So if you didn't know, the average person loses about 100 hairs a day via what is called shedding. Does that sound crazy to you? Well, it doesn't happen all at once, so you're not likely to notice it happening.
During pregnancy however, your pregnancy hormones keep those hairs from falling out resulting in gorgeous, super thick shiny hair.
What causes postpartum hair loss?
So what happens if you have postpartum hair loss, or hair loss after pregnancy, is that you'll notice a sudden surge of shedding — sometimes in clumps — which typically starts around 2/3 months after giving birth.
This is simply because once those hormones that stopped your hair from shedding during pregnancy drop back to normal, the extra hairs gained drop, too.
It is a completely natural and normal process not to freak out about, we know, easier said than done!
Honestly though, it won't last forever and should be completely back to normal before your child turns 1.
Is there anything I can do to deal with it?
Yes there definitely is! Whilst it is a natural process, there are things you can do to minimise the shedding and also thicken back up any bald spots a lot quicker! I know from personal experience, the photo above is after my third pregnancy and yet again my edges left the building! Here are some tips that helped me and many others I've since shared them with, and I'm sure they will help you too!
1. Avoid tight styles - I know it may be tempting to hide your hair away under "protective styles" but this may be doing more harm than good. The less pressure you put on the thinning areas, so as much as you can allow your hair to be free or if you opt for a wig in the meantime, be sure to keep it off whilst at home so your scalp can breathe without any friction.
2. Use a silk or satin pillow case or headscarf at night - Speaking of friction, postpartum hair loss or not, it's always best to use these at night to protect your hair from drying out and breaking off against your sheets or a standard cotton pillowcase as you toss and turn at night.
3. Keep your hair moisturised - Dry hair leads to split ends and eventually breakage, so to avoid increasing the damage to your already fragile strands make sure you keep them hydrated at all times! Check out our Hydrating Hair Mist For Dry Hair and our Simply Nourishing Leave-In Conditioner For Dry Hair if you're looking for a good water based moisturiser!
4. Organic Oils - These work AMAZINGLY for thickening thinning hair and bald spots and I swear by them! When I experienced postpartum hair loss 2 and a half years ago, I made my own cocktail of organic and essential oils and ayurvedic powders that I used on my scalp 4-6 times a week. My edges came in thicker and fuller than before in a couple of months. Months later that same oil became Kiya's Hair Growth Oil and the reviews on this speak for themselves! Check out our ingredients page for more detail about each of these oils and powders.
So there you have it, that's all about Postpartum Hair Loss! I hope you found it useful and that if you are going through it, that these tips help you. If you have experienced postpartum hair loss, how was it for you and what did you do to cope? Let us know below.