Postpartum Hair Loss - What Is It?
It is only fitting that I talk about post partum hair loss because of my recent experience with it.
So, what is postpartum hair loss, you ask? In the simplest form, post-partum hair loss is the loss of hair that would have normally shed during your pregnancy. Hair has three phases that it goes through.
1. Anagen - This active or “growing” phase of the cycle is when cells in the roots of the hair divide at a rapid rate. Hair grows approximately 1cm per month and can stay in this active phase of growth from anywhere between two and seven years.
2. Catagen - This short transition phase follows the anagen phase signaling the end of the hair's active growth. During these 2–3 weeks, the hair converts to club hair. The catagen phase cuts the hair off from it's blood supply and the cells that produce new hair.
3. Telogen - The Telogen phase is the resting phase of the hair follicle. The hair follicle is completely at rest and the club hair is completely formed. This period lasts about 100 days for hair on the scalp and much longer for other hairs on the body.
During pregnancy, a woman’s hair fails to cycle through the last phase which is the Telogen phase. Additionall, pregnancy hormones do not allow hair that should have shedded on a day-to-day basis to come out. So, a woman tends to experience tremendous hair loss between the second and six months after giving birth. This happens because a woman’s hormones are interrupted during pregnancy in the process of creating new life.
Does every pregnant woman experience postpartum hair loss?
The answer is "yes." Every pregnant woman experiences postpartum hair loss to some extent.
To clarify that answer, here are a few examples. A woman who was the recipient of an epidural for a cesarean delivery will more than likely have more hair loss than her counterpart who had a vaginal delivery with NO anesthesia. There has not been a lot of study on hair loss caused by epidural. But, as you may have guessed, I’ve done my research throughout my years of doing hair. I've noticed that my clients who delivered naturally without any anesthetic, did not have as much hair loss as my clients who experienced cesarean deliveries.
Let me speak from my own experience. I have given birth twice - both times were cesarean deliveries. I noticed that two to four months after giving birth, my hair came out tremendously. The second time around was almost scary due to the fact that I actually had bald patches in the front of my head.
Lastly, let's talk about chemicals in the body. I’m a firm believer that whatever you put in your body, will come out. This is true for chemicals and especially foreign objects. For most, these items exit through the hair, urine, and even feces. Because of how our bodies were created and wired, certain foreign objects are not allowed to take residence. Postpartum hair loss is very real and normal. We recommend you relax and not get stressed about losing your hair. Let nature takes it course.
