Can Breastfeeding Make Your Dandruff Worse?
Breastfeeding is extremely healthy for the baby, giving the little one all the antibodies he or she may need to stay strong and healthy, through the mother’s milk. It also strengthens the bond between mother and child due to the closeness the two enjoy during breastfeeding, so if you don’t have any problems with having milk or with your breasts, you should go for breastfeeding, at least for the first 6 months of your baby’s life. Still, what is the connection between breastfeeding and dandruff? Well, unfortunately, breastfeeding can cause skin problems, such as dandruff, or make it worse if you had it before giving birth to your child and started breastfeeding. If you are not a mother just yet, don’t panic, because it is not a general rule for all women that are breastfeeding to get dandruff.
What Causes Dandruff When Breastfeeding
What causes dandruff in the case of women that are breastfeeding? Well, there are several causes for the presence of dandruff during this particular period, like an increase in the level of hormones, low water levels in the body due to the fact that the mother is not drinking sufficient water, and diet deficiencies, meaning that the mother does not have a proper nutrient intake compared to all the nutrients that are transferred from her body to the child through milk. So, while breastfeeding is incredibly healthy for the baby, it can take quite a toll on the mother’s body. A mother that is breastfeeding should be extremely cautious with her diet, eating healthy and diverse foods to make sure that she replenishes her resources. It would help to have in mind that you have to provide for two, your own body and the body and growth of your child, so make sure your diet is sufficiently nutritious. You shouldn’t worry because you’ll have plenty of time to diet after you stop breastfeeding, now you just need to focus on eating healthy and right.
Another thing you can do is to drink as much water as you can. Your milk is a liquid, which means that your body uses a lot from your body’s water resources to make it, so you will feel the consequences of having low water levels in your body if you don’t do something about it. Dandruff together with other skin problems, like dry and sensitive skin and eczema, are the results of not drinking sufficient water in order to compensate the water loss while breastfeeding. Taking natural supplements may also help, giving you a helping hand in case your body has troubles in absorbing certain nutrients from food. But, once again, make sure that you’re taking natural supplements and not chemical ones because everything you eat and drink will end up in the body of your baby through your milk. If you feel that your skin is too dry and you’re facing dandruff problems, a couple of medical tests will tell you what kind of nutrients is lacking, in case you don’t know already.
Other tips, for taking care of dandruff while breastfeeding, are washing your hair with cold or lukewarm water, because hot water will only dry it out even more, and rinse your hair with water mixed with apple cider vinegar or soda, to change its pH. Toddle dandruff, as some would call it, is quite frustrating for breastfeeding mothers, but it is worth knowing that in many cases dandruff disappeared once they stopped breastfeeding. But, if you got a dandruff issue before breastfeeding, nursing your baby only making it worse, then it will be harder to get rid of it. You maybe need to change some things about your hair care routine, to make sure that you are eating all the right things, and that you stay hydrated, breastfeeding or not. With a bit of care, you will eventually manage to get dandruff under control and enjoy a beautiful hair, even if you are the mother of a small child.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Maja Tisma is the editor-in-chief at ShampooTruth.com – growing beauty website with the latest tips on hair care, styling and hair treatments. Her writing focuses on hair, beauty, health, natural remedies, and sustainable living. You can find her work in Huffington Post, Sheknows, Lifehack, WorkingMother. She also contributes her beauty expertise to other publications and websites.
