How To Stop Hair Fall After Pregnancy? Reader’s Query & My Solution With 11 Tips

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Hair fall after pregnancy is a common experience for new moms. The hormonal changes your body undergoes after childbirth, particularly the drop in estrogen levels, often lead to noticeable hair shedding. While this is usually temporary, lasting around 6-12 months, there are several ways to manage and control it effectively.

How To Stop Postpartum Hair Fall?

 

Understand The Cause

Childbirth triggers hormonal changes in your body which can lead to disruptions in your normal hair growth cycle leading to hair loss. During pregnancy, higher estrogen levels keep your hair in the growth phase (anagen) longer, resulting in thicker, fuller hair. After delivery, as estrogen levels drop, many hair follicles enter the shedding phase (telogen), leading to hair fall. This process is normal and typically resolves with time.

Some panic when the balding spots become more prominent but don’t worry, the condition is only temporary. Post-pregnancy hair loss or telogen effluvium is experienced by about 90% of women who give birth. You can also read more about post partum hair loss and its causes in this scientific study.

Tips To Stop Hair Fall After Pregnancy

These home remedies and hair care tips that will help you combat that hair fall quickly and naturally.

Eat Right

• Protein-rich foods: Include eggs, fish, nuts, and legumes to support hair growth.
• Iron and zinc: Eat spinach, red meat, pumpkin seeds, and beans to strengthen hair and prevent excessive shedding.
• Vitamins: Incorporate Vitamin D (from sunlight and fortified foods), Vitamin C (from citrus fruits), and Biotin (from avocados, sweet potatoes) into your diet.
• Omega-3 fatty acids: Found in fatty fish, chia seeds, and walnuts, these nutrients nourish hair follicles.

Eating foods like fruits and vegetables, especially kinds that have flavonoids and antioxidants that protect your follicles will effectively trigger hair growth. And stay away from foods that cause hair loss as much as you can.

Adopt a Gentle Hair Care Routine

Treat your hair gently to minimize breakage:

• Wash sparingly: Limit hair washing to 2-3 times a week and use lukewarm or room temperature water.
• Use mild moisturizing shampoos: Opt for sulfate-free shampoos with moisturizing and nourishing ingredients and follow up with a nourishing conditioner.
• Avoid harsh chemicals: Stay away from chemical treatments like coloring or straightening during this phase.

Regular Hot Oil Treatments Are A Must For You

Regular hot oil treatment using a good cold-pressed oil or combination of oils will help control your hair fall and regrow new hair. Pick the right hair oil for your hair type. If you like, you can try making kalonji oil, neem oil or fenugreek oil for quicker results with hair fall. Adding few drops of rosemary essential oil to it would promote faster hair regrowth.

To oil your hair, just warm your choice of hair oil, detangle your hair, divide in sections and using your finger tips apply oil on your scalp and hair length concentrating well on your ends. After oiling your hair, do couple minutes of scalp massage following inversion method and pamper with hair steaming. 

This will help the hair oil to penetrate deep in your scalp and hair shafts giving you quicker results. Ideally you should apply oil on your hair one a week, leave it on for 20 minutes then shampoo and condition as usual. 

Last update on 2025-02-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Last update on 2025-02-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Use Right Hair Products

To control hair fall after pregnancy, start by choosing a shampoo that contain ingredients like silica or biotin, to help stimulate growth and make sure it does not contain SLS, SLeS, alcohol or added fragrance. You can also choose rosemary shampoo or olive oil shampoo or any one from our list of best shampoo for hair fall control. 

After shampoo, do not skip conditioning your hair. Pick a conditioner that is silicone-free and contains nourishing ingredients like argan oil, hyaluronic acid, glycerin, rose water, shea butter or honey as it will help minimize hair breakage.

Rinse your hair with some rosemary water rinse or fenugreek hair rinse for quicker relief from severe hair fall. 

Always Use Wide-Toothed Combs (Preferably Wooden Combs)

Wooden combs lessen the stress and static effect your hair face while brushing. It also helps evenly distribute the natural oils from your scalp to your entire hair length that helps prevent breakage and hair fall. If your hair tangles easily, then use a detangling serum or spray, detangle with wide tooth comb and follow it up with a hair brush that has boar bristles. 

• Why you should switch from plastic combs to wooden combs immediately!

Natural Remedies to Try

Some home remedies can help control postpartum hair fall:

• Onion juice: Rich in sulfur, onion juice stimulates hair growth. Apply it once a week and rinse thoroughly.
• Fenugreek and aloe vera mask: Soak fenugreek seeds overnight, grind them into a paste, and mix equal quantity of aloe vera gel. Apply generously to your hair and scalp, leave on for 20-30 minutes then wash your hair with just water. 
• Coconut and aloe vera hair mask
• Egg and lemon white hair mask
• Banana and egg hair mask

Consider Hair Supplements

If your diet lacks essential nutrients, postpartum-safe supplements can help. Consult your doctor about taking:

• Biotin: Supports hair strength and growth.
• Iron and zinc: To address deficiencies.
• Omega-3 fatty acids or fish oil: For overall hair health.

Manage Stress

Stress can trigger severe hair fall. Try to stay happy and positive. 

• Practice yoga or meditation to relax your mind.
• Include light exercises like walking to release endorphins.
• Ensure you get as much rest as possible (even short naps count!).

Don’t Be Harsh On Your Hair

Protect your hair from unnecessary stress:

• Avoid tight hairstyles like swoop ponytail or tight high buns that pull on your hair. Pick hairstyles that are protective like braided ponytails, Dutch braids or French braids, heart braids, or simply leave them open.
• Change your parting often.
• Use soft, snag-free hair ties.
• Limit heat styling tools like blow dryers and straighteners. And if you must, then never ever skip a heat protectant.
• Stay away from harsh treatments for the next few months. Avoid coloring your hair, perming, straightening and bleaching your hair.

Give Yourself Some Positive Reinforcements

You just went through life and body altering phase. Don’t be too hard on yourself. It takes time to get back to normal and achieving that hair volume may seem difficult. But it will definitely come back. Just be patient.

Seek Professional Advice if Necessary

If hair fall persists beyond a year or is excessive, consult a dermatologist. Postpartum thyroid issues or severe deficiencies might be contributing factors and require medical attention.

There are many ways to prevent hair fall after pregnancy, I tried listing the ones that were most effective when my sisters and friends went through this phase. If you have any more helpful tips that worked for you, please share them.

Have a lovely day!