The Changes in the Hair Cycle During Gestation and the Post-Partum Period

May 2013 in “ Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology ”

Sevda Gizlenti, Tuğba Rezan Ekmekçi

anagen phase telogen phase post-partum period pregnancy breastfeeding prolactin telogen effluvium hair shedding hair cycle seasonal effects growth phase resting phase post-pregnancy period hair loss hair growth

Studysummary In this study, changes in hair cycle phases during pregnancy and the post-partum period showed a rise in telogen rates after delivery, especially among non-breastfeeding women, but no drastic exaggerations were noted.

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The study, conducted on 116 women, investigated the hair cycle changes during pregnancy and the post-partum period. It found that the anagen (growth) phase rate was significantly lower and the telogen (resting) phase rate was significantly higher in the fourth post-partum month compared to the sixth and ninth months of pregnancy. Breastfeeding mothers had a higher mean anagen rate and a lower mean telogen rate than non-breastfeeding mothers in the fourth post-partum month, but no significant difference was observed in the first post-partum year. The study also noted the influence of prolactin on hair growth, with higher levels potentially contributing to post-partum telogen effluvium, and seasonal effects on hair growth and shedding. Overall, the study concluded that while there is an increase in the anagen rate during pregnancy and a rise in the telogen rate after delivery, the increase in hair shedding post-partum is not excessive for most women.

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