How to Reverse Postpartum Hairloss

After the birth of my son, my hair started falling out. At first, it was no big deal. I mean, as a curly haired girl, I’ve been known to clog a few drains in my day.

BUT… this was different… the hair was falling out at the root and when I ran my fingers through my hair while washing, I easily pulled out clumps of hair. Ok, WTF is going on???

It bothered me SO bad that one day, I told my husband to take a razor to my head and give me a buzzcut. I rocked short hair for a long time and it was nice and the hair loss wasn’t AS noticeable, but it did not cure my issue.

I loved and rocked short hair, but I also missed my long locks. So when I gave birth to my little girl, I knew exactly what was coming and told myself that I would not go chop off all of my hair again. So here I am, clogging drains once more and losing all of my hair. Wooohoo! There’s not much that I can do to stop it since it’s all hormonal, BUT I have learned that I can control the rate at which it falls out along with supporting new hair growth.

I know you are feeling discouraged. Postpartum periods suck. I mean, you are looking down at your new mom bod and you do not recognize yourself on top of everything your hair falls out! I mean, what in the world… But please know this: This is a temporary phase. In the normal cycle of hair growth, some hair is lost every day. But during pregnancy the increased levels of estrogen in your body freezes hair in the growing (or “resting”) phase of the cycle. Hair that would normally fall out stays put, resulting in thicker hair. So when you DO give birth to that baby and your estrogen levels dramatically fall, so does your hair.

Postpartum hair loss commonly starts at around three months after birth. The amount of time between childbirth and the onset of shedding corresponds to the length of the resting phase of hair growth (between 1 and 6 months, with an average of three months). The hair loss can seem more extreme if your hair grew much more than normal during pregnancy, or if you have long hair. Most women will return to their usual hair growth cycle within six months, or between 6 and 12 months after birth.

Now that we have established why your pretty pregnancy hair is now falling out, here are a few ways to help decrease the severity of your postpartum hairloss:

1. Take a prenatal multivitamin. You took one during pregnancy to nuture your growing baby so why not take one now? Not only is taking a prenatal multi great for nursing mothers, it is packed with the vitamins and minerals to grow your hair and nails fast-just like during pregnancy.
2. Take Biotin. This is known as the main supplement that fuels healthy hair, skin, and nails. I love using MRM’s Biotin on a daily basis for stronger, thicker hair and nails. Biotin, a Vitamin B complex, is found in several foods such as carrots, liver, yeast, bananas –mostly in low concentrations. The average American adult gets around 40ug per day in their daily diet, which falls within requirements. Biotin is also great for the nervous system.
3. Take MSM. This is a natural and organic source of sulfur which is found in every cell in your body. The reason that Organic Sulfur / MSM plays such an important role in hair growth and follicle strength is quite simple – Keratin depends on access to steady, available sulfur in the body. I love using MRM’s MSM supplement for faster hair growth. It is also great for your joints as well!
4. Fish oil. It is no secret that essential fatty acids such as Omega 3’s help to make your brittle hair shinier, but they also help promote newer, stronger hair growth as well. This is why I am a fan of Smart Blend CLA GLA & Omega C Complex Fish Oil and I take it on a daily basis. One more cool thing about this supplement is the fact that it contains CLA which promotes fat loss!
5. Eat a diet rich in foods that boost hair growth. Some of these foods are, but not limited to: eggs, sweet potatoes, blueberries, sunflower seeds, fish, walnuts, beans, asparagus, and spinach. These partciular foods contain all the vitamins that you need in order to help lighten up your hairloss and to prepare your scalp for new hair growth.
6. DIY Hair Mask. Healthy hair growth starts with a healthy scalp so you will need to moisturize! I love making a hair mask using the following items: 2 egg yolks, 1/4 cup coconut oil, and 4 tbsp mashed avocado. Sounds really gross, but you mix these ingredients together and rub the mixture into your hair. Cover your head with saran wrap and let it sit for at least an hour before washing it all out.
7. Get regular trims & Avoid heat styling. Lastly, treat your hair like gold and be kind to it. Make sure to get it trimmed regularly to keep it in tip top shape and avoid heat styling such as flat ironing, curling, or blow drying which can further damage your locks.

Postpartum hairloss is inevitable and some ladies have it worse than others. However, it can be controlled to a certain degree by using my tips above that helped me with my own hair.