After giving birth, there are many physical, emotional and hormonal factors that affect your body, and one of the physical effects that you will observe is hair loss. You do not start losing your hair immediately; it begins around three months after giving birth and can be quite severe, especially after washing or brushing.
Why do you lose hair after giving birth?
It happens because oestrogen and progestogen levels decrease, as does keratin production (the protein that makes up most of the hair), so the hair follicles weaken, leading to hair loss.
Additionally, stress and a reduced flow of blood to the scalp weakens your hair, so it is normal to lose some when brushing and styling.
How can I take care of it?
To prevent hair loss and strengthen your hair, you need to provide it with some essential care:
- Avoid tight hairstyles: buns, braids, pigtails, ponytails, all kinds of updos.
- Do not overuse hair dryers or straighteners, as high temperatures damage the health of your hair.
- Use a mild shampoo with pH 5 and chemical-free. The more natural the better.
- Do not use hair dyes, as their chemical components damage hair.
- Nourish your hair with natural masks. You can use coconut or olive oil.
- Look after your diet and drink plenty of water. Below we recommend some foods that will help you to improve the health of your hair.
But remember, no beauty treatment will succeed unless you start from the inside out.
Foods that care for your hair after childbirth
To strengthen and care for your hair after giving birth, you should consume:
- Vitamins B6 and E which promote cystine absorption. They can be found in brewer’s yeast, wheat germ, soybeans, alfalfa sprouts, whole grains, nuts, seeds, avocados, tomatoes, pulses, potatoes and broccoli.
- Biotin or vitamin H, which stimulates hair growth, balances the scalp and reduces hair loss. It is found in wholegrain cereals and rice, fish, egg yolk and nuts.
- Arginine and methionine, amino acids that reinforce the keratin in your hair, making it stronger and more elastic. Arginine can be obtained by eating walnuts, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, poultry, dairy products and fish. And methionine is found in cereals, sesame seeds, eggs, meat and fish.
- Cystine, which promotes hair growth and helps to transport iron and zinc to the scalp. Oats, dairy products, pork and poultry, wheat germ and broccoli are good sources of this.
- Iron, calcium, iodine and zinc. You can get all of these from the following foods: spinach, oranges, beetroot, peas, sunflower seeds, asparagus, lentils, celery, aubergines, carrots, brown rice, bananas, wheat bran, oysters and wholegrain oats.
If necessary, to improve the condition and health of your hair after giving birth, you can take food supplements like Keriba Duo, which contains natural extracts of fresh whole pomegranates and olives, which, because they are high in the natural antioxidants punicalagins and hydroxytyrosol, respectively, strengthen your hair by increasing its density and thickness. They also prevent it from falling out.