During pregnancy, women often notice that their skin is shinier and their hair is thicker and more voluminous. Unfortunately, after giving birth, in the postpartum period, the opposite situation often occurs. It is not uncommon for increased, very pronounced hair loss to occur, which mothers experience as a very stressful event, especially during that sensitive period of adjusting to life with a newborn and a new life role. It is important to emphasize that such a condition is temporary and certain steps can be taken that will, over time, make the path to hair recovery somewhat easier.
Hormonal changes are the main culprit behind hair loss
During pregnancy, estrogen levels increase, which prolongs the hair growth phase and reduces its natural loss. Hair then looks more voluminous and healthy. However, postpartum, the level of this hormone decreases sharply, and many hairs that should have fallen out enter the telogen phase, or the phase in which hair falls out the most. This is when hair loss occurs, also known as postpartum alopecia. If it occurs, it can be expected that this phase will be more prominent between the third and sixth months postpartum. The duration of the telogen phase is individual and depends on a whole range of factors besides hormones – potential deficiencies, diet, stress, (lack of) sleep.
How can you help yourself and overcome hair loss? These tips can be divided into several groups.
Hair care according to priorities
Start caring for your hair from the roots. Try not to buy in a hurry, but think about what is a priority for solving. For example, if you have dandruff on your scalp, start using ingredients such as piroctone olamine and jujube and neem extracts . Also, you need to wash your hair often enough with adequate shampoos. If you feel that it is "tortured", and your scalp is still excessively oily, it is a good idea to combine sulfate-free and sulfate-containing shampoos so that you use sulfate shampoo once every 10 days or as needed, and the sulfate-free one in other washes. Of course, rules such as "don't keep your hair in a tight ponytail all the time" and "reduce heat use" still apply, but the advice that the scalp should always be dry is also valid, even when you let the length of your hair dry on its own.
Quality nutrition for body recovery
We probably all know in principle what proper nutrition entails. In the postpartum period, it is of great importance to ensure a continuous intake of protein, but also micronutrients such as iron, zinc and various vitamins, from vitamin D to the B spectrum of vitamins. Micronutrients will be provided by a sufficient, abundant intake of seasonal fruits and vegetables. In all this, do not avoid healthy fats, nuts and supplementation according to the doctor's instructions, if necessary.
Stimulation of growth with targeted products and mandatory massage
If you have experienced hair loss or have researched the topic of stimulating hair growth, you have come across fenugreek, rosemary, castor oil. Regardless of whether you choose Fenugreek and Rosemary Lotion , Rosemary Clove Oil or one of the other oils to boost new hair growth, the key is this – apply them regularly according to the instructions and massage your scalp daily. The longer, the better. Make it a habit as soon as you sit down in front of the TV in the evening, and you can massage with your own fingers, a manual scalp massager or one of the electric versions.
Sleep and stress regulation
This advice is very simple, but in practice it is often the most difficult. Sleep is key to optimal recovery in the postpartum period, which is difficult to achieve with a small baby. However, it is important to keep in mind that long-term sleep deprivation causes stress and significantly negatively affects hormonal balance and a number of other mechanisms in the body, starting with immunity, which you definitely need during this period. As much as you can, try to introduce at least some kind of schedule into your daily (and nightly) routine.
Patience and consistency
Give yourself time and as cliché as it may sound, trust the process. Increased hair loss after childbirth is a temporary condition and just as it happened, recovery will happen.
