Causes Of Postpartum Hair Loss Revealed

Wednesday, February 26, 2014, 15:37 [IST]

There are several body changes that occur after pregnancy. You are still battling with angry purple stretch marks and sagging breasts. And to make things worse, you start shedding hair like a dog! It is an absolute nightmare! Sometimes, your hair may come out in clumps. We know it is hard, but you have to be patient. Do not freak out because the causes of postpartum hair loss are completely medical.

Even severe postpartum hair loss should not alarm you. This is because the reasons for postpartum hair loss are not in your control. There is little you can do about it, so just chill. When you come to know about the actual causes of postpartum hair loss, you will breathe easy.

BE PREPARED FOR THESE POSTNATAL BODY CHANGES

Many women believe that breastfeeding causes hair loss. But this is not strictly speaking true. Hair fall after delivery is a natural process and has little to do with breastfeeding. So do not shy away from nursing your baby just because you are shedding hair.

Here is a detailed look at the causes of postpartum hair loss.

When it starts

Your shedding begins exactly 3 to 4 months after you deliver your baby. This is because your pregnancy hormones are still active after you give birth. It takes a few months to get your hormonal system in place.

Hormonal Causes

The primary causes of postpartum hair loss are your hormones. Pregnancy hormones hold on to your hair. They do not allow normal hair fall to take place during pregnancy. And when these hormones are gone, you start shedding.

Hair Cycle

Usually, you lose about 100 hair strands per day. But this number comes down drastically during your pregnancy. All the extra hair that you are holding on to has to be shed at some point of time and this is it.

Is it really hair loss?

Considering the reasons for postpartum hair loss, you must be sure by now that you are not going bald. You are technically shedding the extra hair that you could not get rid of during pregnancy. So do not let severe postpartum hair loss scare you.

Sleeplessness

Some peripheral reasons also contribute to hair loss after pregnancy. For example, your newborn baby must be giving you sleepless nights. This can obviously worsen hair loss.

Stress

If you are a working mother, you have to get back to work and also care for your baby. This leads to stress that is one of the worse culprits to cause hair fall.

Malnutrition

Pregnancy drains your body of nutrients. And if you are a breastfeeding mother, you need to eat really well. If you do not give your body sufficient nutrients, you will lose more hair than you should.

Getting back to normal

Your normal hair cycle will return in about 6 to 8 months after you deliver the baby. By then, volume of your hair will go back to what it was before you got pregnant.