Hair Loss in Women

Hair Loss After Pregnancy

Hair loss after pregnancyPregnancy and new parenthood are strange and wondrous times. They’re also a physical and emotional roller-coaster… due in part to fluctuating estrogen levels. These hormonal changes can have an impact on your hair, sometimes causing lush growth and at other times causing excessive shedding.

When you see larger-than-usual numbers of strands in your hairbrush, it’s natural to wonder how much hair shedding during pregnancy and post-pregnancy hair loss is normal – and if there’s anything that can be done to prevent it.

Is It Normal to Lose Hair During Pregnancy?

Pregnancy hair loss typically occurs postpartum. During pregnancy, hair growth is stimulated by high estrogen levels that keep your hair in an extended anagen (growing) phase for several months. You may even have an exceptionally healthy, full head of hair while pregnant.

If you are experiencing excessive shedding during pregnancy, you may have a nutritional deficiency or hormonal imbalance and should consider consulting your obstetrician to address the cause. Other pregnancy-related reasons for hair shedding are miscarriage, abortion, stillbirth, or from stopping oral contraceptives.

When Does Hair Stop Falling Out During Pregnancy?

Post-pregnancy hair loss isn’t cause for alarm. In fact, it’s not hair loss at all… but rather excess shedding and slow regrowth. Rapidly dropping estrogen levels cause a larger percentage of hairs to go into an extended telogen (resting) phase. This is only temporary and will stop when falling estrogen levels regain their equilibrium.

Post-pregnancy hair shedding doesn’t cause permanent hair loss, nor will it result in patchy hair loss or bald spots… but rather diffuse, all-over thinning. The condition only lasts three to four months after delivery and hair typically returns to its pre-pregnancy growth cycle within a year.

How to Prevent Post Pregnancy Hair Loss

Temporary postpartum hair shedding is perfectly normal, but there are steps you can take to minimize it. Eating a hair-friendly diet and being gentle on your hair and scalp are a good start.

A postpartum diet should include lots of fruits and vegetables. These contain antioxidants and flavonoids that encourage healthy hair growth. Be sure your diet contains adequate amounts of hair-friendly vitamins B, C, and E, as well as appropriate levels of biotin, iron, and zinc.

Be gentle on your hair during the postpartum phase. Use mild, natural products on your hair and scalp – and avoid harsh styles like weaves, braids, cornrows, or pigtails whenever possible. Even a loose, messy bun or ponytail (while convenient) can pull on stressed hair causing breakage and additional shedding. If you need to use styling tools – like blow dryers, curling irons, or straighteners – use them on the lowest setting and try to avoid combing wet hair.

Supplements and oral or topical medications such as Minoxidil may also help. If you are nursing, discuss any medications or supplements with your doctor prior to use.

If you experience excessive shedding during pregnancy, do not take hair supplements or modify your diet without first consulting a qualified physician. Hair growth medications like Minoxidil are not to be taken orally or used topically during pregnancy.

RHRLI Offers Expertise in Treating Hair Loss

If you are experiencing excessive postpartum hair loss or shedding, Robotic Hair Restoration Long Island can evaluate your hair and scalp and help to formulate a treatment plan. Contact us today to schedule a free hair and scalp analysis.

Why Is Jada Pinkett-Smith Shaving Her Head?

Why is Jada Pinkett-Smith Shaving Her Head? What You Need to Know About AlopeciaIf you watched this year’s Academy Award ceremony, you saw Will Smith slap Chris Rock for mocking his wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith. But you might not have realized that Rock’s “joke” was about a medical condition that caused her hair loss. [Read more…] about Why Is Jada Pinkett-Smith Shaving Her Head?

Collagen And Overall Hair Health

collagen and overall hair healthMany of us are looking at everyday things we can do to promote our hair health. Whether it be the kinds of shampoo and conditioner we use, how often we wash our hair, how we brush our hair, or how we style it. We’re trying to be mindful of what’s good for our hair health and what will keep us having that full head of hair for as long as we can. [Read more…] about Collagen And Overall Hair Health

Tips for Healthy Hair

healthy hair under a microscopeWhether you wear your hair long or short, everyone wants healthy hair. Common mistakes in diet and habits can damage hair and increase natural hair fall (the amount of hair shed through normal grooming). The good news is that simple changes and tips can improve your hair’s health and appearance. [Read more…] about Tips for Healthy Hair

Melatonin and Hair Loss

melatonin and hair lossMelatonin is a hormone that is naturally created in your body by the pineal gland while you sleep. You may have heard that some people take melatonin as a short-term sleep aid to treat insomnia. It is also an antioxidant, which means it can combat oxidative stress to reduce the signs of aging. [Read more…] about Melatonin and Hair Loss

Birth Control Pills And Hair Loss

woman holding birth control pillsBirth control is an important part of many women’s lives – whether they’re sexually active or not. Birth control pills are frequently prescribed to even out hormone cycles in addition to preventing pregnancy. In fact, a recent study showed that nearly 2/3rds of women aged 15-49 in the United States use some form of birth control with the pill being the second most popular option. [Read more…] about Birth Control Pills And Hair Loss

Weight Loss Surgery and Hair Loss

weight loss surgeryThere is certainly no shortage of weight loss remedies and treatments that exist and are readily available to the public. Sometimes diet and exercise are enough, but in more extreme cases prescription drugs or even surgery become the only answer. While some may feel weight loss surgery is extreme, it is often done as a life-saving procedure. [Read more…] about Weight Loss Surgery and Hair Loss

OTC Medications That Accelerate Hair Loss

medication and hair lossThere are many different illnesses and infections that could potentially cause hair loss. In those cases, you’ll often be prescribed a medication that will result in hair regrowth. Other medications like minoxidil – which has a different function when taken orally – can treat hair loss when applied topically.

While there are examples of medications that can help to prevent hair loss or even reverse temporary hair loss, there are still other over-the-counter medications available that could trigger or accelerate hair loss.

So… what medications cause hair loss?

Aspirin And Hair Loss

How aspirin affects our hair might be more complicated than you think. A lesser-known positive effect of aspirin is that it can help reduce inflammation when it’s applied topically. This includes scalp inflammation. This is why aspirin is an ingredient in many dandruff shampoos. In these instances (when used topically) aspirin can potentially save you from temporary hair loss.

That said, taking aspirin orally is a different story. Studies have shown that taking aspirin along with minoxidil (the drug used in Rogaine) decreases its efficiency. This is due to the anticoagulant properties in aspirin.

Anticoagulants And Hair Loss

Anticoagulants have been tied to a specific kind of hair loss called telogen effluvium. This type of hair loss can affect the entirety of your scalp and does not accelerate male pattern baldness. Basically, your scalp gets pushed into the resting state where you’ll shed hair on your scalp… but it won’t necessarily grow back. It can take about three months before hair loss through medications like anticoagulants can be noticed.

It’s important to note that anticoagulants are life-saving drugs. If you’ve been prescribed anticoagulants or recommended to take over-the-counter anticoagulants by your doctor, do not stop taking them without consultation and approval.

Do NSAIDs Cause Hair Loss?

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are similar to anticoagulants in that they can trigger telogen effluvium hair loss. You may be taking over-the-counter drugs like ibuprofen to help manage arthritis pain for example. Though it’s not overly common for regular ibuprofen use to cause telogen effluvium, it does still happen. It will take – just like with anticoagulants – approximately three months to notice the effects.

If you’re managing the pain of arthritis to get through your day-to-day life, please talk to your doctor before you stop taking ibuprofen.

Robotic Hair Restoration Long Island Can Help Restore Your Hair & Confidence

Many of us take over-the-counter medication to help manage ailments like arthritis or to prevent heart attacks and stroke. Unfortunately for some people, side effects of regular use of those OTC medications include hair loss.

Whether it was hair loss and thinning caused by over-the-counter medications, stress, or simply a genetic disposition, RHRLI has got you covered. We offer both surgical and non-surgical remedies and procedures to restore your hair including the use of our state of the art ARTAS® Robotic Hair Transplant System. This hair transplant procedure is minimally invasive and will get you back to your day-to-day life quickly. Contact us today to learn more and schedule a consultation.

Top Three Reasons For Hair Loss

top reasons for hair lossThere are many reasons why people lose their hair. Hair loss does not discriminate against age, gender, or ethnic background. It also manifests in different forms depending on the reason for the hair loss; receding hairlines, male pattern baldness, hair thinning, and patches of hair loss.

So, what are some of the top reasons for hair loss?

  1. Genetics
  2. We focus heavily on male pattern baldness being hereditary, but genetics is the primary cause of hair loss through androgenetic alopecia regardless of gender. In fact, by age 50, about half of all people will have experienced some degree of androgenetic alopecia.

    There are quite a few myths revolving around genetics and hair loss. One such example is the common myth for men that the men on your maternal side of the family are a reliable indicator of how baldness will affect you as you age. While the X chromosome that you get from your mother’s side of the family is still considered the dominant genetic indicator of future hair loss, research has also shown that you are more likely to experience male pattern baldness if your father experienced it.

  3. Diet
  4. What we put into our bodies is incredibly important for properly maintaining them. For many of us, it’s easy to let a fast-paced life between work and family get in the way of making sure we have a properly balanced diet. We need these nutrients to help create and maintain a healthy head of hair.

    When we aren’t getting enough of certain nutrients, we are increasing our risks of avoidable hair loss. These vitamins and nutrients include:

    • Vitamins B6 and B12
    • Iron
    • Zinc
    • Magnesium
    • Protein
    • and Omega-3 Fatty Acids

    Rapid and unhealthy crash dieting for weight loss can also lead to hair loss. If you cut out too many calories and nutrients for your body to function properly, you can cause telogen effluvium hair loss – or even expedite male or female pattern baldness.

  5. Stress
  6. Similarly, stress is a major contributing factor to hair loss. It’s something we’ve all heard before, but even knowing that it can still be difficult to manage.

    A major cause of your day-to-day stress may be your job. Some of the more stressful jobs out there for people include:

    • Social workers
    • 911 dispatchers
    • Paramedics
    • Firefighters
    • Construction workers
    • Surgeons
    • Therapists, and more

    If you find yourself having a difficult time managing your stress, you may be at risk of telogen effluvium-related hair loss. Finding healthy outlets for your stress is key not only to avoid unnecessary hair loss but for increasing your overall quality of life.

    RHRLI Can Help Restore Your Hairline

    Whether you’ve experienced hair loss due to stress, diet, or your unavoidable family history, the experts at Robotic Hair Restoration Long Island can help. We offer many services, both surgical and non-surgical, to restore your hair, including the ARTAS® Robotic Hair Transplant System. Our FUE hair transplant procedure is minimally invasive and will get you back to your day-to-day life quickly. You don’t have to wait for your hair loss to progress too far. Contact us today for a free consultation. Let us help restore your hair and your confidence.

FINANCING AVAILABLE