Pregnancy is probably one of the most cherished experiences in every woman’s life. However, an unpleasant memory attached to the expecting period for all mothers is the chronic hair fall issue that they must have faced during and post pregnancy. Losing clumps of hair each day is a nightmarish situation that expectant mothers have to go through because of the hormonal changes, stress and anticipation, rapid growth and high nutritional requirement pre and post pregnancy. While some women claim of having improved and thickened hair during pregnancy, this problem of hair fall for the remaining mothers primarily surfaces during the initial expectancy phase. Postpartum hair fall is faced by almost all women up till about 5 months of delivering the child. This problem can be treated by following a healthy diet and hair care regime, avoiding stress, practicing pre and post natal yoga, natural remedies and medication.
Patchy hair loss or hair fall during pregnancy is caused due to a number of factors. As a result of rapid growth and increased nutritional requirements during and after pregnancy, the body undergoes frequent dehydration and fatigue. This causes the hair and scalp to lose moisture and become dry and itchy, while making the hair follicles weak and sensitive. The undernourished state of the scalp causes hair fall and dandruff. Stress, discomfort, anticipation, hormonal changes and fluctuations in estrogen level during pregnancy also triggers thinning and loss of hair. Eating a poor and unhealthy diet during the expectancy period falls short in fulfilling the nutritional requirement of the mother and the fetus, and is thus responsible for the chronic hair fall. This hair loss however is temporary. Many hair follicles go into their resting phase with the onset of pregnancy and start falling rapidly post delivery as part of the normal hair cycle. Here, the hormonal levels and the hair cycle are changing back to normal. This leads to the problem of thinning and patchy hair fall after pregnancy. It is also know that the regeneration and growth after pregnancy also occur rapidly and thus, women regain their beautiful tresses in no time.
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The ideal hair care etiquette to be practiced pre and post pregnancy to help combat the issue of thinning and falling hair:
Eating a healthy and balanced diet which includes generous amount of fruits and vegetables that enrich the body with antioxidants and flavonoids is important. These substances help to strengthen and protect the hair follicles and promote hair growth.
Using hair care cosmetics like shampoos, conditioners etc which are gentle on the scalp and hair and contain silica and biotin is required. These help to nourish, hydrate, protect and fortify the hair and hair follicles. Applying natural and chemical free hair care products along with home remedies is most desirable during pregnancy.
Since most of the hair follicles are in resting phase during pregnancy, they are fragile. Gentle combing, loose and stress free hair styles like loose ponytails are preferable during pregnancy. Tight and stiff hair styling, harsh combing etc can cause the hair fall. Use of hair styling instruments and cosmetics like dryers, curlers, hot rods, hair sprays and gels are unadvisable.
Stress and tension are a major health concern for the overall well being of the mother and baby. Stress also leads to hair loss and thus, expecting mothers should practice pre and post natal yoga, pregnancy exercises and meditation to relieve this condition. They should also stay happy and joyous throughout the pregnancy period and after.
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Pregnant women must consult their doctors and healthcare providers for alternatives to help them maintain their hormonal balance with medications and other remedies.