Cosmetic trichologist Alena Panova and dermatocosmetologist-trichologist Alexandra Ganeeva told how to take care of hair during pregnancy, when you need to be tested for hormones in case of hair loss in the postpartum period and what physiotherapy procedure can be done at home.
Alexandra Ganeeva
Dermatocosmetologist. Trichologist
Changes in hormonal levels during pregnancy
During pregnancy, progesterone and estrogen levels increase. This is happening exponentially. These two hormones help to improve the structure of the hair and prevent hair loss. They grow well and quickly enough. The effect of male sex hormones - testosterone and its derivatives, according to the results of recent studies, on the contrary - increases loss. Normally, levels rise slowly during pregnancy (much slower than progesterone and estrogen). According to my personal observations, hair begins to fall out when a woman is expecting a boy. This is due to the development of the child's own testosterone.
But this is not the only reason hair loss can occur during pregnancy. Improper nutrition, stress, exacerbation of chronic diseases can act as provoking factors. It is important to take a history to decide what to do next.
About scalp serums
Before using any new remedy, read the list of contraindications. During pregnancy, it is forbidden to use products containing hormones and minoxidil. This applies not only to scalp serums, but also to face creams, shampoos, toners, and foams for washing. Hormones can affect fetal development. Minoxidil is a drug used to treat alopecia. It has vasodilating properties and acts as a receptor agonist (a chemical compound that alters its state and promotes its biological response). Minoxidil can cause a sharp drop in blood pressure by disrupting circulation.
In my practice, for the treatment of hair loss in pregnant women, I use the DermaSave line. She has no contraindications, and the result is good.
About hair loss during lactation
During lactation, the level of female sex hormones decreases.
Changes in hormonal levels create favorable conditions for hair loss. The daily rate of "losses" during this period increases three to four times.
No need to sound the alarm. This state is the norm. The shedding can last 8-9 months. The trichologist must be contacted after crossing the indicated time frame. There can be many reasons why the process did not complete. One of them is an increased level of prolactin.
Some of my patients are very impatient - they come to me 3-4 months after giving birth and ask me to stop the prolapse process. They can be offered a safe step-by-step system: peeling - cleanses the scalp from dead cells (growth hormone promotes their appearance), a stimulating lotion based on Dixidox. This is an absolutely safe substance that has no contraindications for use either during pregnancy or during breastfeeding.
About hormone tests in the postpartum period
Taking tests for hormones should be taken seriously. You can't go and do it when you feel like it. Some hormones are given on 3-4 days of the menstrual cycle, some on 9-11. Otherwise, the result may be unreliable. Consult with a specialist in the clinic before taking an analysis. Choosing the right time also depends on the reagents that medical centers work with.
General rules for hair care during pregnancy
During pregnancy, it is better to take vitamin and mineral complexes - from them the body will take what it lacks. Monitor your body's response to new hair hygiene products. If it is not there, they may well be left.
About physiotherapy after pregnancy
I really love ozone therapy. Exposure to highly reactive oxygen stimulates blood circulation and metabolic processes in hair follicles, helps to reduce itching (often observed after pregnancy!), And kills fungi and pathogenic bacteria. During the procedure, a special cap is put on the patient's head, under which ozone is supplied. The duration is 15-20 minutes. During this time, tissue oxygenation occurs, and redox processes are accelerated. Hair begins to grow more actively.
At home, it is permissible to use darsonval - start with 3 minutes, gradually increasing the time to 10. But I do not recommend using this apparatus for very severe hair loss.
They are already under stress, and additional effects can increase it. Get the exact opposite effect - hair will begin to fall out even more actively.
About nutrition
There are many more nuances in nutrition than it seems. The diet must contain animal protein, polyunsaturated fatty acids, micro- and macronutrients. But during the period of breastfeeding, a woman follows a special diet - some foods that cause allergies in children are strictly prohibited. Here you need to focus not on the condition of the hair, but on the well-being of the child.
Alena Panova
Cosmetic trichologist
About postpartum hair care
Some professional products are prohibited for pregnant and lactating women. This information must be indicated on the packaging - pay attention. Many people practice botox and postpartum lamination. Do not do this. Formaldehyde is often found in botox - it is very toxic. There are formulations in which there are no harmful substances. If so, the manufacturer will definitely tell you about it.
Active stimulants are often used in laminating formulations. For example, menthol - can irritate the scalp.
About vitamins after pregnancy
In any case, and even more so if you are breastfeeding, drink vitamins. Feel free to choose the drug that the doctor prescribed in the second half of pregnancy. Take before the end of the lactation period, or even better - within six months after that. You are drinking vitamins not for the child, but for yourself! In any case, the kid will take everything he needs, even if the mother has a deficiency of some vitamins, micro- or macroelements. Your bones and joints, however, may suffer.
About stress and hair loss
Stress and lack of sleep are the cause of the release of stress hormones (cortisol, adrenaline). The immune system immediately reacts to them. It is activated and promotes additional synthesis of testosterone from which dihydrotestosterone is formed, which provokes loss. This is a chain reaction!
About home masks from loss in the postpartum period
There is no point in home masks either during pregnancy or after. Kefir, eggs and others like them provide not a healing, but a conditioning effect. We live in the XXI century! Conditioners and masks have been around for a long time. Why suffer?
In home masks, the molecules are too large to pass through the epidermal barrier or under the hair scales. Everyone who came to me after using non-cosmetic oils had the same picture: dryness, brittleness, confusion.
They act like a film, covering the hair and preventing nutrients from penetrating.
About care products
When choosing care products after pregnancy, you need to focus on the condition of the hair. What is porous will not affect the state of smooth ones. And vice versa. There is an elementary test that can be done at home. Tear off a hair and place it in a glass of water. If it sank to the bottom - the hair is porous, stopped in the middle - the hair is of medium porosity, remained on the surface - the hair is healthy and smooth. I use a trichoscope and visual inspection in my work.
Interview and text: Natalia Kapitsa
