For many, pregnancy can be tough. Not everyone “glows” as they hoped that would and some people feel downright awful. One perc that most people do enjoy, is a luscious and full head of hair.
Normally, people shed between 50 to 100 hairs a day as part of the normal hair growth cycle. Hormone levels during pregnancy, however, not only cause your hair to grow faster, but also to fall out less often. As a result, many women enjoy a thick, full head of hair during pregnancy.
After baby arrives
The flip side of this, is that once the baby arrives and hormone levels change, a lot of the hair you didn’t shed through your pregnancy tends to all fall out rather rapidly. It can be rather dramatic to witness months of unshed hair suddenly falling out but it is less stressful if you’ve been prewarned and understand a bit about the process.
How long does post-partum hair loss last?
Women can start losing a greater volume of hair from around 3 months post-partum. And, although it often feels like it will never stop, it usually starts to slow down from 6 months and doesn’t often continue longer than a year.
What can you do about it?
Firstly, don’t panic! And know that you are not alone. Post-partum hair loss is a completely normal part of oestrogen levels returning to normal after pregnancy.
Studies also suggest that it may be beneficial to;
- Continue taking prenatal vitamins
- Supplement your diet with collagen
- Stay well hydrated
- Get lots of protein in your diet
How does collagen supplementation help decrease post-partum hair loss?
Collagen has long been known as a wonder supplement for skin, but is now also considered an important component of triggering hair growth. Collagen contains proline which is considered a building block for hair. And, although more human studies are required, there is growing evidence to suggest that the amino acids in collagen help with Keratin formation which in turn contribute to thick, healthy hair.
Our bodies naturally produce collagen but these levels dramatically start to decrease over the age of 25. Supplementing your diet with a good, clean source of collagen, like The Harvest Table’s pure collagen range, can help boost collagen levels and in turn improve skin, hair and nail condition, decrease joint pain and improve gut health.
This article was written by Bronwyn Anderson, BScHons Physiotherapy (UCT), The Harvest Table
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