Postpartum hair loss is caused by acute telogen effluvium! Thorough explanation of treatment methods
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Postpartum hair loss is caused by acute telogen effluvium! Thorough explanation of treatment methods
This time I would like to talk about postpartum hair loss.
Causes of postpartum hair loss
Postpartum hair lossacute telogen effluviumIt is considered to be one of the.
What kind of disease is this? It occurs around 2 to 4 months after some kind of strong stress such as major surgery, high fever, infection, rapid weight loss, mental stress, etc. It refers to a condition in which a large amount of hair loss occurs in a diffuse manner.
Recently, there has been an increase in hair loss after coronavirus infection, and it is believed that acute telogen effluvium is the cause.
Hair growth occurs through repeated hair cycles.
There is a anagen phase, a catagen phase, and a telogen phase. When the telogen phase ends, the hair falls out, new hair is produced, and the anagen phase begins. The cycle of hair growth repeats over and over again.
When you develop telogen effluvium, hair that is in the growth phase suddenly shifts to the resting phase due to a stress event. Once the resting period ends, the hair will fall out all at once.
These are the symptoms of telogen effluvium.
About postpartum hair loss
The transition to the resting phase of this hair cycle is caused by female hormones.estrogenis thought to be related.
During pregnancy, estrogen levels remain high. Therefore, the growth phase of the hair cycle is extended during pregnancy due to the action of estrogen, so during pregnancy, hair becomes harder to fall out and the amount of hair increases.
However, after giving birth, estrogen levels drop rapidly and return to their pre-pregnancy state, which triggers the end of the extended growth phase and a transition to a resting phase.
The resting phase ends all at once, and your hair starts to fall out all at once, so you might be surprised to see that just by running your fingers through your hair or dissolving it with a brush, a lot of it falls out.
You may be worried about what will happen if the shedding continues, but telogen effluvium is a temporary symptom.Hair loss usually slows down after six months to a year.
Therefore, there is generally no need for treatment.
For those who are concerned about postpartum hair loss
I can understand how you feel anxious about a temporary increase in hair loss.Worrying too much about hair loss can actually cause stress and prolong the recovery process.So I think you should wait for about half a year.
In addition, other measures that can be takenMinoxidilThere have been reports here and there that topical and oral medications are effective as treatments for telogen effluvium, so if you are really worried, you may want to consult a dermatologist or a clinic specializing in hair loss. maybe.
Measures against postpartum hair loss
Minoxidil is used to treat androgenetic alopecia (AGA) and female androgenetic alopecia (FAGA).Drugs that are highly effective for hair growth.
Of course you can use this for postpartum hair loss due to acute telogen effluvium, butSide effects are also known, such as a drop in blood pressure, swelling, and thickening of facial and body hair.Therefore, if you are considering using it, please consult with your doctor.
And last but not least, there's something a bit unpleasant about this.There is a possibility that FAGA may progress due to postpartum hair loss.Therefore, if you are experiencing postpartum hair loss that lasts for more than half a year or a year, you need to be careful.
FAGA is a disease that progresses if not treated, so if this is the case, please consult your clinic.
Summary
Postpartum hair loss is acute telogen effluvium, which occurs due to changes in female hormones before and after childbirth.
It will recover naturally in six months to a year, so try not to get too stressed and wait for it to improve.
Article supervisor

Director of Dr. TOUHI CLINIC
Aiko Isami
Aiko IsamiGraduated from the University of Tokyo Completed initial training at Nagaoka Red Cross Hospital
While specializing in neurology, he became aware of the importance of scalp and hair care after working in AGA treatment. In 2023, he opened "Dr. TOUHI CLINIC" and "Dr. TOUHI SALON," clinics that cater to all scalp and hair problems.
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