Coping With Hair Loss While Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is not the cause of your problems, but a period that all women go through after pregnancy. Here we point out the real culprit and give you tips on how to fix it.
Women can experience hair loss while breastfeeding. But the cause is not specifically breastfeeding, but a related process. The postpartum period is the real culprit for the massive hair loss that some women experience.
It is normal to lose between 50 and 100 hairs per day, but in the first 3 months after the baby is born, the amount of hair that falls out is much more excessive. This phenomenon is therefore a myth attributed to breastfeeding.
Causes of hair loss while breastfeeding
It is natural for hair to fall out. In fact, it is part of the natural hair cycle. Their growth lasts between 2 and 3 years and is asynchronous, which means that not all hair grows the same and does not fall out at the same time.
During the cycle, 90% of the hair is actively growing and between 10% and 15% is in the resting phase. This resting hair falls out and new hair begins to grow.
It is therefore normal for hair to fall out. However, during pregnancy and postpartum, the normal cycle is disturbed. Hormones that the body secretes during pregnancy cause hair growth to accelerate, causing less hair to fall out.
In the postpartum period, what is going to happen is that the hair that did not fall out during the pregnancy is going to be lost. This phenomenon, known in medicine as telogen effluvium, is normal and reversible.
Tips to Minimize Hair Loss While Breastfeeding
Although you cannot stop hair loss during breastfeeding as it is a normal process, you can minimize it by following some natural tips to take care of your hair during this time.
1. Consume vitamin B
Vitamin B6 is a great ally for the hair. In fact, according to Palafox Virgil, oral administration of vitamin B6 has been shown to improve the condition of hair loss. However, it is the specialist who must prescribe this type of supplement.
Remember that vitamin B is a group that includes vitamin B1 (known as thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 known as pantothenic acid, B6 (pyridoxine) and B7 or biotin. B9 is folic acid and B12 is cobalamin.
The B6, B7 and B12 are the most recognized for hair care. However, they all play vital roles in the body, such as obtaining energy from food.
2. Eat better
To reduce hair loss, it is also important to pay special attention to your diet. By following the previous line and without taking any supplements or pills, you can increase your vitamin B intake by including it in your diet.
There are a lot of foods that contain it. The main one of them is fish. Among the most recommended are sardines, with 8.9 micrograms of vitamin B12.
Cereals (lentils, beans and beans) contain between 482 and 444 micrograms of vitamin B9 or folic acid, of which 400 micrograms per day are recommended under normal conditions.
The liver and other cow viscera, such as the kidneys, also contain large amounts of B vitamins. In 100 grams of liver there is 80 micrograms of vitamin B12.
3. Massage your scalp
It must be done correctly. To do this, you need to know what type of hair you have; if they are dry or greasy. By massaging, you can stimulate the sebaceous glands, which are responsible for lubricating the skin.
If you have oily hair, that is, with excessive production of sebum, you should massage with the palm of your hand so as not to stimulate the glands. If you have dry hair, massage it with your fingertips. Gently massage in circles for 2-3 minutes.
4. What about beauty treatments?
During this period, it is recommended to use mild products with neutral pH. If you want to dye your hair, it is better to talk to a specialist.
Remember that the scalp is going through a delicate phase and that dyes, shampoos and conditioners contain chemicals that can impact the health of the hair.
Hair loss during breastfeeding is temporary
However, this should be a temporary and normal phase for all postpartum women. However, if you have the impression that it has been going on for too long and the hair loss is excessive, you may want to see a dermatologist to assess the situation.
