Pregnancy and Postpartum hair loss – tips & advice

Pregnancy and Post Partum hair loss

I have had two kids but by no means do I profess to be an expert! However what I can do is go through some of the things that worked for me.  I have naturally very thick (unruly!) hair which I regularly give out about.  However I was totally unprepared for the hair loss that came following the birth of each of my boys.  No joke the shower plug hole was literally full of hair every time I washed it. Not only that I was finding hair everywhere!

I was so concerned I would be bald within a week.  This added more stress to already stressful time with a newborn.  I have set out below a couple of things that I wouldn’t have minded knowing back then!

1. First up and probably most importantly, its perfectly normal (however ill caveat this by saying if you are very concerned do see a GP or your health nurse for peace of mind). It is reported that as many as 90% of women experience hair loss in the first six months of pregnancy.
2. There is no one size fits all solution to what product will work for you so experiment with a couple of different  good quality ones.  I  previously wrote about my experience with Viviscal which I found worked really well. I avoided rich conditioners and stuck with light serums. I found mild light shampoos worked well.
3. Maybe a tad extreme for some but many of my close friends have used this time to get a good hair chop or a new low maintenance style.
4. My best pal had quite extreme hair loss known as postpartum alopecia.  It began to really affect her mindset and confidence and she decided in the short term to opt for a wig. There are a huge selection of different types available from synthetic to real hair. In addition the colours and styles are endless, from curly to straight to bob to long.  You could look at it as an opportunity to experiment with that hair style you have always wanted to try out.  For many years wigs and similar hair products were incredibly expensive but not so anymore, they have become so much more reasonable in price.
5. Lots of protein rich foods. Nutritionists often recommend a protein rich diet to help rebuild the hair fibers.
6. My own mother used a home made castor oil treatment to treat her own pregnancy hair loss.  Simply massaging the scalp with a mix of castor oil and almond oil combined with luke warm water.
7. Crucially also is don’t over brush, especially with a harsh rough brush or comb, instead use a wide tooth comb gently and not excessively.
8. Use a laser cap for postpartum hair loss to safely regrow your hair back. Laser caps use low-level laser therapy to regenerate hair growth by stimulating your hair follicles. The Kiierr laser cap has been known to successfully help with postpartum hair loss promoting new hair growth on the scalp. These laser caps are FDA-cleared and have been clinically proven to be a safe and effective postpartum hair loss treatment.
9. Think about hair extensions even in the short term while you work through some of the above.

Hopefully the above is of some help. Do bear in mind the rate of hair loss should slow down and if you do have concerns do seek professional advice as hair loss can be a symptom  of other underlying conditions.