Causes and Cures – Hair Loss During Pregnancy
Pregnancy brings a lot of changes to your body. Hair loss during pregnancy could be just one of them. . Though many women experience luscious hair growth during pregnancy due to the play of hormones, hair fall after delivery is a common phenomenon. The abnormalities in hormones can be different for different women. This can cause dryness and weaken hair roots – resulting in pregnancy hair loss, but knowing the exact cause is important for treating hair fall during pregnancy.
What Causes Hair Loss During Pregnancy?
There can be a number of factors that cause hair fall in pregnancy. Let’s take a look at some of the factors causing pregnancy hair loss:
Hormonal shift
Hormones play a significant role in influencing hair loss during pregnancy and after pregnancy too. During pregnancy, there is a sudden increase in the estrogen and progesterone levels and sometimes the body may take time adjusting to these changes, causinghair fall in pregnancy. Estrogen sends hair follicles in a resting phase hence usually women have good hair volume during pregnancy and experience postpartum hair fall. Any fluctuation in estrogen levels during pregnancy can cause hair loss during pregnancy, as it is the main hormone involved in hair growth. Hairfall due to hormonal shift is a temporary phase.
Health issues
Health conditions like gestational diabetes, anemia, thyroid, and autoimmunity can lead to hair loss in pregnancy. If you are taking medications for blood pressure, depression or steroids, they could trigger hair fall during pregnancy, as well. Liver and kidney issues can also cause hair fall in pregnancy
Lack of adequate nutrition
During pregnancy, the body focuses on providing all the nutrients to the growing fetus. This can deplete the mother’s nutritional reserves. Poor nutrition can lead to weakness in the body and hair loss during pregnancy. Some women suffer from hair fall in pregnancy due to the deficiency of iron, vitamins, and minerals that may occur during pregnancy.
Genetics
Genetics plays a role in deciding a family hereditary trait. If the mother of the pregnant woman has suffered various effects, the chances of repeating the family history are maximum. This means that if the mother had hair fall during pregnancy, her daughter will also suffer hair loss during pregnancy. The same goes with other health issues and pregnancy symptoms like nausea, vomiting, sleeplessness, etc.
Thyroid Deficiency
The thyroid hormone plays a significant role in regulating the metabolism, digestive system, emotional health, and also nail and hair health. Overactive or underactive thyroid conditions called hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism respectively, may be the causative factor of hair loss during pregnancy.
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
It is a condition in which there is severe hormonal imbalance. The body produces more of the testosterone-the male hormone. These testosterone levels interfere with the increased estrogen level during pregnancy and cause hair fall during pregnancy.
Skin Disease in the Scalp
Diseases like psoriasis and eczema cause shedding of skin tissues, which may result in hair loss during pregnancy. Fungal infection in the scalp could also be the cause of hair falling out during pregnancy.
Stress
The amount of stress is directly proportional to hair fall in pregnancy and postpartum hair loss. Pregnancy can take a toll on your emotional as well as mental wellness. Stress combined with fear and nervousness often causes hair thinning and hair fall during pregnancy.
Poor quality hair care products
The skin and hair of women become very sensitive during pregnancy. Avoid shampoos and hair conditioners that are laced with harmful chemicals that may lead to pregnancy hair loss and could even be harmful to the health of your developing fetus. Hair products that have chemicals like silicone, sulfate, and paraben, damage the hair causing hair loss during pregnancy.
Hair styling products
Hair styling products like heated tools, setting sprays, and setting gels take away the natural moisture content of hair resulting in dry, dull, frizzy, and damaged hair. Damaged hair causes hair falling out during pregnancy.
Understanding the causes of hair loss during pregnancy helps in proper treatment planning and methods to keep a check on pregnancy hair loss.
How to Control Hair Fall During Pregnancy?
There are many ways to control hair fall during pregnancy. Dedication and lifestyle modifications help control losing hair while pregnant:
Regular scalp massage
Develop a hair care regime where you massage your hair at least twice a week. Select natural oils like Coconut, Jojoba, Almond, Olive, and more. Massage your scalp thoroughly with lukewarm oil before going to bed or two hours before taking a bath. It stimulates blood circulation and the minerals of the oil seep deep into the layers of your scalp providing nourishment and strength to the hair follicles preventing hair loss during pregnancy.
Avoid heat styling
If you are suffering from hair loss during pregnancy, avoid chemicals like hair dyes, heated styling tools, and straightening products. The heat styling tools make hair dry, dull, and damaged. The hair becomes weak and brittle. This causes hair fall in pregnancy.
Maintain a healthy diet
An expectant mother should consume a diet full of minerals, proteins, and vitamins that replenish the body with lost nutrients, boost the health of the hair, skin, and body, and prevent hair fall in pregnancy. Drinking plenty of fluids to flush out toxins from the body and consuming fresh fruits and vegetables that are rich in antioxidants, flavonoids, minerals, and vitamins helps control hair loss during pregnancy.
Try Meditation
Meditation benefits in multiple ways. It helps in improving concentration, reduces stress, relaxes mind and body, helps balance hormonal levels, and improves blood circulation. Improved blood circulation to the skin, scalp, and head benefits in preventing hair loss during pregnancy. Better blood flow helps provide higher oxygen levels to the cells, promoting cell regeneration and growth which nourishes the hair follicles and checks pregnancy hair loss. Also, meditation lowers levels of cortisol and prevents hair fall during pregnancy, as increased cortisol levels lead to hair loss.
Avoid Chemical Products
Hair styling products play harsh on the hair strands ripping off the hair nutrition and damaging hair follicles. Hair smoothening treatments use silicone which damages hair in the long run, acting as a cause for hair loss during pregnancy.
No Wet Comb
Hair is more susceptible to breakage when combed wet. Wet hair combing also hampers the hair shaft and strips off the natural hair moisture. Avoid wet combing of hair as it causes hair loss during pregnancy. Comb your hair gently and do not tie them into tight hairstyles and use a wide-bristle comb to style your hair to prevent hair loss during pregnancy.
Home remedies
Apart from eating nutritious food, you could directly feed your hair with homemade packs.
- Apply Aloe Vera gel on your scalp, leave for 20 minutes and then rinse well. This home remedy for hair fall during pregnancy is safe and effective.
- You could also apply a mix of one beaten egg and lemon juice on your scalp and wash after 30 minutes.
- Replace egg white with curd in case you do not use egg or feel nauseated with egg during pregnancy. Curd helps shield the hair strands from damage, resulting in controlling hair fall in pregnancy.
These natural remedies nurture the hair follicles while keeping your hair healthy and control hair fall during pregnancy.
Easy Hairstyles
Since styling and straightening are a big no-no to prevent losing hair while pregnant. Keeping an easily maintained and shorter hairstyle will solve half the troubles. It also reduces a lot of time you put into your hair care regime thus contributing to controlling losing hair during pregnancy.
Use good-quality hair care products
Use only good-quality natural hair care products which are tested-safe for you and your baby. A good and natural hair shampoo will clean your scalp and hair strands thoroughly, prevent scalp allergies and infection, and control hair fall during pregnancy. In addition, use a nutrient-rich conditioner for dry hair that provides nourishment to the hair follicles, prevents hair fall during pregnancy, and restores sheen and hair health. The best products for hair fall during pregnancy are always the ones that are completely natural, and safe for the mother and the baby.
Try these easy tips and tricks that work best to control and prevent hair loss during pregnancy.
Foods To Stop Hair Loss During Pregnancy
Healthy eating habits can combat any health problem. You may have pregnancy cravings that do not benefit in preventing hair loss during pregnancy.
So to fulfill your body’s needs to control pregnancy hair loss it is important to have a balanced diet. Here is the list of foods to stop hair fall during pregnancy and also the postpartum hair fall.
Fruits
Include fruits like apple, apricots, berries, kiwi, oranges, and avocado, in the pregnancy diet to avoid hair fall during pregnancy. These fruits are rich sources of vitamins like C, A, E, and B.
Green leafy vegetables
Fenugreek and curry leaves are excellent in promoting hair growth. Also, all green leafy vegetables provide fibers that help metabolism.
Sweet potatoes
It is a good source of beta carotene which promotes cell repair and growth. This aids in preventing hair fall in pregnancy.
Flax seeds and chia seeds
These are enriched with omega 3s and 6s necessary for good hair growth and treating hair loss during pregnancy. They also have a good amount of vitamin B and C that help control pregnancy hair loss.
Protein-rich foods
Proteins are the building blocks of our body, needed for cell regeneration and growth. Protein-rich foods like yogurt, peanuts, pulses, lentils, and beans take care of hair problems like hair fall during pregnancy.
Tips to Take Care of Your Hair During Pregnancy and After Delivery
Stick to a good hair care regime like using an all-natural hair shampoo, conditioner, and hair serum. Check the ingredients to choose chemical-free, silicone-free and completely natural hair care products. Here are some tips to take care of your hair to control hair fall during pregnancy and after delivery hair fall:
- Protect your scalp from direct sunlight and heat.
- Increase intake of vegetables and fruits, especially those that have high water content.
- Have your blood tests done to check if thyroid levels are normal.
- Avoid brushing or combing your hair repeatedly, especially when wet.
- Avoid using a fine-tooth comb to brush your hair, instead use a wide-toothed one.
- Trim your hair at regular intervals to avoid split ends, as it worsens hair fall
- Maintain a good hair care routine by using completely natural products.
- Add an all-natural hair serum to your hair care regime as it will solve hair issues like dryness, brittleness, frizziness and help detangle hair easily by making hair smooth.
These are easy methods that aid to keep hair fall during pregnancy in control. Being easy to adapt, these tips only need to be included to make your habit to prevent pregnancy hair loss.
The Moms Co. Recommends Best Haircare Products To Control Hair Loss
The all-natural formula is best to be used daily in pregnancy. Choosing natural hair and skincare products during pregnancy is important for the health of the mother and the baby.
NATURAL PROTEIN HAIR CONDITIONER
The Natural Protein Hair Conditioner is completely natural, and toxin-free. It is enriched with hydrolyzed Wheat and Silk Proteins, Argan Oil, Murumuru Seed Butter, Beetroot extract, and Vitamins that repair and deeply moisturize the hair, leaving them soft, smooth, frizz-free, and shiny.
NATURAL PROTEIN SHAMPOO
The Natural Protein Shampoo has coconut-based cleansers that gently cleanses the hair. The natural proteins strengthen, moisturize and help reduce the damage caused by harsh chemicals, dust, UV rays and pollution. The natural formula helps reduce hair fall.
NATURAL PROTEIN HAIR SERUM
The Moms Co.’s Natural Protein Hair Serum is enriched with Moroccan Argan Oil, Wheat, Pea, and Oat Proteins. It is India’s first silicone-free hair serum that protects, repairs, and smoothens the hair. It forms a protective coat around the hair follicles, adds volume and shine to the hair.
When to see a doctor
If the hair fall does not stop in a few weeks during pregnancy, it is recommended to see a doctor because pregnancy hair fall lasts for a shorter period of time. Also if you notice recurrent infection in the scalp or scarring and shedding of the scalp skin, medical intervention is necessary. Treatment of thyroid conditions, PCOS and other underlying health issues are important in treating hair fall during pregnancy. Consult your doctor to add supplements to your diet to check for any deficiency causing pregnancy hair fall.
FAQs
Is Hair Fall Common During pregnancy?
No, hair fall during pregnancy is not normal but is common, as pregnancy involves a sudden rise in pregnancy hormones causing hormonal imbalance in the body. The body may take time to adjust with the sudden rise in hormones during pregnancy, which may cause hair loss during pregnancy which is temporary and lasts a few weeks only.
When will my hair stop falling out after pregnancy?
It may take up to 9 to 12 months to stop hair from falling out after pregnancy. During pregnancy, the hair undergoes a resting phase due to hormonal imbalances, hence causing postpartum hair loss. Many times sudden hormonal shifts cause temporary hair fall during pregnancy.
What vitamins are good for hair loss during pregnancy and after pregnancy?
Vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, A, D, E, and biotin, and minerals like zinc and iron are good for hair loss during pregnancy and after pregnancy. Taking supplements under medical guidance proves beneficial for hair fall in pregnancy.
Postpartum hair fall and hair loss during pregnancy are very common and nothing to be stressed about. With proper care and precautions, you can easily manage your hair and say goodbye to your pregnancy hair fall.