The journey to motherhood comes with many amazing life changes… and maybe a couple of challenges. One common challenge is that of the dreaded postpartum. From hormonal imbalances to skin concerns to just not feeling like yourself, it is not always easy being a new mom!
When it comes to postpartum skin concerns specifically, there are three main issues that women seem to struggle with; hair loss, melasma and acne. If you struggle with any of these, please know that you are not alone!
Postpartum Hair loss
Postpartum hair loss is one common concern that many women face postpartum. It can be described as an increase in hair shedding due to a drop in a hormone known as estrogen. When you are pregnant, your estrogen levels are higher, which helps with that pregnancy glow that many experience. When estrogen is high, it leaves your hair feeling and looking fuller, shinier and healthier than ever!
However, once the baby arrives there is a drop in estrogen levels, affecting the hair growth cycle. As a result, a lot of your hair follicles enter a phase known as the resting phase (the shedding phase), which increases shedding at around 3 months postpartum.
To put it into perspective, on a normal day a human loses up to 100 strands. However, when you are postpartum, you may notice excessive amounts of hair (or clumps) in your shower, brush or pillow.
The bad news is that most women go through it. The good news? It should subside on its own by 9 months postpartum. If you are currently 9 months postpartum and are still experiencing increased shedding, we invite you to book an appointment with GP and skin care physician Dr. Shehla Ebrahim for underlying issues.
Postpartum Melasma
The second condition that many women face during both pregnancy and postpartum, is melasma. Melasma can be described as skin hyperpigmentation that results in darkened areas of the skin on your face. With the changes in estrogen and progesterone during pregnancy, the melanocytes (the cells responsible for pigment), produce more pigment. These hormones will also increase hyperpigmentation in other areas of the body such as the groin, on your belly, as well as around your areolas.
When it comes to melasma treatment, there are a few things you can do to help treat it. Wearing sunscreen is a great way to avoid hyperpigmentation, however, if you are still experiencing melasma even with a sunscreen focused skincare routine, Dr. Shehla Ebrahim may recommend other topicals rich in hydroquinone, tretinoin or corticosteroids.
Postpartum Acne
The final, and most common postpartum skin concern is acne. And I bet that at this point in the blog, you can guess why… If you guessed hormones, you are right!
The shift in estrogen and progesterone is the main cause for postpartum acne. Similarly to postpartum hair loss, postpartum acne should subside on its own once your hormones level out.
With that said, if you are experiencing continuous breakouts 9 months to 1 year postpartum, you may want to seek treatment. Depending on your unique acne case, Dr. Shehla Ebrahim may recommend a topical or oral treatment.
Takeaways for postpartum skin concerns
Postpartum is hard enough as it is, so if you are dealing with continuous skin concerns such as postpartum hair loss, melasma, or acne, we invite you to book a consultation with skin care physician Dr. Shehla Ebrahim. You deserve to look and feel good in your skin!
Book your consultation with Dr. Shehla Ebrahim today!