In routine woman lose approximately 100 hairs per day even without any disease. Hairfall is a very common hair/skin problem which has many causes. One of its cause can be postpartum hair loss. Hair fall after delivery is seen in usually 40 to 50% females. It is a very distressing condition that new mothers face after pregnancy or in the first few months after delivery.

Postpartum hair loss is also known as postpartum telogen effluvium (PPTE) is a temporary phenomena which starts 2 to 4 months after delivery and last for only first few months after pregnancy or delivery which is quite normal and there is no need to worry about it.

Normal hair cycle replaces each hair every 3-5 yearly with 3 phases of hair cycle – anagen, catagen and telogen with 2-8 years, 2-3 weeks and 3 months duration of each respectively. So in telogen, effluvium hair loss occurs after 3 months of triggering event and it is self-limited.

Causes of hair fall :-

The reason behind postpartum hairfall is that during the pregnancy there are high oestrogen hormone levels and maximum hairs are in a growing phase and very few hairs are in the resting phase as compared to the non-pregnant ladies and hairs during pregnancy stop falling out the way they normally would. And due to the same reason, there are thick and strong hairs during pregnancy.

These things change after delivery as oestrogen levels fall and certainly, a lot of hair follicles go into the resting mode and start falling abruptly but it’s not permanent hairfall. This hairfall can be for approximately 6 to 8 months and the hair loss will be different from one mother to another.

Hair fall treatment :-

Patients must consult their dermatologist if the hair fall is increasing day by day as other causes of hairfall can be there for example anaemia (due to excessive blood loss during delivery) or postpartum thyroiditis.

There is no treatment required for this hair fall after childbirth as it is a natural process and due to hormonal changes but one must consult a doctor just to rule out the other causes of hair fall.

• Few preventive measures
• Eat a healthy and well-balanced diet
• Vitamin supplementation as prescribed by your consultant
• Be extra gentle while washing and combing your hairs
• Not use direct heat on hairs
• Avoid using blowdryers/ hot iron
• Do not use tight hairstyles
• Don’t take stress
• Use comb with widely spaced teeth
• Good sleep
• Have patience