“Postpartum hair loss has progressed so much that I came out wearing a hat”
Singer and actress Jeon Hye-bin appeared on a broadcast 4 months after having a son and said this.
Choreographer Bae Yoon-jung said, “100 days after giving birth, my hair started falling out like a patient. When she saw that, she was so stressed that she didn’t even wash her hair for three or four days,” she complained.
“My postpartum depression got worse because of my hair loss. When postpartum depression gets worse, even that lovely child looks like a burden. When my child cries, I have to comfort him because my child cries, but I get annoyed at the thought of ‘I’m going to die too’.”
Comedian Jung Ju-ri also confessed to having alopecia after giving birth to her fourth child, saying, “My sprout hair is so cute.”
“Postpartum hair loss, 30 to 40% of all hair may fall out”
Postpartum hair loss is so common that about a third of new mothers experience it.
The cause is a decrease in female hormones. Normally, hair goes through a three-step process: ‘growth phase’ in which hair grows, ‘catagen phase’ in which the size of hair follicles is reduced to one-sixth and pushed closer to the skin surface, and ‘resting phase’ in which hair follicles cease to function and fall out.
In the telogen phase, it is common for 50 to 100 hairs to fall out on their own per day, but hair rarely falls out during pregnancy.
During pregnancy, the level of estrogen, a female hormone, increases rapidly, which promotes the growth of hair follicles and prevents hair from going to rest.
However, after childbirth, as female hormones return to normal levels, the hair with an extended resting period falls out again and hair loss occurs. If postpartum hair loss occurs from 2 to 3 months after giving birth, 30 to 40% of the total hair can fall out by 6 months.
Postpartum hair loss is mostly in the form of circular and parietal hair loss, but women are also greatly affected by the stress caused by such postpartum hair loss, which can lead to a vicious cycle of more serious postpartum hair loss.
The cause of alopecia areata after childbirth is often caused by anemia due to excessive blood loss during childbirth or insufficient nutrition due to incorrect postpartum care and management.
In particular, if the mother returns to work immediately after giving birth or breastfeeds, it is good to be aware that postpartum hair loss can last longer and be more difficult to manage.
“You need to get enough sleep… Excessive diet is poison”
When postpartum hair loss appears, avoid washing your hair with excessively hot water. Dry your hair meticulously, and a light scalp massage is also a good idea.
It is also important to keep the scalp clean as dandruff and waste products accumulated on the scalp can cause hair loss. It is best to avoid perming or dyeing.
You should also avoid stress and get enough sleep. Excessive dieting can make hair loss worse, so be careful. It is good to eat seaweed rich in iodine, kelp and protein-rich beans, tofu, and milk.
In general, hair loss stops from 6 months after giving birth, and new hair begins to grow, and most of them return to normal after 1 year.
Female pattern baldness should be suspected if the hair does not return to its normal state even after 1 year after giving birth and the hair continues to fall out. Also, as in Bae Yoon-jung’s case, ‘postpartum depression’ caused by postpartum hair loss must be managed well.
“The main symptoms of postpartum depression are anxiety and fear. If you can’t sleep at night, you can’t take care of your child properly during the day. There are many people who visit the hospital because of such a vicious cycle and guilt. The husband’s role is very important. The hospital also tells me to come with my husband. Co-parenting is essential.”
Reporter Kim Chae-hyun
