In addition, care should be taken to ensure that this trace mineral is easily absorbed. To do this, it is necessary to eat those products in which it is in a form that is easily digestible for the body: cheeses, cottage cheese, onions. You also need to combine calcium intake with vitamin C (this is provided in many mineral complexes).
Nutrition after childbirth, especially during lactation, should be balanced. The diet should contain fruits, vegetables, nuts, herbs, grain bread, dairy products, honey. In addition, sprouted cereal grains can be added to food to eliminate severe hair loss, restore hair density and improve appearance. They contain essential amino acids, vitamins, minerals and trace elements necessary for the body.
It is better to wash your hair with a mild shampoo. It is advisable to wash it off not with tap water, but with clean drinking or mineral water.
To reduce hair loss after childbirth, you should pay special attention to hair care. Hair should be combed only with a dry, high-quality comb made from natural materials. You can also do a daily self-massage of the scalp, which will improve blood circulation to the scalp and strengthen the hair roots.
Hair coloring and perm should not be done during breastfeeding. Firstly, the paint will lay unevenly, and the chemistry can take badly. Secondly, these actions damage the weakened hair. It is best at this time to make homemade medical masks and hair rinses based on herbs – chamomile, burdock, etc.
In some women, hair darkens irreversibly after childbirth. Lightening the strands will allow rinsing with a decoction of chamomile
After childbirth, stress for a woman is inevitable, unless loved ones try to protect her from anxiety. However, it manifests itself in the first months after the birth of a child. After that, the woman is already getting used to her role as a mother, it becomes a little easier for her. It is advisable for the woman to get enough sleep and rest in order to recuperate. It is good if the child’s father takes some part in caring for the baby and can sometimes help with the housework.
How long can hair loss last after childbirth?
Usually, hormonal changes in the female body occurs within 6 months after childbirth. If a baby is breastfeeding, this period may be lengthened. After that, hair problems tend to end. The least affected women are those who have good blood circulation, delivering the nutrients necessary for hair growth and strength. In this case, the restoration of the amount of hair occurs in a short time.
You should not wait for the quick completion of the hair loss process, if you do not eliminate the other causes of such a nuisance. By taking proper care of your scalp and hair, improving nutrition and removing physical and nervous tension from your daily routine, you can prevent intense hair loss and restore beauty and density to your head of hair.
See also: bedsores: home treatment.