How to Deal with Postpartum Hair Loss
Photo: Graeme Montgomery/Trunk Archive
It was a genuine compliment from a really cool friend: “I like your undercut!” But I hadn’t actually shaved the sides of my hair and let the top grow long. It was an unintentional undercut caused by post-pregnancy hair loss. I wasn’t offended, but I did take stock of the situation at hand. Five months after giving birth, I had an alarming amount of baldness where my thickest-ever, shiny pregnancy hair used to be.
Related: 9 Tips for Women With Thinning Hair
Hair envy is something that dates back to my toddler years, when my well-intentioned mom would tape a bow to my scalp lest people mistake me for a boy. In high school when my natural shade of blonde faded into a dull shade of light brown, I began bleaching it incessantly and getting mad at it for not growing. Post baby, I was a deflated balloon-resembling-adult person who already believed that my weight held an inverse relationship to my hair length (i.e., the thinner I am, the shorter my hair is allowed to be, and vice versa). So the postpartum hair loss was a definite blow. With nighttime sleep already months into a dramatic decline, my emotional and physical health were hanging on by a very loose thread. I daydreamed longingly of old luxuries… like bathing.
To understand what was going on with my hair, I turned to Liz Phillips, a Trichologist at the Phillip Kingsley Institute of New York. She explained that while the second and third trimesters were amazing for hair growth and body, it was the result of hormonal changes. “The elevated estrogen levels are responsible for keeping the hair in growth phase for an extended period,” says Phillips. “And frequently sebum production is decreased and this is also another way the hair can present with more body.” After childbirth it all changes. “The levels of estrogen—the hormone that was keeping your hair in its growing phase—drops and returns to normal,” says Phillips.
After asking around, literally every woman I know who has had a baby admits to having lost some of her hair. Phillips confirms my findings, but told me to remain calm. “Approximately 50% of women will report a postpartum loss,” she says. “Your hair follicles are not damaged. They are just reacting to the changing body chemistry. For most women, it will run its course and balance will return.” Phillips says it’s important to understand that the voluminous shiny third trimester hair is not coming back, and to not freak about it because anxiety and stress can actually contribute to hair loss. Yikes.
Thankfully she was right. At 13-months post-partum, I’m finally enjoying a fuller, longer head of hair that I attribute to several factors. I’m getting a full night of sleep practically every night now that my baby is sleeping, I’m exercising again, and I’m eating a healthy, colorful diet. I’ve also followed Phillips advice and upped my protein intake. “Hair is protein; therefore protein must be eaten at least at breakfast and lunch,” she says. I think my strategically painted blonde ombré highlights don’t hurt either, as they give my hair more depth and dimension.
Here are five more things that can work for you if your sudden post-partum hair loss accidentally makes you look like Skrillex:
A middle part: The majority of my barren follicles were at my temples and having two symmetrical curtains of hair to hide them behind was key while my hair grew in.
Bangs: “Have your stylist cut thick, longer bangs and style them to hide the areas along your hairline that you’re concerned about,” says celebrity hairstylist Michiko Boorberg.
Prenatal vitamins: Keep taking them for at least a year after your give birth as they can help speed up hair growth.
Not brushing (or combing): Detangling your hair with your fingers will cut down on extra shedding. If you must brush, try the extra-gentle Tangle Teezer ($9).
Lighten the ends: "Lightening the ends of your hair and strategically painting strands around your face adds dimension and draws the eye away from the scalp," says Boorberg.
