Tips to Reduce Hair Loss after Childbirth

After giving birth, most new mothers encounter several changes, both physical and emotional mainly due to hormone changes. This may lead to postpartum depression or baby blue, stemming from a decrease in estrogen and progesterone hormones.  Apart from emotional issues, there are some physical changes as well. One of the most common concerns among the postpartum mothers is hair loss.

During the last trimesters of pregnancy, a number of hair follicles are in anagen and enter the telogen phase simultaneously after delivery. Two to 4 months after delivery, a molt – like shedding may develop in about 20% of the women.

How to Prevent Hair Loss After Delivery

1. It is recommended to take the following nutrient-rich foods to stimulate hair growth.
   1. Foods high in iron to strengthen hair, such as egg yolks (3 eggs a week) and dark green leafy vegetables like collards and spinach.
   2. Foods rich in zinc to prevent dandruff and hair breakage; high protein foods such as all types of meat, liver, milk, crab, shrimp, egg, oyster, grains including brown rice, sunflower seeds, sesame; and fruits like apples.
   3. Foods loaded with biotin (vitamin B 7 or vitamin H), to produce keratin as well as reduce hair loss and premature graying of hair. Biotin is found in liver, beef, white fish, brown rice, corn, wheat bran, eggs, and fermented milk.
   4. Foods packed with silica to nourish hair and the scalp, for healthy hair and decrease hair loss. These foods include goat pepper, pepper, potato, and cucumber.
   5. Foods providing high vitamin B, especially B3, B5, and B6, is particularly beneficial for hair nourishment. They are found in eggs, beans, wheat, and grains.
   6. Green and orange vegetables are rich in vitamin A and C. They are essential to nourish the hair and scalp as well as strengthen hair roots. These vegetables are broccoli, spinach, collards, morning glory, kale, carrot, and pumpkin.

 

2. Stop hair dyeing, curling, or drying with hot air; gently brush hair; and always wear a hat when going out into the sun.

 

3. Wash hair with mild shampoo without SLS and silicone. The mild shampoo should contain natural extracts to help restore scalp balance and hair. YOUVION ORGANIC DAILY SHAMPOO is rich in oil extracted from abundant natural plants, without any irritating substance. It also offers relaxation with a unique fragrance extracted from eucalyptus, peppermint, orange, and lemon. These extracts are beneficial to stimulating blood circulation of the scalp, restoring hair roots, strengthening hair, and developing new hair. There are some tips on how to use YOUVION ORGANIC DAILY SHAMPOO as follows. After applying the shampoo to the hair, make bubbles and then use the thumbs to massage temples and use the fingers to massage from head to neck. Repeat this step for 5 times, to boost blood circulation and feel relaxed at the same time.

Treatments at VitalLife Aesthetic Center

• Nutritional Supplementation such as Iron ( ferritin level, Zinc, Vitamin D, Vitamin A, B Complex B2, B7, Folate, B5, B12) Vitamin C, and Vitamin E
• Platelet-rich plasma for chronic telogen effluvium (more than 6 months)

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is an autologous concentration of human platelets contained in a small volume of plasma.

Platelets can be likened to cell reservoirs that produce, store, and release numerous growth factors capable of stimulating the proliferation of stem cells and the replication of mesenchymal cells, fibroblasts, osteoblasts, and endothelial cells, and activating proliferative phase of hair cycle.
It is recommended that 3 monthly sessions of PRP (once monthly * 3 treatments) be used followed by a 3- to 6-month maintenance period.

• Low-level light (laser) therapy (LLLT)

The biochemical mechanisms are not completely understood but the cellular respiratory chain of mitochondria probably absorb the light energy, which results in increased electron transport and the promotion of cellular signaling and in turn allows for hair regrowth.
The time spending for the treatment is varied depending on each device.

• HEALITE II (provided in VitalLife Aesthetic Clinic) is low level light therapy.

The use of phototherapy at wavelength of 633 nm (red light) which penetrates almost reticular dermis can stimulate keratinocytes, fibroblasts and endotheliocytes and increase blood flow around hair follicles.
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy combined with HEALITE can improve hair density and hair thickness for both male and female androgenetic alopecia patients.
Currently, several LLLT devices are available for the treatment of alopecia including a comb, hood, and helmet. Each treatment takes 3 minutes up to 30 minutes depending on each device.

The devices that were studied the most include the Hair Max LaserComb (Lexington International, LLC, Boca Raton, FL), which a hand-held, noninvasive device with a wavelength of 655 nm (red light) that was approved by the FDA for the safe treatment of male and female AGA (androgenetic alopeica). Its effectiveness has been shown to statistically significantly increase terminal hair density in comparison with a control group at 6.5 months (Jimenez et al., 2014; Leavitt et al., 2009).

 

Tips to Reduce Hair Loss After Childbirth 

• Postpartum mothers often face hair loss due to a decrease in estrogen hormone, which is necessary for hair growth. After giving birth, the body cannot adapt to an abrupt reduction of this hormone. Thus, the hair in the growing phase changes over into the final resting period and will eventually fall out. It takes around 3-6 months to be back to normal hair growth.
• Having foods rich in iron, biotin, zinc, and vitamin B complex can strengthen and promote hair growth.
• Mild shampoo for healthy hair and scalp as well as nutritional supplementation, PRP, Healite, low level laser therapy are great options to reduce and treat hair loss.

 
Many new moms often face hair loss after delivery. Before childbirth, the hair is still full and thick because of constant high level of the estrogen hormone during the pregnancy period, which prolongs hair growth and results in less shedding of hair. Nevertheless, this hormone is the first that declines quickly after delivery. The hair in the growing phase, changes into the final resting period and will eventually fall out. Although it is a temporary condition, it considerably affects confidence.

 

How to Prevent Hair Loss after Delivery

• It is recommended to have nutrient-rich foods for hair growth such as iron, zinc, biotin, and vitamin B.
• Stop hair dyeing, curling, or drying with hot air; gently brush hair; and always wear a hat when going out into the sun.
• Wash hair with mild shampoo without SLS and silicone. The mild shampoo should contain natural extracts to help restore scalp balance and hair growth. YOUVION ORGANIC DAILY SHAMPOO is rich in oils extracted from abundant natural plants, without any irritating substance. It also offers relaxation with a unique fragrance extracted from eucalyptus, peppermint, orange, and lemon. These extracts are beneficial for stimulating blood circulation of the scalp, restoring hair roots, strengthening hair, and developing new hair growth. There are some tips to the use of YOUVION ORGANIC DAILY SHAMPOO as follows. After applying the shampoo to the hair, make bubbles and then use two thumbs to massage the temples and use the fingers to massage from head to neck. Repeat this step 5 times to boost blood circulation and feel relaxed at the same time.

 
Treatments at VitalLife Aesthetic Center

• Nutritional Supplementation such as Iron ( ferritin level, Zinc, Vitamin D, Vitamin A, B Complex B2, B7, Folate, B5, B12) Vitamin C, and Vitamin E
• Platelet-rich plasma for chronic telogen effluvium (more than 6 months)

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is an autologous concentration of human platelets contained in a small volume of plasma.

Platelets can be likened to cell reservoirs that produce, store, and release numerous growth factors capable of stimulating the proliferation of stem cells and the replication of mesenchymal cells, fibroblasts, osteoblasts, and endothelial cells, and activating proliferative phase of hair cycle.

It is recommended that 3 monthly sessions of PRP (once monthly * 3 treatments) be used followed by a 3- to 6-month maintenance period.

• Low-level light (laser) therapy (LLLT)

The biochemical mechanisms are not completely understood but the cellular respiratory chain of mitochondria probably absorb the light energy, which results in increased electron transport and the promotion of cellular signaling and in turn allows for hair regrowth.
The time spending for the treatment is varied depending on each device.

• HEALITE II (provided in VitalLife Aesthetic Clinic) is low level light therapy.

The use of phototherapy at wavelength of 633 nm (red light) which penetrates almost reticular dermis can stimulate keratinocytes, fibroblasts and endotheliocytes and increase blood flow around hair follicles.
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy combined with HEALITE can improve hair density and hair thickness for both male and female androgenetic alopecia patients.

Currently, several LLLT devices are available for the treatment of alopecia including a comb, hood, and helmet. Each treatment takes 3 minutes up to 30 minutes depending on each device.

The devices that were studied the most include the Hair Max LaserComb (Lexington International, LLC, Boca Raton, FL), which a hand-held, noninvasive device with a wavelength of 655 nm (red light) that was approved by the FDA for the safe treatment of male and female AGA (androgenetic alopeica). Its effectiveness has been shown to statistically significantly increase terminal hair density in comparison with a control group at 6.5 months (Jimenez et al., 2014; Leavitt et al., 2009).
 
(The back of the brochure should feature a QR code to the website for further information since the brochure provides only a brief overview, and filling the brochure with too much text makes it visually unappealing.)
 

Tips to Reduce Hair Loss After Childbirth 

• Have nutrient-rich foods for hair growth such as iron, zinc, biotin, silica, and vitamin B.

• Brush hair gently and stop hair dyeing, curling, or drying with hot air.

• Wash and nourish hair with mild shampoo without SLS and silicone. The shampoo should contain natural extracts to restore scalp balance and hair growth.

• Treat hair root cells with Nutritional supplementation,  PRP, Healite, Low level laser therapy, which is acknowledged to be effective to treat thinning hair and hair loss.