Oh baby, (Hair) – Your guide to POSTPARTUM hair. Our post-baby tips and tricks to battling hair loss and how to combat those pesky baby hairs!
This is one of our most inquired about questions; How do deal with post-baby hair loss!
Let’s back up for a second… why do we lose hair in the first place post-baby!? Or from stress for that matter? Well the reasons are different, but the solution is the same, so we will talk about solutions for both STRESS and POSTPARTUM hair!
During Pregnancy
When you are pregnant, your body has high levels of estrogen, increased blood volume, and circulation, preventing the usual amount of hair loss to occur, in addition to all of that your hormone levels are all way higher than normal, which also accounts for the lack of hair loss!
Post-baby
Your hormones even out, your blood levels go back to normal and your hair starts to make up for lost time, and basically, instead of gradually losing hair daily (as we all do, but it’s so gradual we don’t often notice) we lose it in clusters (yay for women!) and therefore the hair loss is much more noticeable.
Stress
Why does our hair fall out, dry out and just feel crappy!? Stress can cause a lot to happen in our bodies, and unfortunately hair loss is one of those things. When our bodies are under stress, our immune system will begin to attack our hair follicle putting it into a ‘resting’ phase, which over time will cause our hair to fall out in clumps from simply brushing or combing it. This is why sometimes after a very stressful time you will notice a delayed hair loss phase happen, because it can take time for the follicle to ‘rest’ and for the actual hair loss to happen.
So how can we cope with this and help our body keep the hair growing!? Thankfully with modern day science and technology there are actually a lot of products on the market that help to not only promote hair growth, but prevent hair loss. If you know that hair loss may be coming, introducing these products into your routine prior will prevent such large amounts of loss happening.
I personally do not have children, but my amazing big sister has the cutest little guy! When she was pregnant I saw that as an opportunity to use her as my guinea pig and seriously test out some products on her! We know that post-baby you are very likely to lose hair because of what I spoke about above, but i thought what if we can get ahead of it? Will it prevent the massive hair loss from happening? The answer – YES! Will these products also help to promote faster regrowth and thicker hair? Also yes.
My sister, (her name is Rachelle, and she is probably dying at my grammar in this post as she is an incredible writer, but I always just call her my sister) got on the treatments and home care system about a month before Finn was born. She never actually experienced any hair loss postpartum and if you apply the science to the why it makes sense!
The Products:
Kérastase Spécifique – Aminexil Hair Thickening Treatments
For follicle, scalp, internal growth and loss prevention
These daily leave in treatments promote blood flow and blood circulation to help encourage hair growth, and more hair to grow out of the follicle, it also helps to wake up dormant follicles. This product helps promote blood flow so these are fantastic treatments to begin prior to having your baby to help prevent hair falling out at all!
How to use: Use these treatments every time you wash your hair and use the pipette to squirt the treatment on the scalp, massage it in and ensure it is fully absorbed into the scalp!
Who should be using these: People experiencing hair loss from stress, postpartum, and illness.
Spécifique – Spray Stimuliste
This daily spray from the Kérastase Spécifique range helps to stimulate the follicles and hair! This spray in daily treatment will help to plump existing hair and promote and stimulate the scalp and follicles.
How to use: Use this spray daily!
Who should be using this: Anybody experience hair lacking life or volume, and thinning at the scalp.
Specifique Bain Prevention
Bain Prévention Shampoo by Kérastase is a preventive solution to hair loss and thinning hair concerns that is ideal for frequent usage. Its unique Système Pro-Actif technology helps optimize micro-circulation to reduce hair loss all while texturizing the fiber for an immediate volume effect.
How to use: Use as your daily shampoo or alternate with Kérastase Résistance Extentioniste Bain Shampoo
Who should be using this: People experiencing hair loss from stress, illness and postpartum.
Résistance Extentioniste Scalp Serum
Scalp and hair serum for hair seeking healthy length. Strengthens and fortifies hair for reduced breakage. Purifies & protects the scalp, while Restoring the fiber’s cuticle. Deploys the growth potential of the follicles and stimulates and promotes a healthy scalp. Basically it promotes healthier, stronger hair to grow from the scalp.
How to use: Apply 1-3 pipettes of the serum to your scalp post every shampoo.
Who should be using this: Literally anybody!! This is a great tool for healthy hair – I love it and can’t live without my serum!!
The Extentioniste Bain Shampoo and the Extentioniste Fondant Conditioner
From the Kérastase Résistance range, the shampoo and conditioner have the same technology and are great for home care to promote and maintain healthy strong hair! Post-baby and stress can cause your hair to lose a lot of shine and lustre and these products help to reignite that beautiful healthy shiny hair!
Ok, but what if you have all that new baby hair growing?
How do you tame that, and how do you make your hair look full and beautiful if you have lost some!? Easy!
Tame the baby hairs with Pureology Shine Bright Taming Serum!
Avoid sticky and alcohol based products. The Style + Protect – Shine Bright Taming Serum from Pureology is vegan and will tame any fly aways! If you have pesky guys who just won’t lay down, apply your taming serum and then put your blow dryer on high heat and low air flow and blow dry them down, the bond will break from the high heat, once laying down hit it with your cool shot to lock into place!
Fill in your hair
This is also great for anybody with a lack of density in the hair. Simply take a that is similar to your root colour and spray it to fill in any ‘gaps’ that you can see. By filling in all the areas your hair will instantly look fuller and thicker!!
If you were to choose one….
I know it can seem very overwhelming but if you were to choose one product I would recommend the Kerastase- Spray Stimuliste but for best results I recommend a combination of Spécifique Bain Prevention Shampoo, Spécifique Aminexil Hair Thickening Treatment, Résistance Extentioniste Sérum and Résistance Extentioniste Fondant Conditioner, all from Kérastase.
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Nicole Pidherny
Master Stylist & Founder
Nicole Pidherny, the owner of Pomme Salon, wanted to create not only a hair salon, but also a beauty hub for clients and residents in the city.