How to Deal with Postpartum Hair Loss

First things first, postpartum hair loss is completely normal and should be more or less expected after having a baby. During pregnancy hair, skin, and nails all grow stronger and are more healthy thanks to all the wonderful, extra hormones that are present in your body. Sometimes, though, this can lead to skin issues or problems DURING pregnancy since said hormones are changing all the time.

Every body and pregnancy is different!

Postpartum hair loss is very common and for some can be more than just an annoyance of having to clean out the shower drain more often than before. It can be extreme and as if it isn’t enough to be dealing with the new body changes after having a baby, feeling like you are going to be bald doesn’t exactly boost one’s self esteem!

So now that we know it’s normal and very common, here are a few tips to survive the season of hair loss!

Supplements like biotin or vitamins that promote healthy hair, skin, and nails will help. If you are breastfeeding, you must speak with your doctor before starting any new vitamins or regiments. Since healthy hair during pregnancy was impacted from the changes inside of your body, adding a vitamin to boost strength and growth from the inside will impact the hair as well!

A trim, or a few inches cut off the ends, can help you survive until your hair begins to fill back in normally. Even something as simple as balancing the length out with the new growth by cutting more off the ends than you cut off the layering can help the hair look and feel thicker. Tell your stylist about your problem areas and see if he or she has suggestions about haircuts that will make your hair look fuller in the meantime!

When the hair does start growing back in you may notice extra flyaways or frizz around your hairline near your temples, ears, or even the back of your neck. The easiest trick for smoothing down the new growth in these areas is to spray a boar bristle brush with a bit of hairspray and smooth the hair down. A skinny teasing brush like this one would do the trick as well!

I wish I could tell you a secret for avoiding the hair loss altogether but I’m afraid that is impossible! If the loss is particularly severe you can speak to your doctor about it and see if he or she has any suggestions on how to assist. A temporary solution would be to add thickening extensions to your hair. Extensions don’t always have to add length, they can be cut to the length of your hair in order to just add fullness. Something like this that can be worn anytime you want to would be the fastest and easiest way to feel better about your hair until it fills back in.

Personally I don’t experience dramatic hair loss as much as extreme dryness! My hair becomes brittle and fragile along the mid-shaft to ends, and I usually cut it off because it is so unhealthy and breaks off every single time I pull a brush through it! Using products like the Bond Repair from Alterna or a deep conditioner like Redken’s Extreme Mega Mask is vital to keep my ends as healthy as possible! This split end healer from Redken would also be a great option to help repair damaged ends!

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