Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow - Coping with post partum hairloss.

Don't worry about it, it's completely normal.   It's your hormones.   It happens lots of people.   These things have been easy for me to say to clients, in my job as a hair stylist, but it's still not pleasant when it's my turn to block the plug hole.


Although post partum hair-loss doesn't affect everyone, it's definitely not unusual.  This is my second time to go through it.  Luckily enough, on a normal day I have too much hair to manage, so losing half is unnoticeable to the untrained eye.   However I can understand just how alarming this could be for someone with little or fine hair to begin with.

During pregnancy our hair spends longer in resting phase and therefore thickens up.    You were probably complimented often about your luscious locks with baby on board.    Once baby arrives the hair loss accelerates, with some people losing about 500 hairs a day, but don't panic you won't go bald.

The good news is your hair should return to normal growth patterns by your baby's first birthday.   But what can you do in the meantime?

It is important not only for your hair, but for your over all health to take a good multivitamin, I also take a high quality fish oil to compliment that.  This is particularly important if you are breastfeeding your baby.  Try to eat a healthy diet and drink plenty of water, it goes without saying.   I'm saying it anyway.  


When washing your hair give the scalp a good massage to help stimulate circulation and promote new hair growth.   If the thinning is becoming noticeable I would recommend the Nioxin range.  You will find this product range in many reputable hair salons, including Peter Mark.   You will need to have a consultation to find the right combination pack for you.  A dry shampoo can help create the illusion of thicker hair.  Bumble and bumble would be my favorite on the market, it's available in various colours and can also help you get away with an overdue root retouch for that extra week or two.  You will find it at bigger Boots stores.  If you are on a budget Batiste is also a popular dry shampoo, and one of my own bathroom cabinet staples.  It can be found in all good pharmacies, most supermarkets and some clothing stores such as Penneys.

My own natural hair colour is slightly lighter than my tint.   Therefore the roots need to be dyed to avoid a translucent look on the regrowth which can make hair appear thinner again.  If you use an all over colour, a semi or quasi permanent would be ideal in both the pregnancy and post partum period. For those who need to go for a full permanent tint gentler options such as L'Oreal Inoa or Aveda are ideal.  For blondes ask your stylist to recommend an innovative bleach product that will maintain the strength and condition of your hair while still effectively lightening.  All reputable salons will have a superior option of this kind, however it will sometimes carry an extra charge.  So ask for a price quotation to avoid any surprises at the till.  Regular haircuts will keep hair looking healthy, don't avoid these.  Although you may want to hold onto every hair for dear life, nasty split ends are not your friend.

The front hairline is where my hair seems to thin out most.  This can be noticeable in many post partum women, even those who aren't losing a lot of hair.  A great temporary solution is a clip in fringe.    I got mine at Hairspray, where the girls perfectly matched the piece to my own hair.  At around 10 euros it's cheap, and it's really easy to pop in yourself.  They also stock lots of fantastic clip in pony tails and upstyle pieces if you want to bulk up your locks for a special occasion.  

Hair today, gone tomorrow.  It's not usually that sudden, but if you are worried your level of hairloss is falls outside the norm or is concentrated in patches please contact your GP.  

For more info on high quality vitamin supplements visit here, and message any queries.