Coping with Post Partum hair loss
By Anneliese Hesse: Co-founder of Humankind Hair, Trichologist, and new mum to baby Lael.
“As I pull yet more fallen hair out of the hair brush/bath plug/my bum crack in the shower (yep!) I decided I would share a bit about what’s happening to me and so many other new mums/parents right now! As a hairdresser we get asked about this a lot and it’s not always easy to know what to say.
‘Don’t worry’
‘It will come back’
‘It’s normal’
These are all well meaning and probably accurate but don’t do much to reassure the new CONSTANTLY worrying parent. And of course stress makes it worse 🥲
What helps me personally is to understand what’s happening, so I feel less panicky. So let’s start there.
Everyone’s hair goes through a cycle where essentially it grows for a certain amount of time, transitions and falls out, then starts growing again. Around 80% of your hair will be in its growth stage at a time, hence why we get a certain amount of daily shedding, but the majority continues to grow.
Typically this growth phase (called ‘anagen’) lasts between 2 and 7 years, but during pregnancy this phase often lengthens, so the hair that would usually be shedding stays rooted (and keeps growing) and we may experience thicker, fuller hair - for a while. Hey, there are enough grim symptoms during pregnancy, this is an absolute result for fine haired folk like me!
So why and when does this come to an end?
A few months after baby has arrived, hormones have a big shift again and the hair that SHOULD have fallen during pregnancy often realises hey, I’m not meant to be here, I’ve done my bit. And sheds en masse. This can be alarming and look like a lot. It’s often particularly noticeable at the front hairline because:
1) the hair there is usually the thinnest/sparsest on the head and
2) it’s the bit we can see most!
If you’re lucky like me, you’ll also notice your parting looking ‘wider’ and less dense. Yippee!
You might also notice the shedding more when washing or brushing your hair because:
1) we don’t tend to have much time to do either of these things so when we DO, all that hair gets loosened and falls
2) we forget just how much we normally shed on a daily basis - we’ve now got about 9 months of catching up to do. Great.
Shed hair from one wash 4.5 months post partum. This is from the plug and my tangle teezer. I’m sure there was lots more blown around the room with my hairdryer, too!
So what can be done?
Honestly, if it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen. Personally I take steps to get it done and out and on the path to growing healthily again ASAP.
Brush and wash your hair
If it’s going to come out, then you’re probably better off enabling this to happen rather than trying to cling onto it. For example, you notice more hair falling when washing and brushing so you try to stretch out the time in-between washing and avoid brushing where possible. In doing this, you may not notice as much daily shedding but it will still be happening. You’re just not noticing it because it’s remaining caught up in with your other hair. Which 1) makes your hair tangly and 2) means you’re going to get a massive shock when you do wash and brush it because then several days worth will be released at the same time. Go gentle, use a good quality hair brush (always use a specific brush for wet hair when detangling after washing, like a tangle teezer) and prepare yourself for the fact that hair is going to come out. Remember, your body had your back (and your baby’s) all the way through pregnancy and it’s still got it now. It knows what it’s doing, we just have to be patient.
Eat a balanced diet and drink plenty of water
Such boring, often heard advice but super important in helping to create the best ‘food’ for your hair - the blood. Just like any living thing, keeping it well fed and watered is essential to thrive. But isn’t our hair dead, clients might ask? Yes, the hair outside of our heads is, but the root that it grows from is very much alive! This is where cell renewal takes place and it is fed everything it needs via the blood. Making this blood the best quality it can be is like giving your hair a super smoothie every day!
If you want to aid this with supplements then this is also an option but please do your research before buying and always remember that they should ONLY be used in ADDITION to a healthy, balanced diet. Supplements can never be relied upon to provide everything we need. Think of them as forever the bridesmaid, never the bride!
Cardio and/or massage
We looked above at making the blood supply or ‘food’ for the hair the very best quality it can be. Now we’re talking about getting as much of that delicious stuff as possible to the hair itself! The way to do this is get the blood flowing and this can be achieved by getting that heart pumping with some exercise! It’s not always easy to lace up and go for a casual 10k with a new baby, so don’t stress yourself out about what you’re doing - just aim to get up and out and moving. Pushing a pram full of shopping and baby up a hill will be sure to raise your heart rate for a start! Another option is to aid blood circulation with massage. If it’s tough getting to a therapist, this is certainly something your partner or friend can support you with. Both of the above are also great stress relievers, which will also do wonders for getting your body and mind back on track.
I’m almost scared to even bring up this last one…
Good sleep… although this isn’t realistic to most new parents 🫠
Just like our babies, so much growth and development takes place when our bodies are at rest. However, I’d be very mindful and even slightly cautious about advising a new mum or parent to ‘get some more sleep’. Expect a sarcastic smile at best and a kick in the shins at worst! You can inform them if you like but be mindful of not placing more stress on the parent as they may feel like they are doomed a bit with this one. Focusing on other things above might be more helpful for now.
Finally, remember that this is perfectly natural. Most likely you are not ill, or sick - there is normally nothing wrong if your hair is shedding after having a baby. The cause is hormonal, and this will in time rebalance itself. The above things will help but time will be the real healer after hormones have settled and hair growth has had a chance to catch up. I don’t think it’s unkind to be realistic with people here - it’s going to take quite some time to get back to normal. Although hair growth will commence quickly, it then has to actually grow down to the length of the rest of your hair if you want that full perimeter back. (Do also remember that even before pregnancy, your hair was ALWAYS in different growth stages too so it will never be ALL the same length!).
You can help your hair to achieve visual fullness again with regular trims, caring for your hair adequately with quality products and minimising heat and mechanical stress to the hair. In other words, get it cut, use professional quality RELEVANT products, don’t put too much tension on it and put the irons away!
Did you enjoy this read? We hope it was helpful and that you’ll be able to confidently support your clients with their post partum hair loss now!
Big Love xoxo