Every woman knows her hair is her ‘crowning glory’ – and an essential feature to her femininity. For most Mothers-to-be, this is especially important when her body is changing shape and her weight and size are increasing. She may feel less attractive – and if her hair is falling out – even more so.
National Trichology Services now offer a simple ‘hair check’ for new Mums, as well as ‘after childbirth’ support to minimise post-partum hair shed.
Normally – as a woman progresses through pregnancy her hair is silky, shiny and easy to manage. This is due to her increasing levels of female hormone. For many women – their hair is never lovelier than during pregnancy. But if the mother is nutritionally compromised at her babe’s conception – and this is not addressed – her hair will be one of the first to show signs of dietary distress.
The nutritional status of a Mother-to-be should always be assessed, for the needs of her developing bub come directly from her own nutrient stores. She has a greater need for all nutrients – particularly iron, iodine, calcium, folate, zinc, protein and Vitamin D. It’s estimated that a substantial amount of the Mother’s own iron storage is utilised during pregnancy.
Why hair sheds after childbirth:
Post-partum* excessive hair fall is a natural consequence of giving birth. This form of hair shed is considered the only true moult in human beings.
Approximately two months after giving birth – this varies with individual women and/or breast-feeding – the hair begins to progressively and excessively shed in a diffuse (‘all over’) way. This distressing hair loss (at a most vulnerable time) would normally continue for 2-3 months from onset before beginning to settle. The shed is essentially self-correcting in nature, and is termed (Post partum) Telogen Effluvium.
The reason for hair fall after pregnancy has to do with elevated hormone levels (oestrogen + progesterone predominantly) which steadily rise during pregnancy – peaking in the last trimester. This causes the percentage of the hair in the growing (termed anagen) phase to be artificially high. Normally the anagen percentage is 80-85%, but in pregnancy may rise to 95%
Post partum hair fall is the result of a combination of hair returning to normal growing-falling percentage ratios AND the fall in sex/steroid hormones after childbirth.
When a woman is not pregnant she will usually produce 10-20mg Progesterone (P4) per day from the corpus luteum of her ovaries. During pregnancy P4 production (from the placenta) can rise to 300mg /day!
Providing post-partum Mothers with a low-dose natural Progesterone cream (1%) has been shown to prevent post-partum hair fall AND minimise the risk of post-partum depression.
A practitioner’s role in treating post-partum hair shed is to assess the woman’s nutritional/metabolic status to ensure they have the wherewithal in these areas to affect a settling of the hair fall and return to normal hair phasing and hair regrowth.
Pre-natal hair check:
- Evaluating nutrient status that is specifically related to hair growth.
- Offering hi-quality, comprehensive and sophisticated nutritional supplements (where appropriate) that have been formulated by Australia’s leading nutritional pharmacist** - guaranteed safe for Mother and baby.
- Improve the quality, shine and manageability of your hair with a pure, natural, topical nutrient therapy – Activance Rhodanide. Activance Rhodanide is totally safe for pregnant or nursing mothers.
Post partum hair loss prevention:
If a Mother-to-be’s nutrient levels are optimally maintained during pregnancy, her risk of excessive hair loss after childbirth is greatly diminished. Regular use of Activance Rhodanide has been shown to greatly reduce effluvium following childbirth AND chemotherapy (Source: HC Foundation, 2007).
*’Post partum’ means events occurring after or following childbirth.
**With attending Physician’s permission.