Introduction
During pregnancy, there is a change in the hormone balance of women, which has numerous effects on the body of the pregnant woman. In particular, the increased secretion of the hormones HCG, progesterone, estrogen, prolactin, FSH and LH, which serve to maintain the pregnancy and enable the optimal development of the child in the womb, is responsible for numerous changes in various organ systems. These include changes in the cardiovascular system, the excretory organs, the digestive system and the oral cavity.
But the influence of increased hormone secretion is also evident in the hair of pregnant women. The effect of the above-mentioned hormones on the hair can vary greatly from pregnancy to pregnancy. Many women claim to have more shiny and stronger hair during pregnancy.
However, pregnant women often complain about greasy hair. The opposite is also true, namely dry and brittle hair is a possible consequence of the change in hormone balance. Changes to the hair can be very disturbing and stressful for pregnant women, which is why individual advice on hair care is particularly important.
Cause
Changes in hair, such as oily hair or dry, brittle hair during pregnancy are usually the result of changes in the pregnant woman’s hormone balance. Decisive are mainly the amount of two hormones released, estrogen and testosterone. These two hormones influence the production of sebum in the sebaceous glands of the scalp and the hair cells.
One of the functions of sebum is to moisturize the scalp and the hair, thus extending the life of the hair cells. On the other hand, the sebum forms a kind of protective film, which makes the penetration of pathogens (for example bacteria or parasites) more difficult. The sebum production in the sebaceous glands is stimulated by the hormone testosterone.
The result is an overproduction of sebum, which makes the hair look greasy. In contrast, the hormone estrogen reduces the production of sebum in the sebaceous glands. This results in dry and brittle hair, which is usually associated with dry and itchy scalp.
Since the hormone estrogen reduces the production of sebum in the sebaceous glands, a lack of estrogen leads to an overproduction of sebum, as the inhibitory influence of estrogen is eliminated. This in turn leads to the development of oily hair. Fluctuations in the hormone balance of pregnant women vary from individual to individual, so that both oily and dry hair may occur in pregnant women.
