8 Ways to Minimize Hair Loss After Pregnancy
Only women who have actually experienced pregnancy
can understand how much their bodies, hormones, and systems changed in
preparation for giving birth. It only makes sense that after the baby is born,
these systems need to change back to the way they were pre-pregnancy. Hormone
levels decrease, your body starts resuming its previous shape, and things that
were put on hold while you were pregnant get back to normal operation. This
includes your hair. While you were pregnant you may have noticed that it got thicker
and even changed to a richer color. It was definitely affected by the hormonal
changes in that it didn't fall out on a regular basis like it does in its
non-pregnancy state. Inevitably, about 75% of women who give birth will notice
hair loss about 3-4 months later.
All hair goes through stages. It starts by growing
in and then experiences a lengthy "resting" phase. Most women lose
hair at the rate of 30 to 100 strands per day. About 7 years after a hair shaft
started to grow, it falls out, making room for a new, healthy hair. This
process continues throughout your life. Pregnancy, however, disrupts the normal
flow of things. While you were carrying your baby, very little of your hair
fell out. The normal cycle didn't exist any longer. However, your body
remembers what was supposed to have taken place, so after you have the baby, it
causes all of the hairs that should have fallen out during the 9-month
gestation period to exit your scalp.
The good news is that your hair will grow back in
and resume the same thickness as it had pre-pregnancy. What some women don't
like is having to look somewhat like a picked chicken until it can do that. If
you are one of these women and you dread the thought of not looking your best,
there are a few things you can do to minimize the hair loss. Some of these
tricks include:
1. Brush and comb your hair extra-gently following
pregnancy, because the hair is particularly delicate at that point.
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Prescription finasteride is usually the first line of defense against hair loss — for men. “In men, the most effective treatment for thinning hair is finasteride,” says Dr. Wolfeld, who routinely prescribes the pill to his patients. “Finasteride is a great medication that goes to the root cause of hair loss.
2. Eat a nutritious diet that you've worked out
with your physician. After all, you don't want to save your hair at the expense
of the baby you're breast-feeding.
3. Lightly massage your hair with oil.
4. Refrain from putting your hair into tight
hairdos, such as pony tails and braids, which can loosen the strands from the
follicles.
5. Use a wide-toothed comb when your hair is wet.
6. Don't use your dryers and curling irons during
this period of time.
7. Buy herbal shampoos and conditioners which will
be more gentle on your hair.
8. A shorter hairstyle will grow back in more
quickly.
For more tips and information on vitamins for hair
growth? Get tips, articles and advice on female hair loss here: Causes of Hair
Loss.
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