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What's the deal with postpartum hair loss?

hair loss postpartum

Many, many of you have been asking me to make a post about postpartum hair loss. It’s been established: postpartum hair loss totally sucks.

But let’s cut to the chase: hair loss postpartum is normal and unavoidable. Even dogs can experience hair loss postpartum!

So what’s going on?

It’s no secret that during pregnancy our hormones are super elevated, including progesterone, estrogens, and thyroid hormones. These elevated hormones can cause hair to stay in its “growth” phase (aka anagen phase) longer than usual. These extra accumulated hair follicles can lead to those extremely luscious pregnancy locks.

Shortly after delivery, we experience a drastic drop in the hormones that were so elevated during pregnancy. We also naturally experience an increase in hormones like prolactin. This hormonal shift acts like a “reset” button and kicks off the resting phase (telogen phase).

This can cause many hairs to become synchronized. And about 2-5 months postpartum, we can see just how synchronized when they start to enter the shedding phase together. And it can be worse in women g3netically predisposed to certain patterns of hair loss.

Now, there are things that can potentially make postpartum hair loss less dramatic:

⏩Nourishing well is a prerequisite for healthy hair and so much more. Consuming enough calories and micronutrients in the prenatal and postpartum period is huge. I see major reductions in postpartum hair loss in clients that do preconception prep with me for their subsequent pregnancies.

⏩Managing stress — whatever that means for you — postpartum can be a game-changer. Excess stress can cause our body to be extra picky about what it spends energy on and in the hierarchy of survival, hair is not supercritical. Of course there are many stressors that are out of our control, but focusing on the ones we can control and reaching out for help if we need it can make a world of a difference not just for our hair, but for our overall postpartum recovery.

If postpartum hair loss exceeds 6-12 months, it may be worthwhile to see a practitioner for some testing.

Hopefully this post has provided a level of comfort and some new avenues to explore. Feel free to share your postpartum hair story below. ⏬

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Not medical advice.

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This is not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare professional before pursuing any changes to your personal healthcare regime.

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References

Nichols, L. THE TRUTH ABOUT POSTPARTUM HAIR LOSS. Retrieved from: https://lilynicholsrdn.com/truth-postpartum-hair-loss/.

Paul, M. Monitoring the New Mother after Puppy Birth. Retrieved from: https://www.pethealthnetwork.com/dog-health/dog-diseases-conditions-a-z/monitoring-new-mother-after-puppy-birth.

 

 

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Remember: this post is for informational purposes only and may not be the best fit for you and your personal situation. It shall not be construed as medical advice. The information and education provided here is not intended or implied to supplement or replace professional medical treatment, advice, and/or diagnosis. Always check with your own physician or medical professional before trying or implementing any information read here. While the owner of this website tries to keep the information up to date, there may be things that are out-of-date and out of their control.