HEALTH
Post-Natal Tress
By Jade Tan
Female hair loss is a touchy
subject that is rarely talked
about. After all, balding
only affects the men right?
We talk to a trichologist
from Phyto Hair Science to
find out more about female
hair loss, especially how it
affects new mothers.
Hair
After the initial euphoria of the new baby
wears off, mothers often have to grapple
with a few bodily issues. One of the
common problems that most new Mums
face is drastic hair loss.
Before you self-diagnose this ailment
as a case of using the wrong hair care
products, read on.
Usually, chemical processes and hair
care products wrongfully take the fall for
our thinning tresses. Why wrongfully?
Well, the average person loses between
50 and 100 strands of hair daily and while
some harsh products and treatments
might cause hair breakage, they are
often not responsible for sudden
hair shedding. Neither does frequent
shampooing, as long as it is done with a
gentle hand.
Skin Surface
Old Hair
Secondary
germ cells
Club Hair
Anagen
Dermal Papilla
Catagen
3-5 years
1-2 weeks
Hair Matrix
forming new hair
Telogen
2-4 months
Active Growth Phase
Transition Phase
Hair begins to move
towards skin pore while
the papilla begins to
separate from follicle
Papilla com pletely
separates from hair
follicles
Return to Anagen Stage
Resting Phase
Permanent hair loss
occurs during the active
growth stage
Anagen
Usually,
chemical
processes
and hair care
products
wrongfully take
the fall for our
thinning tresses.
20
Family & Life • Feb 2014
Papilla moves up to
meet the hair follicles
so that the hait matrix
can form new hair
Distress
Instead, sparse locks, pre- or postpregnancy, are more likely to be due
to hormonal fluctuations, nutrient
deficiency, skin conditions, genetics
or excessive stress being applied on
hair roots.
Postpartum, it is common for women
to experience a condition known as
telogen effluvium (TE), which occurs
during periods of extreme hormonal
changes such as childbirth. To
understand the role TE plays in
post-natal hair loss, it’s important
to understand the three stages that
make up your hair growth cycle.
The Hair Growth Cycle
The three phases are:
• Anagen
This is the growing stage and
between 85 and 90 percent of your
hair will be in this phase at any
one time. Your hair strands actively
grow for two to six years during
this period before it goes into the
second phase.
• Catagen
After the anagen phase, your hair
transitions into the catagen stage,
which lasts for one to three weeks.
Your hair strand stops growing
during this period. Only up to one
percent of the hair on your scalp is in
the catagen phase at any one time.
• Telogen
The final stage is the telogen phase.
During this period, your hair strands
remain attached to the scalp for one
to four months until the end, when a
new hair strand pushes the old hair
out of the follicle. 10 to 15 percent of
your hair is in this phase at any point
in time.
How does TE affect my hair?
During pregnancy, the high levels of oestrogen in the body
reduce the percentage of hair that enters the Telogen
phase. This means that during the pregnancy term, hair
that would have fallen out remains attached to the scalp.
Post-pregnancy, the decline in oestrogen levels allows old
hair to fall out, resulting in drastic hair fall up to four times
the norm.
So while it may be scary to see clumps of your precious
locks coming away on your brush or in the shower, bear
in mind that it’s hormones at work and not the result of a
poor diet or hair products – all that hair was supposed to
fall out anyway!
Post-natal hair loss as a result of TE becomes noticeable
two to three months after child delivery and usually lasts
between six and 12 months. Its effects may be amplified by
the physical and mental trauma, blood loss and medication
STYLE TIPS!
Waiting for new hair to grow takes
a considerable length of time since
it grows at an average of 1.2 cm
a month. Below are some styling
tips that will help you make the
most of what you have!
• Change your parting
Hair thins the most at your
chosen parting, so flipping it
over will help to cover up the
bare patches.
• Let your hair down
Tying your hair up can tug at
the roots of your hair, which
causes more hair to fall out.
If you have to keep your hair
up, change the height of your
ponytail each time so that you
don’t always exert the same
amount of pressure on the
same strands.
• Amp it up
Go for voluminous styles (think
waves, curls, even crimps!)
instead of sleek styles that
emphasise thinness.
• Take a short cut
Give more density to your hair
by chopping it all off if you dare!
Long hair is prone to breakage
since the lower half of your hair
is drier.
• Keep your cut blunt
Layers make your hair look
thinner, so ditch them. Many
women shed more extensively
in the front, at their hairline, so
bangs are a great choice since
they give your hair more body
where you need it most.
that comes with childbirth. However, be rest assured that
you will regain your crowning glory after all that old hair
has been shed!
What can I do to prevent excessive hair loss?
Phyto Hair Science, one of Singapore’s leading
trichologists, explains: “Eating a well-balanced diet, having
sufficient quality rest, using hair tonic and doing scalp
treatments are some measures to alleviate hair shedding.”
A well-balanced diet includes foods rich in Vitamins B, E,
C, zinc and biotin, which helps your strands to withstand
breakage. To speed up hair growth, choose shampoos that
contain biotin and silica.
As for managing the stress that comes with childbirth, it’s
a good idea to practise Positive Psychology or meditation to
keep stress levels in check.