It can be distressing to experience thinning hair, and even more so if you’re in postpartum recovery. Due to extreme hormonal changes in your body during pregnancy and childbirth, you may start losing more strands of hair than usual. Luckily, postpartum hair loss is common and temporary, with most women resuming normal growth in a few months. To support your future hair growth, here are five tips you should consider adding to your postpartum care plan.
5 Postpartum Hair Care Tips
1. Prioritize Nutrition
Your body will be deficient in key nutrients after giving birth, which can negatively affect your hair. However, postpartum nutrition isn’t just important for your hair, but your overall recovery. Your body needs the right fuel to heal from the physical act of giving birth, provide care to a new baby, and eventually resume its natural biological processes, including hair growth. During this time, pay attention to your intake of iron, zinc, and vitamins A, C, D, and E. Most women can get the nutrients they need by continuing to take their daily prenatal and following a healthy, well-balanced diet. Before making dietary changes, consult your doctor to ensure your unique nutritional needs will be met adequately.
2. Brush Hair Only When It’s Dry
Tangles can pull on the root of the hair and contribute to further hair loss, so regular detangling is an important part of your postpartum hair routine. Because your hair is more fragile and prone to breakage when it’s wet, wait until your hair has dried before brushing or combing. Additionally, make a habit of brushing your hair before showering while it’s still dry. Doing this will detangle your hair and prevent new or larger tangles from forming in the shower.
3. Avoid Heat Tools
Heat tools like straighteners, curling irons, or blow dryers can eventually damage your hair with regular use. Therefore, it’s best to avoid these types of tools during the postpartum period, when your hair is already in a weakened state. If you typically rely on hot tools for your everyday hair, switch to heatless styles like braids for daily wear. For special occasions that require heat styling, make sure to apply a heat protectant.
4. Consider a “Mom Chop”
There’s a reason why many new moms opt for a shorter hairstyle. Shortened hair weighs less and can make thin hair look more voluminous, especially if there are some strategic layers involved. It’s also easier to care for, which goes far when you’re also looking after an infant. Convenience aside, rocking the mom chop eliminates the temptation to rely on ponytails and buns. These types of hairstyles pull on the hair continuously, which can increase hair shedding.
5. Use a Scalp Treatment
Scalp health and hair health go hand-in-hand. To promote postpartum hair growth, you can provide extra support to your scalp by using a topical serum, such as the Derive Daily Hair Support System from Radiance Wellness Spa. This hormone-free serum can improve the overall health of your scalp and hair, restore hair growth, and treat hair loss from a variety of issues. Really any spa should provide supporting treatment to benefit your hair along with other parts of your body.
Not Just Back but Better Than Ever
Postpartum hair loss is temporary, but that doesn’t make it any less unpleasant. Fortunately, you can get ahead of the hair loss by adding a few extra steps to your haircare routine. Support your hair growth with proactive measures like following a healthy diet and using the Derive serum for scalp health. With a little bit of daily attention, your hair will not only grow back but better than before!