Do you remember what your hair was like before you had kids? I do. It was thick, long and glossy despite it being frizzy and curly, I could tame it relatively easily. Post kids it’s a different story. While it’s still thick and long it’s slightly dried out, sparse at the sides and there’s a lot of baby hair.
After I’d finished breastfeeding each of my boys, my hair fell out in clumps both times. I had bald-ish patches at the side and I could make a wig out of the hair I’d find down the plug. I’ve literally never known anything like it. And now it’s all growing back I’ve got the worst halo of baby hair at the front of my head. It’s super unruly, can’t be tamed and now I wear it down a lot more than I used to, because it kind of helps cover up. You can kind of see what I mean here…
It doesn’t look *too* bad in that picture, but then it has been sprayed down and combed back as much as possible. You can definitely see where my patches are growing back though. You’d think I was really old with that massive forehead being mistaken for a receding hairline as well as those patches. I promise I’m only 26.
I know a lot of people also lose hair for many other reasons but what can you do when it gets really bad and you just want it to grow back? There are such a variety of things you can do for loss and these are my top five. They do kind of range from simple things you can do at home, to much more extreme measures.
Head Massage
Head massage can be one of the most amazing things for your hair. That’s why hairdressers give you that little one when they’re rubbing your conditioner in (that’s my favourite part!). Not only does it improve circulation and drain toxins away from the scalp but it’s really important for a healthy scalp and your hair in general.
Any oil is great, but I’d personally try to avoid any “deep conditioning” hair masks that actually dry your hair out and go for something natural. Coconut oil has lots of benefits, and is used in lots of other skin and hair care, it’s not just for cooking! So, how do you do it?
Just once a week make sure you’ve got about 10-15 minutes spare, apply the oil evenly over what hair you have as well as your scalp and just continue to work it in. It’s important to not use too much pressure and use the pads of your finger tips. Work it in gently using those tiny circular motions and then run through the length of your hair. You don’t want your hair to be so oily that it’s impossible to wash out, start with a bit and if it’s not enough add some more. You don’t need to go to the tips of your hair. Leave it on for a good hour wrapped up under a towel to keep the heat in, or even overnight if you’re feeling adventurous, and then wash out.
This should encourage growth as the scalp is being stimulated and the blood circulation is increased.
Thickening Shampoos and Conditioners
Do they work or don’t they? I feel like I’ve had little success with these and that they’re a gimmick, but then my hair doesn’t really need volume or length, it just needs to grow back in the right area. For someone with thinner hair this could be a little way to giving it a thicker effect, even if it doesn’t actually increase the density of your hair; I think it’s mostly down to the product kind of sticking in your hair so make sure you choose a good quality one. The one I found the nicest was the Matrix Biolage range. A little on the expensive side, but you don’t need to use a lot.
Exercise and Diet
Hair is mostly made of proteins, right? So surely protein rich foods will be able to help with growth, as well as oily foods. Things like lentils, beans and flaxseeds are meant to help. Lack of protein will hinder hair growth so make sure you’re getting your daily intake.
Hair is also a bit needy in the vitamins and minerals department so lots of fruit and vegetables must be eaten to ensure there are enough to help with hair growth – and that’s never a bad thing anyway!
As well as diet, exercise is key, they kind of go hand in hand. Exercise gets the blood pumping, which releases a lovely happy hormone instead of a stressful one so this will help with lessening hair loss, because stress can cause your hair to fall out. When we exercise, we also sweat which helps to flush out toxins and waste substances through the pores in the skin. This will help unclog any follicles which will give way for new hair. So many benefits, yet so little of us actually get running – me included!
Don’t Pull Your Hair About Too Much
Whether it be hacking at your knots with a hairbrush, or scraping it back into a ponytail, try to just let it be! I’ve had to come to let mine just do its own thing because I was losing so much hair. I now don’t rub it dry, I pat it; I try not to style it too much either. If you can get away with it, go au natural! If you are going to brush it, try and use a nice, wide comb – I love this one from Boots.
Hair Transplant
Now, I know this is super extreme, but sometimes needs must. Clearly this is a very, very last resort, but it’s not a totally unreasonable option. Quite honestly, I’d be happy to have one of these even if I hadn’t lost a lot of my hair, purely to bring my hairline forward because my forehead is SO huge but the cost is something that has to be considered.
The cost will be balance of many factors but for some it’ll be a small price to pay. Lots and lots of women are confident because of their hair and I, for one, would probably lose a lot of confidence if I lost enough of my hair. I would absolutely suggest not doing this unless you feel you really have to as there are so many other options.
A Total Restyle
Get yourself down to the hairdresser for a total new hairstyle. It might be that you’re able to use your hair loss to your advantage by getting a whole new look. It’s worth having a treat anyway, and you get the awesome massage I mentioned further up the post!
What do you think? Did you experience hair loss after pregnancy? Have you used something in particular that works in bringing your hair back to pre-pregnancy condition?