Eric Gift Okeoghene

POST-PARTUM HAIR LOSS – WHY YOU SHOULDN’T FREAK OUT The first thing you should know about this is that it is normal. What’s better? It is only temporary. This truth is best explained with the knowledge of the hair-cycle of women before, during and after childbirth. The hair cycle of women is estimated to be divided into two phases: the Telogen phase (Hair-falling period) and the Anagen phase (Hair-growth period). During pregnancy, the body reacts to the beautiful new life within you by intensely increasing your hormonal production levels as well as your blood circulation. As a result, the pregnant woman enjoys a period of profound hair growth with little hair resting during this period (that is, the Anagen phase gets longer, while the telogen phase gets shorter). Naturally, after the baby is born, everything returns to its default setting. This accomplished by first reducing the highly raised hormonal production levels to a very low point while decelerating blood circulation. Consequently, the Telogen phase is made a longer period than normal while the Anagen period behaves inversely and as such, this is witnessed as a spike in hair loss but is really a rapidly increasing period of hair loss during a simultaneously reducing period of hair growth. The problem is that, while other hormones will return to the way they should be after 24 hours of childbirth, blood circulation takes longer to stabilize. This lapse in hormonal production and healthy blood circulation that supports the Anagen phase which causes the hair to fall. This hair loss process can start at any time after the baby is born. Most statistics show that it commonly starts three month after the baby is born and continues for a year. It is important to note that this phenomenon is wholly distinct from breastfeeding. It just happens that while hormones such as estrogen return quickly back to normal, hormones such as prolactin (the hormone supporting breastfeeding) might continue improved production if breast feeding continues. Also, there is no way guaranteed to slow down or prevent post-partum hair loss. Excessive hair loss can be treated if it is as a result of other post-partum conditions like hypothyroidism (low supply of the thyroid hormone) or anemia due to iron deficiency. In the meantime, there are a couple of things you can do to ensure you get your hair back in good health while maintaining a good look. Some of these are: 1. Rest the Brush Try your best to prevent force-pulling out the hair you have left. You should drastically reduce the number of times you comb or brush through your hair. It’s for the greater good. 2. Eat Well and Eat Right You have a duty to yourself (and everybody else), to put in extra effort in taking in the right amount of nutrients while watching out for your vitamin intake. Eat an assortment of fruits and vegetables. If you care about it enough, enlist the help of your doctor in planning your diet. 3. Change your Hairstyle or Hair Color You can try out a variety of styles that will give the illusion of a full hair. Wavy styles for instance, give a fuller look than straight hair. Using a wig should be your last resort as they might not be the best conditions for hair growth. In the same vein, you can try out trying out a few more colors, highlighting the receding hair parts or glossing the hair parts. All in all, the central message is that post-partum hair loss is a temporary phenomenon, a problem though it may be. With the right attitude and effort, or the lack of it as the case may be, you will be fine.