Pregnancy, while a natural physical event, does stress the body and its systems. Due to the hormonal changes during and after pregnancy, many women experience significant hair loss after delivery, a perfectly normal physical reaction. The higher hormonal levels during pregnancy can interfere with normal hair shedding, and you shed much less. This results in a temporary increase in hair loss as hormones return to normal, according to the March of Dimes. Better nutrition can help to alleviate the problem, and experts suggest taking vitamins for hair loss after pregnancy.
Vitamin B Complex
According to the American Pregnancy Association, supplementing your diet with the B-complex vitamins can help postpartum hair loss. As the University of Maryland Medical Center points out, the B vitamins are essential to healthy hair. Part of the reason has to do with the essential role these vitamins play in delivering the nutrients and oxygen necessary for hair growth to the scalp. Oregon State University's Linus Pauling Institute explains, for example, that vitamins B6 and B12 are critical to the production of red blood cells, which carry nutrients and oxygen throughout the body, and have a role in their ability to pick up and release oxygen. In addition to supplementing the diet with B vitamins, the American Pregnancy Association also suggests using a shampoo that contains biotin, a member of the B complex.
Vitamin C
Another vitamin recommended by the American Pregnancy Association for hair loss after pregnancy is vitamin C. Its antioxidant action "may provide protection for the hair follicles and encourage hair growth," according to the organization. In addition, the Linus Pauling Institute recommends vitamin C because it's essential to the production of collagen. Collagen is an important part of the structure of blood vessels, which serve as the route by which nutrients and oxygen are delivered to the scalp by the red blood cells. Optimum nourishment is important to hair growth.
Vitamin E
The American Pregnancy Association recommends vitamin E primarily for its antioxidants, but that's not its only benefit. According to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements, in addition to its very important work in preventing free radical damage, vitamin E also contributes to the health of blood vessels and dilation. This is important in the delivery of nutrients and oxygen, which are essential to healthy hair growth. The Linus Pauling Institute also notes that vitamin E protects cell membranes throughout the entire body.
References
- American Pregnancy Association: Pregnancy and Hair Loss
- March of Dimes, Pregnancy and Newborn Health Education Center: Hair Changes
- University of Maryland Medical Center, Complementary Medicine: Vitamin B1
- National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements: Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet, Vitamin E
- Oregon State University, Linus Pauling Institute: Micronutrient Information Center
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