A recent post at Mother How looked at postpartum hair loss. While not life threatening, postpartum hair loss can be a depressing condition. In recent mothers who may be experiencing postpartum depression, hair loss can be an added concern that fortunately will resolve.

What causes postpartum hair loss?

Postpartum hair loss is due to a change in hormones that occurs after child birth. During pregnancy there is extra estrogen in the body. This preserves hair and prevents the natural hair cycle from happening. With the decrease in estrogen after child birth, hair returns to a normal cycle and starts to fall out. The hair goes into the resting part of the hair cycle. Fortunately, the hair will start to grow again, like normal. While it will return, hair can take 4-6 months to do so.

What can you do to treat postpartum hair loss?

While postpartum hair loss is a natural part of child birth, there are some things to do to help the hair stick around.

• Take a multivitamin. While vitamins will not grow hair, hair takes a lot of nutrition to grow. If the body is not well nourished, one of the first things to be cut back on is hair production. Not having proper vitamin intake can decrease hair production.
• Eat, sleep, and be healthy. New babies are stressful. First and foremost, mom has to take care of her health to be able to take care of her child. Lack of nutrition, vitamin intake, and proper hair care and lead to more hair loss and lack of regrowth.

The good news is that hair loss after childbirth will reverse itself in 4-6 months. Hair loss lasting longer than 4-6 months does require evaluation. Other causes of hair loss should be ruled out, particularly thyroid problems. Hair transplant surgery should never be considered in new mothers for at least 1-2 years.