Three months to the day of my daughter’s birth I realized while showering how much of my hair was sticking to my hands. Next thing I know, water is slowly filling up in the tub to my ankles. A quick swipe of the drain revealed a large ball of hair…all of which was mine. I knew this day was coming, as I’d also dealt with postpartum hair loss with my first child 7 years prior. However, this time it was much more drastic. 
Since that day it has become a constant battle in my daily hair maintenance routine to consciously think about my hair and preserving it. Postpartum hair loss, also known as telogen gravidarum, and telogen effluvium, affects 40-50 percent of women according to the American Pregnancy Association. With numbers like these, postpartum hair loss has definitely happened to you or to someone you know. Most women see their hair as a measure of our beauty, our shield, our favorite accessory. So when you start seeing clumps of it in the drain and your hairbrush, it’s natural to panic a little bit. However, it won’t last forever! Your hormones are still getting back in order and your hair is one of the things affected by that.
So how do we manage or combat this issue?
Below you will find some helpful tips and tricks from other mama’s, stylist, and medical professionals. Just know you aren’t alone in this ladies! It happens to the best of us.
Eat Healthy – We all know we should be doing this anyway, but especially in those crazy newborn days, things can get a bit hectic and we let things like meal prepping, and eating healthy fall to the wayside. Remember to try and get all those food groups in each and every day, and don’t shy away from protein. The nutrients found in meats also aid in hair growth. So throw a steak on the grill and dig in mamas.
Ask Your Stylist – Your hair stylist is probably already your low-key therapist when it comes to the day to day trials and tribulations of life, but they are also full of knowledge when it comes to hair and hair health. They can help with a new hairstyle that helps enhance the hair you currently have. They can suggest great products that aid in hair loss and set you up with the perfect regimen for the time being. Your stylist is your friend, and if they are a good one, they won’t lead you in the wrong direction.
Stay Zen – Like most things, stress is a big factor in our health, and the same goes for your hair. Again, there ain’t no “hood” like “motherhood” and saying “try and be less stressed” is one of those things people tell you to do but life has a different plan. Try to remind yourself to take little moments each day for some self-care. Instead of always rushing to do things when baby sleeps, sit down, drink some tea, or watch an episode of one of your favorite shows on Netflix. Ask your partner to take on the kiddos while you take a relaxing shower or bath to use those handy products your stylist told you about. I know it won’t be easy, but give it a try and mellow out for a bit each day.
Talk to a Professional – If you are experiencing EXTREME hair loss consider reaching out to a professional like a dermatologist or an endocrinologist. You may be experiencing major issues with your actual skin or hormones after pregnancy that is causing the hair loss. Something as simple as inflammation medication to tame your hair follicles, mild laser treatment to stimulate hair growth or something more complex like hormone therapy might be the answer to your problems. On average when experiencing postpartum hair loss, you can expect to lose around 400 additional strands of hair a day. If you are experiencing things like full patches of lost hair, or noticeably different hair lines/parts see a professional because it may be a larger underlying issue.
There you have it ladies, a short but hopefully effective list of things to do and try if you’re experiencing the after pregnancy gift of hair loss. If you have more suggestions please feel free to leave them in the comments – I want this to be a safe and open place for people to share their experience with this, plus you never know who you could really be helping out in this interesting time after the birth of baby!
