You gave birth a few months ago. In addition to the daily concerns caused by this new human being, there is a new concern: you are losing your hair! Why and what to do?
A normal phenomenon
“A few months after giving birth, all the hair that did not fall out during pregnancy will fall out. The reason is simple: the loss of estrogen, an important pregnancy hormone. It’s a shock to the body,” says Dr. Thomas Kohn, a dermatologist specializing in hair loss and co-director of the Dermatologic Surgery Training Program at McGill University.
If your hair used to be rather thick, you may feel like it is getting thinner. And if you already didn't have a lot of hair, you may feel like you're going to go bald! "It can be very scary for a woman to lose that much hair," says Dr. Kohn. However, rest assured: the phenomenon is normal. Everything should be back to normal when your hormonal system gets back to normal functioning.
hair loss also occurs when a woman stops taking aoral contraceptive containing estrogen. Proof that it really is the hormones fault!
Hair growth phases
Dr. Kohn explains that there are several phases of hair growth:
- 1. The first phase is the growth phase, called anagen.
- 2. The second phase is the degradation phase, which is called catagen. This is when the hair stops growing.
- 3. The third phase is a resting phase called telogen. The hair waits for a new hair to take root before it falls out.
- 4. The fourth phase is the fall. The hair falls, leaving room for the relief.
And the cycle repeats, and so on.
Facts about hair and body hair
- The average human body has 5 million hairs.
- The head is covered with about 100,000 hairs.
- The only parts of the body without hair are the lips, the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet.
- Hair grows at the rate of about half an inch per month.
- Each hair grows for 6 years before falling out.
Quick fixes?
If you make the mistake of going to Google to find solutions to your hair loss, it could cost you dearly! Indeed, “miraculous” products abound and the marketing formulas are rather convincing. Don't be fooled: the super shampoo at an exorbitant price (thus letting you believe that it must be really effective) will not change anything.this normal physiological phenomenon.
That being said, Dr. Kohn mentions that it is still important to have good hair hygiene. "It's always good to take good care of your hair, wash it, comb it," he says.
If this hair loss situation is stressing you out or worrying you, why not go for a little cut? An hour at the hairdresser can do wonders for your general well-being when you have recently given birth!
Source: Canadian Dermatology Association
