Childbirth and Hair Loss

MoreFrom HelloLife

• As part of a healthy lifestyle, HairMax MD for Men safely adds daily nutrition to help support your healthy hair growth
• Contains a proprietary blend of natural botanicals, vitamins and minerals delivered directly to the scalp in a multi-directional (MD) twice-daily massage

Learn more about Hairmax Md For Men

Hair loss in women can be caused by many things. Most people associate hair loss with aging, genetics, and cancer treatments. But hair can also fall out from poor nutrition, high fever, or other forms of bodily stress. It is estimated that over 45% of pregnant women have reported losing more hair than normal in the months after giving birth. Although giving birth creates stress on the body, it isnt the actual birthing process that causes hair to fall out.

The Hair Growth Cycle

Youve probably noticed that your hair falls out naturally at a very slow rate. The average person loses about 50 to 150 hairs every day. This kind of hair loss is a natural part of the hair growth cycle, in which there are three phases:

• Anagen Phase: This is known as the growth phase. Approximately 85% of your hairs are in this phase at one time. Hairs will normally grow anywhere from 2 to 6 years, at a rate of approximately 10 cm per year.

• Catagen Phase: After the anagen phase, hairs enter this transitional period in which the hair follicle shrinks and becomes detached from the dermal papilla; the area of blood supply for an individual follicle. This phase generally lasts 1 to 2 weeks.

• Telogen Phase: Hairs then rest after their follicles shrink and break away from the papilla in a phase known as telogen. During this 5 to 6 week period the hair does not grow but usually stays attached until another hair is formed at its base and pushes the resting hair out. About 10-15% of hairs are in telogen phase at any one time.

The Unique Bodily Environment of Pregnancy

When a woman is pregnant, her levels of estrogen and progesterone remain much higher than normal. These hormones have a protective effect on hair follicles, causing them to remain in the anagen phase for a longer period of time. This is why women often report thicker or healthier hair during pregnancy: because they arent losing the usual 50 to 150 hairs each day while still growing new hair.

After Giving Birth

Much like Cinderellas fairytale night out, the thickened hair from pregnancy cant last forever. Once the child is born, estrogen and progesterone levels rapidly return to normal. This causes many of the hairs delayed from entering the resting phase to quickly enter this phase all at the same time. After 2 or 3 months of being in the resting phase, these hairs will fall out at roughly the same time, resulting in noticeably thinner hair.

Not to Worry

These hairs will grow back. In fact, theyre probably being forced out of their follicles by new, healthy hairs. You can also help your hair growth by eating foods that promote such growth. You hair is made almost entirely of protein, so getting enough in your diet is essential to growing healthy hair. Vitamins B7 (also called biotin) and B12 are also important in hair growth. You can get these vitamins from the foods you eat or in a convenient supplement form. Remember: hair loss caused by pregnancy is completely normal and should not be a source of embarrassment. A few healthy protein-rich and vitamin-laden meals and youll be back on track for a healthy head of hair. Sources: http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/hair-loss/features/treating-hair-loss-naturally http://www.follicle.com/section2/5.html http://www.healthscout.com/ency/68/429/main.html http://www.follicle.com/hair-structure-life-cycle.html