Postpartum Hair Loss: Managing Telogen Effluvium
What an amazing journey you’ve had, Mom!
For the past few months, you’ve carried life inside you. That’s incredible!
You’ve been through a lot as you journey through motherhood. But all of your sacrifices eventually paid off as you hold your precious one close to you. The rapid changes you’ve encountered while pregnant are now slowing down and everything feels like it’s back to normal. But for a little while, you still need to prepare yourself and get the support necessary, for you’ll soon encounter a few more changes that accompany childbirth. And just like how you’ve aced everything until this point, we know you’ll also get through these changes better and wiser!
No language can express the power, beauty, and heroism of a mother’s love
-Edwin Chapin
After a long yet worthwhile journey, new moms go through even more changes post-childbirth. The recovery and healing period, like that of labor and delivery, are coupled with hormonal and physical changes. And these changes are evidence of the hard work your body has done in safely carrying a sacred life into the world.
One of the most common changes that new moms encounter is postpartum hair loss. According to the American Pregnancy Association, 40 to 50% of women experience postpartum shedding.
Hair fall post-childbirth can be quite alarming, but it’s actually a common and normal occurrence among moms. So before you start feeling downhearted and worried about your luscious hair, your intuitive moms would like to assure you that these changes are just temporary. Your hair will grow back in due course, healthier and stronger! And even greater news, there are various ways you can take to manage post-pregnancy shedding. In this blog post, we’ll go through the different facts about post-pregnancy shedding and give you some tips to help you deal with hair loss.
So, what is postpartum hair loss, and what causes it?
Many new moms observe noticeable hair loss a few months after childbirth. Hair shedding is also known as Effluvium Telogen, which is a form of temporary hair loss. It is most often attributed to the fluctuations of hormones.
While pregnant, the increased level of estrogen prevents your normal hair loss rate. During pregnancy, hair loss also declines because of the increase in blood volume and circulation. But after giving birth, your hormone levels transition back to its pre-pregnancy level. The declining estrogen level triggers the cycle of growth, rest, and falling out of hair.
Postpartum shedding can start any day after delivery but usually peaks around the 4th-month point. During this time, your hormone level drops and your hair falls out in bigger clumps than it usually does, in order to make up for the lost time. Your hair loss volume isn’t more than what you’ve lost over the last months you carried your baby. It just seems like it because massive shedding happens all at once post-pregnancy.
Is postpartum hair loss permanent?
The increase in hair loss post-pregnancy isn’t a sign that you’re losing hair permanently. Over time, your hair should return to its usual growth patterns. By the time your precious baby turns one, you can expect your hair to be as full at its roots as it usually was. Many moms regain normal hair fullness even earlier.
Can you stop postpartum hair loss?
The hair loss that you’ll experience after childbirth is a normal result brought by the fluctuations in hormones. It is part of your body’s recovery from pregnancy. Therefore, it’s not something that you can immediately stop. But there are ways to mitigate its effects and promote healthier hair growth.
When should you worry about postpartum hair loss?
In most cases, postpartum hair loss is absolutely normal and nothing to get worried about.
But if you continue experiencing excessive hair loss past the one-year mark, talk to a dermatologist or to your physician to rule out any other condition, such as anemia and thyroid issues that may cause hair loss.
You make sacrifices to be a mother, but you really find yourself and your soul
– Mariska Hargitay
It’s normal for you to experience hair thinning or shedding after pregnancy.
Usually, postpartum hair loss is corrected as the hormone levels return to normal. So, please try not to be too stressed about it, as it is a normal part of recovering from childbirth. But if your hair loss is bothering you, here are some tips you can try to minimize the effects of hair loss, make your hair appear fuller and healthier, and promote healthier hair growth.
Check Out These Tips for Managing Postpartum Hair Loss
TAKEAWAY:
Motherhood is a transformative journey. You’ll experience various changes throughout your path, both physical and emotional. From the changes in your priorities and view of life, to getting wrinkles and stretch marks, losing hair and gaining weight. It can transform you in ways you never knew possible. But it can also empower you and make you realize the strength you didn’t know existed. Some of these changes are temporary, while others will be with you throughout your life.
But no matter how challenging the road to motherhood may be, the changes that you’ll encounter will become the beautiful scars that will remind you of your invaluable strength as you created and sustained life inside you.
