Hair care during pregnancy
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Shahnaz Husain
Pregnancy is the time when the body of a woman goes through a lot of changes physically and on the hormone level. For instance, the gestation period when the body is invested in nurturing the foetus all the nutrition is supplemented or rather re-directed there. At this time if the woman is not taking proper diet and her dietary requirements are not fulfilled it leads to deficiencies and hormonal fluctuations that directly impact hair growth.
Reduced hair growth accompanied with hair fall.
After pregnancy it takes a lot of time for the body to return to normal, thus due to heavy hair fall women experience hair thinning. Physical stress and emotional adjustment to new life after delivery is a huge change for her to get used to, with this disrupts hair growth. Additionally, the body is breastfeeding and it needs more nutrition, when essential Vitamins, such as Vitamin B and iron and zinc are lacking in diet it leads to heavy hair fall.
Some women who suffer massive blood loss post-pregnancy are low in iron that leads to hair fall. Thyroid imbalances too is one of the major reasons for reduced hair growth that is noticeable by hair thinning.
It is essential to plan a proper diet that would supplement you with Omega-3, Vitamins D, C and B12, Calcium and supplement you with iron and protein. When your body receives ample nutrition then you can expect healthy hair. However, I aways suggest in obtaining supplements through natural sources instead of pill popping until it is the suggested course of action by your doctor.
The right time when you should begin your hair treatment or hair care regime should be at the time of your second trimester, it is relatively safer. It specially goes for the time when you are getting your hair dye done but it should be chemical free, opting for a vegetable-based colour or organic henna.
You can easily indulge in a gentle hair massage to relax yourself, getting your hair trim appointments, and using natural treatments with precautions are some of the safer options. However, you should be cautious about certain hair treatments like hair straightening, keratin, and certain products for removing dandruff, these contain harmful ingredients and very strong chemicals that when inhaled are detrimental to your health and the health of foetus. It is essential to first consult your dermatologist, check the ingredients of your hair products and let your doctor know of any such procedure that you may undertake for your hair care.
These days it is hard to define what is safe if we are looking for specific products. However, choosing products that are based on natural ingredients that contain plant extracts, botanical blends and essential oils. Organic and herbal extracts all based in nature, without the use of harsh chemical formulation.
For instance, it is safe for pregnant and postpartum women to use herbal shampoos, herb infused hair oils, conditioners that are free of harsh chemicals and products that are gentle on scalp and hair.
Hair care during pregnancy requires a robust routine that is supportive of hormonal health and manage your natural hair cycle. Therefore, it becomes essential to have a proper understanding of what needs to be done and what should be avoided.
Let your hair remain natural rather than dying your hair or getting it permed or highlighted. As whatever you put on your scalp gets absorbed in your blood stream too.
Avoid any hair treatments that consist of chemicals similar to or exactly like, minoxidil.
If you feel like getting your hair some highlights then only get the tips of hair done that is safe option.
Be cautious of using shampoo or conditioner with harsh or harmful chemicals.
Avoid combing your hair when it’s wet as it is prone to breakage.
DIY home remedy to strengthen hair follicles and for shine is boiling handful of curry leaves with coconut oil. Let it cool and use this mix as a hair mask an hour prior to shampoo.
Mixing sesame oil with few drops of lavender essential oil for hair growth or rosemary essential oil will help achieve thick hair.
Healthy hair is the result of a balanced diet that should comprise of proteins that can be supplemented through eggs, tofu, pulses and cheese. Iron is essential to provide strength to your hair so, include beetroot, legumes, jaggery, dates and spinach. Vitamin D and calcium are essential part of hair growth therefore I suggest including milk, sesame seeds and ragi, of course sunlight exposure too is one way of supplementing your body with ample of Vitamin D. include all kinds of nuts and seeds in your diet and remember to supplement your diet with Vitamin C with citrus fruits and Amla.
Different hair types have different requirements, but a healthy diet is always the key to keep your hair healthy. However, for different hair types, you can opt for some simple solutions:
· If you have fine hair then volumizing shampoos and conditioners are the best.
· For wavy hair consider using anti-frizz products and ensure that your hair ends are ample hydrated.
· For thick hair moisturizing shampoos and conditioners work best.
· Curly hair requires deep conditioning and leave-in conditioners.
· Oily hair need scalp clarifying shampoos to help get rid of buildup but remember to choose lightweight conditioners.
The author is an internationally famed beauty expert and is called herbal queen of India
Pregnancy is the time when the body of a woman goes through a lot of changes physically and on the hormone level. For instance, the gestation period when the body is invested in nurturing the foetus all the nutrition is supplemented or rather re-directed there. At this time if the woman is not taking proper diet and her dietary requirements are not fulfilled it leads to deficiencies and hormonal fluctuations that directly impact hair growth.
Reduced hair growth accompanied with hair fall.
After pregnancy it takes a lot of time for the body to return to normal, thus due to heavy hair fall women experience hair thinning. Physical stress and emotional adjustment to new life after delivery is a huge change for her to get used to, with this disrupts hair growth. Additionally, the body is breastfeeding and it needs more nutrition, when essential Vitamins, such as Vitamin B and iron and zinc are lacking in diet it leads to heavy hair fall.
Some women who suffer massive blood loss post-pregnancy are low in iron that leads to hair fall. Thyroid imbalances too is one of the major reasons for reduced hair growth that is noticeable by hair thinning.
It is essential to plan a proper diet that would supplement you with Omega-3, Vitamins D, C and B12, Calcium and supplement you with iron and protein. When your body receives ample nutrition then you can expect healthy hair. However, I aways suggest in obtaining supplements through natural sources instead of pill popping until it is the suggested course of action by your doctor.
The right time when you should begin your hair treatment or hair care regime should be at the time of your second trimester, it is relatively safer. It specially goes for the time when you are getting your hair dye done but it should be chemical free, opting for a vegetable-based colour or organic henna.
You can easily indulge in a gentle hair massage to relax yourself, getting your hair trim appointments, and using natural treatments with precautions are some of the safer options. However, you should be cautious about certain hair treatments like hair straightening, keratin, and certain products for removing dandruff, these contain harmful ingredients and very strong chemicals that when inhaled are detrimental to your health and the health of foetus. It is essential to first consult your dermatologist, check the ingredients of your hair products and let your doctor know of any such procedure that you may undertake for your hair care.
These days it is hard to define what is safe if we are looking for specific products. However, choosing products that are based on natural ingredients that contain plant extracts, botanical blends and essential oils. Organic and herbal extracts all based in nature, without the use of harsh chemical formulation.
For instance, it is safe for pregnant and postpartum women to use herbal shampoos, herb infused hair oils, conditioners that are free of harsh chemicals and products that are gentle on scalp and hair.
Hair care during pregnancy requires a robust routine that is supportive of hormonal health and manage your natural hair cycle. Therefore, it becomes essential to have a proper understanding of what needs to be done and what should be avoided.
Let your hair remain natural rather than dying your hair or getting it permed or highlighted. As whatever you put on your scalp gets absorbed in your blood stream too.
Avoid any hair treatments that consist of chemicals similar to or exactly like, minoxidil.
If you feel like getting your hair some highlights then only get the tips of hair done that is safe option.
Be cautious of using shampoo or conditioner with harsh or harmful chemicals.
Avoid combing your hair when it’s wet as it is prone to breakage.
DIY home remedy to strengthen hair follicles and for shine is boiling handful of curry leaves with coconut oil. Let it cool and use this mix as a hair mask an hour prior to shampoo.
Mixing sesame oil with few drops of lavender essential oil for hair growth or rosemary essential oil will help achieve thick hair.
Healthy hair is the result of a balanced diet that should comprise of proteins that can be supplemented through eggs, tofu, pulses and cheese. Iron is essential to provide strength to your hair so, include beetroot, legumes, jaggery, dates and spinach. Vitamin D and calcium are essential part of hair growth therefore I suggest including milk, sesame seeds and ragi, of course sunlight exposure too is one way of supplementing your body with ample of Vitamin D. include all kinds of nuts and seeds in your diet and remember to supplement your diet with Vitamin C with citrus fruits and Amla.
Different hair types have different requirements, but a healthy diet is always the key to keep your hair healthy. However, for different hair types, you can opt for some simple solutions:
· If you have fine hair then volumizing shampoos and conditioners are the best.
· For wavy hair consider using anti-frizz products and ensure that your hair ends are ample hydrated.
· For thick hair moisturizing shampoos and conditioners work best.
· Curly hair requires deep conditioning and leave-in conditioners.
· Oily hair need scalp clarifying shampoos to help get rid of buildup but remember to choose lightweight conditioners.
The author is an internationally famed beauty expert and is called herbal queen of India