Hair Loss After Surgery
People worry about a lot of things before they undergo surgeries; few patients, however, think about whether a surgery will affect the quality of their hair. The unfortunate truth is that surgery can cause hair loss. The more you know about the underlying causes of hair loss, the more you can do to stimulate your follicles and encourage hair growth.
Many Medications Cause Hair Loss
Numerous medications, including some drugs used by anesthesiologists can cause hair loss. The following medications may contribute to thinning hair after your surgery:
- Valproate (Depakote)
- Captopril
- Lisinopril
- Atorvastatin (Lipitor)
- Simvastatin (Zocor)
Even if you take medication that doesn’t have a history of causing hair loss, an allergic reaction to that medication could make you lose hair after a surgery. Luckily, your hair growth should return to normal once you stop taking the drug.
Hormonal Changes Can Affect Hair Loss
Women are particularly susceptible to hair loss caused by hormonal changes. Few women, however, expect to undergo these changes after surgery. You may discover that even something as seemingly benign as bed rest can interrupt your normal cycles. If you start losing hair shortly after your surgery, your body might be undergoing hormonal changes.
Stress Can Cause Post-Surgery Hair Loss
The stress of having surgery can lead to thinning hair in women. Hair loss happens because your body begins to give nutritional priority to essential organs like your heart and lungs. Unfortunately, your body may not have enough nutrients remaining to nourish your hair follicles. This condition causes some hair follicles to enter a phase called telogen effluvium, which means the follicles become dormant instead of producing new hairs.
For obvious reasons, your body puts more importance on staying alive than the health of your hair. Of course, this focus doesn’t change the effect that post-surgery hair loss can have on your self-esteem.
Nutrition for Hair Follicles
Giving your hair follicles the nutrition they need to thrive can often encourage hair growth after a surgery. As long as you choose a natural hair supplement that enriches follicles, you should find that you can stimulate hair growth and get thicker shafts that make your hair look fuller and healthier.
Visit tricovel.ca to learn more about how you can rejuvenate your hair follicles to enjoy the lush, beautiful hair you had before your surgery.