So I have been on such a rollercoaster of a hair journey throughout my whole pregnancy and into motherhood! I am still going through one now! And I'm not talking just about hairstyles, I'm talking about horrific hormones and now the dreaded postpartum hair loss has kicked in! It's not something I've really spoken about till now. I've just been keeping my feelings and worries cooped up to myself, which I know is not healthy! So here it is... I have always felt really protective over my hair. When I was younger, I always dreaded going to the salon as I had such bad trust issues with hairdressers! They honestly used to scare me! I think also, having good hair is so important for me personally because, if you have a spot on your face, all you need is a bit of makeup and its covered up no problem! Bad hair day though.. and there is NO hiding! Plus, if you're dealing with a spot on your face, you want good hair to balance/counteract the spot.. You know what I mean ladies??! Throughout my pregnancy I struggled so badly with dandruff, as soon as I hit the second trimester I was cursed with looking like I'd just been outside and it was snowing! (URGH!) I never had a flakey or sore scalp, just out of nowhere was this constant supply of dandruff! I felt so so miserable.. not only did my hair look crap, but I also had awful pregnancy acne (talk about bad luck!) Just give me one or the other?! Not both?! I just wanted to walk around with a paper bag on my head and cry! After many many product trials, I finally found a combination that kept the dandruff at bay! I would first wash my hair with Neutrogena's T-Gel shampoo for sensitive scalp and then I would wash my hair again with The Little Goat Soap Company shampoo bar. This shampoo bar is actually designed to help with eczema of the scalp, but it totally did the job with my dandruff! I couldn't use ANY other products on my hair other than these two, and conditioners definitely didn't agree with me! As soon as I gave birth, I had this incredible mane of glossy and dandruff free hair!! (OMG IT WAS AMAZING!) Okay, somedays my hair was slightly greasy due to Maddie being a newborn and me not having a lot of time.. but at least it was flake free! Or so I thought... At 12 weeks postpartum, I started to notice the dreaded dandruff coming back! I was so unbelievably frustrated! I had NEVER had a problem with dandruff my whole life, so now I'd given birth.. why the hell was I having problems again?! I thought those hormones had gone once I'd given birth? Little did I realise.. This was the start/lead up to the dreaded postpartum hair loss.. I used to joke and say, "I know why women get postpartum hair loss, because the babies pull it out!" (at that point Maddie was 10 weeks old and started to pull and grab everything in her sight including my hair!) Inside however, I could feel my stomach tightening at the thought of loosing my hair. That protectiveness over my hair started creeping back inside of me. From 15 weeks postpartum to now, I have noticed more and more of my hair falling out. When I brush, wash, blow-dry, curl, or even run my fingers through my hair! Plus there's a little cheeky madam that also likes to pull my hair out - thanks Maddison! I have this constant stream of hair falling out all over the place! It really is deflating to see, because there's not a lot I can do other than condition and protect my hair with masks etc! I am lucky however that I have seriously thick hair (and a lot of it), so it's not noticeable. But mentally it's horrible to go through! I recently did treat myself to a colour change of my hair and had a full head Balayage done at Micheal John salon in Knightsbridge by the amazing Despina! It has made me feel more confident and better about the whole hair loss situation, and it was a change I felt happy with because no dye was applied to my actual scalp in the technique.
I believe hair is such an important part of your identity, for men and women! There are so many styles and colours you can have that these days to make you feel like you. So the thought of loosing part of your identity, something that makes you you, is just heartbreaking! I can't even imagine what it's like loosing ALL your hair through something traumatic like chemotherapy.. As hard and as deflating as it is to go through, stay strong mama's! I know seeing clumps of your hair fall onto the fall makes you want to cry (I've been there), but the good thing about hair is it WILL GROW BACK! Normally between 85%-95% of the hair on your head is actively growing! (Click here to read more about Postpartum Hair Loss from BabyCentre.com) And it's not like we are going through this for a negative reason.. What's a bit of hair loss when we have a beautiful baby in front of us?! Hell, I'd definitely take hair loss any day for my Maddie!! (Despite being an overly protective hair freak!) I'm currently still going through the loss, so no idea when it'll calm down and stop! I'm hoping it'll be soon! I've read that women can experience it between 3-6 months, but that it should all go back to normal by 1 year postpartum! Anyone further ahead of me that has come out the other side of postpartum hair loss? I'd love to know!! But like I said, remember ladies, it's worth it for our babies!! I have to tell myself that every whenever I'm feeling low about it!! Feel free to share your experiences below or contact me via the social page! Lots of Love x
11 Comments
Bethany
3/11/2017 19:12:50
I've always been scared of it too! I think I've found just going with it and knowing it'll grow back to stay positive has helped! Plus having a baby is definitely worth it! :) congrats on your pregnancy!! x
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Abigail
3/11/2017 19:48:04
I feel exactly the same it's just awful! My baby Rupert is 14 weeks today and my hair has been falling out since he was 11 weeks old, my scalp actually feels painful sometimes because so much hair is coming out! I've started taking post-pregnancy vitamins with biotin in and trying a lavender oil recipe on my scalp tonight which is supposed to stimulate hair growth. Don't know if it will but anything is worth a try! My hair has always been beautifully thick but I'm terrified I'll be bald by Christmas if it carries on at this rate! I know my baby boy is worth it but it is still a horrible thing to deal with xx
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Bethany
22/11/2017 21:09:04
Aw I so feel your pain! Totally agree with you mama anything is worth a try! I'm sure you won't be bald, but I totally get what you mean, I literally imagine the worst! x
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Sonia
3/11/2017 20:06:39
During my pregnancy my hair was stronger than ever. One month after giving birth my hair started to fall out so much- it drove everyone around me insane and it was so frustrating to have to experience it. I actually thougt id have no hair lefr. However 4 months now after giving birth I'm finally seeing an improvement and it's not falling out as much anymore. There is hope! X
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Bethany
22/11/2017 21:10:09
Oh thats such god news that it's improving! Mine only started later so probably will be a bit longer to come out the other side.. but theres always hope! x
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Jessica
3/11/2017 20:08:21
I'm exactly 19 weeks postpartum today so I know how you're feeling! My hair loss started about a month/month and a half ago and it's so bad! Throughout the whole of my pregnancy not one strand fell out, my hair was the best it had ever been. Now I have a slight bald patch you can see when my hair is tied back. Annoyingly, my hair had finally grown back there after burning it off in a bleach mishap a few years ago x
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Damie
3/11/2017 20:20:53
I know just how you feel! Mine started at 4 months and finally stopped at 6 months. I literally had tumbleweeds of hair around my home! Now it's so much better but since all the hair is growing back it looks like I shaved my hairline and it's finally growing back lol so it's a whole new dilemma on how to hide all the baby hairs.
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Sarah
4/11/2017 07:55:24
Ah yes! My baby girl is 7 months, and it does seem that the hair loss has slowed down a bit, thankfully. But man, my hair has never been so thin! It is growing back, so I have tons of little baby hairs that pop up all the time no matter what style I have it in, which can be quite comical 😂 But like you said, it is SO worth it for our sweet babies! ❤️
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Maine
4/11/2017 08:53:29
Im at 16 weeks postpartum. My hair started falling out at 12 weeks. It's so annoying I have to spend extra time just to clean our bed and the floor from my hair that has fall out. My friends thought I have change something with my hair lol coz its really thinning. I really hope it would end soon. I'm scared to use hair iron or hair blower bc the heat might worsen it.
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