5 Ways to Avoid Hair Loss During Pregnancy

Just as every woman's body is different from the next, our experiences and outcomes would also differ. Women have unique experiences during pregnancy and after child birth due to the varying amounts of the hormone estrogen in the body as well as other factors.

What You Will Read in This Blog Post

• Hair loss during pregnancy
• Signs of hair loss
• Causes of hair loss
• 5 ways to avoid hair loss during pregnancy

Hair loss during pregnancy

While pregnancy can slow down the natural shedding of hair, it can also cause individuals to lose a lot of it. Some women might experience no loss of hair during or after their pregnancy, while some experience loss of hair during their pregnancy, some experience it postpartum and others both during and after their pregnancy, all in different intensities. 

Several factors can individually or jointly be responsible for hair loss during or after pregnancy. 

Signs of hair loss

Thinning: If you normally have thick, voluminous curls, and notice your hair is not as full as usual, this is a sign of hair loss.

Hair breakage/shedding: Sometimes, you don't need to run a comb through your hair before it falls off. If you find out a lot of your hair falls off when you do as little as run your hands through it, it may be a sign of hair loss.

Patchy or bald spots: Small patches of visible scalp, uneven hair and bald spots are a sign of severe loss of hair.

Receding hair line: Because hair loss often starts at the temples, its the first place you can check for signs of hair loss.

Causes of hair loss

Changes in the hormonal system:

The top cause of hair loss during pregnancy is as a result of the hormonal changes the body undergoes at different stages in trimester or postpartum. These changes occurs due to the bodies adjustment to the new growth in the womb and the need to support it. 

Stress:

This another leading cause of hair loss during pregnancy as the body expends more energy to support both mother and child. Pregnancy related stress called telogen effluvium can lead to an increase in the amount of hair shed.

Health issues: 

Underlying health conditions like hyperthyroidism or the lack of essential vitamins like Iron can cause the hair to thin out, lose moisture and break. 

Decrease in hormone estrogen: 

This occurs about 3-4months after delivery as a result of the drop in the estrogen level.

Androgenic alopecia : is a type of hair loss that occurs when the growth phase of hair follicles is shortened or stopped.

Alopecia areata is a type of hair loss that occurs on the head and other parts of the body. It can cause hair loss to return in different directions.

5 Ways to avoid hair loss during pregnancy

The good news is, pregnancy related hair loss is not permanent, can be prevented, minimized and also does not occur all through the 3 trimesters. You can prevent loss of hair during pregnancy through the following means;

• Maintain a healthy diet: This goes without saying, as a pregnant women, eating healthy is a must. Aside from satisfying the usual cravings, eating specific food with nutrients like protein and Iron would greatly prevent hair loss. To keep the moisture in, water intake is also useful for healthy hair.                                                                                                    

• Take hair supplements: Must be advised by your doctor. Some supplements can also result in hair loss as well, however  it is best to get advice from your doctor to be sure you have the right prescription. 

• Avoid hairstyles that puts pressure on the scalp: Aside from the fact that tight hairstyles are uncomfortable, they pull and tug at the hair roots causing them to be weak hence, making the hair fall off easily when a comb is run through it.

• Doing a hair examination during the first trimester: A physical examination can help prevent hair loss during pregnancy as this would enable you identify any underlying issues that may lead to hair loss early on. If any issues are observed, it would be easier to start preventive measures before hair loss escalates.

• Use the right hair product: The pregnancy period is definitely not a time to gamble with hair care products. It pays to get the right products to keep your hair healthy all round the term. You'll be glad not to have relied on your hormones to cause any unwanted changes to your hair. Products that would help lock in moisture, add protein and other needed nutrients to your hair are great way to start.

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