Awful post-pregnancy hair, what to do?

[Plateofcrumbs]

My hair has been falling out pretty much since the minute DS arrived 6 months ago. I think the hair loss is slowing and new hair starting to grow but it looks horrendous - visible receding thin hairline at the front, short new growth sticking up frizzily. All made worse by fact I never have time to wash it let alone style it.

I have thick hair past my collarbone in length. Can look fab when properly styled (and when half of it hasn't fallen out!) but takes an age to dry and I often end up just scraping it back - almost all the time since DS was born. I've had it short before (and liked it) but it took years to grow out and the in-between stage really doesn't suit me. Tempted to get it cut short again but it would be for long term as I can't be dealing with growing it out again.

But presumably all the new hair which is starting to come through has a heck of a lot of growing to do before my long hair is back at its best.

So how long is my hair going to look like a scarecrow if I leave it long? Is it pointless having long, hard-to-style hair now DS is in the mix? Should I bite bullet and get it chopped?

I had the same problem. I was low and iron and my gp told me to take selenium (which is in hair and nail vitamins) as well as iron. The hair loss stopped with in a week or so.

I feel your pain. I have had this all three times. I resorted to hair gel on more than one occasion to glue the short bits into place over the bald bits .

In better news, it has vastly improved by 9-10 months each time.

I had the same problem first time round. JuSt had no 2. Not looking forward to it starting again.

I didn't have thick hair to start with so it was fairly noticeable. I kept it tied back as I felt that looked less bad.

Once it started growing back and I got the fuzzy hair I was so relieved! I kept it tied back for a lot of the time but would blow dry it for special occasions. I think hair spray and kirby grips are the way forward for dealing with the annoying short bits.

As for whether you should cut it short? Maybe shorter but not short? Then your new hair doesn't have as far to grow to catch up?

Although if you've not got time to wash your hair atm then maybe short might be easier and might be invigorating?

Such a horrible experience losing your hair - hope it all sorts itself out soon

I had this, it looked awful. The only way I got over it was by getting pregnant again, a bit drastic I know .

Thanks for replies - I think I might ride it out for a few more months and then see if it has improved. I'm
still in the clothes-covered-in-baby-sick phase so hair is the least of my style worries really but at I'd like to look less tatty when I return to work.

Mine looks a lot better now I've had a thick fringe cut in. It makes the rest of my hair look thicker, and if I wash and blow dry the fringe then scrape the rest back in a ponytail (with dry shampoo) it still looks like I've made an effort but takes 3 minutes.

I really feel for you.

I had this with both of mine. it used to actually make me cry. It did get much better after about 10 months. (once the new hair grew enough to cover the bald bits.) Although even now (dc2 is 17 months) my hair line is a lot shorted than the rest of my hair.

A middle parting and wearing my hair down were the only things that helped cover the baldness.

This is one of the things that puts me off having another DC.

Chop it off. Long hair looks awful if in bad condition and you will be so tired and frazzled for a while (sorry) it will probably look dry and brittle. Just makes you look tired and old.

Plus having short hair takes 5 mins to style and involves no hairdryers (which used go make my DS scream and scream...and scream). Just do it. You can always grow it again when you have more time and energy to yourself.

Getting a fringe cut in sounds like a good idea - might need to wait for a bit more regrowth as the front is so thin at the mo. If I don't like it I've still got the option of growing it out or cutting it off

I have the re growth after my daughter was born 14 months ago. I use a smoothing spray when my hair is tied back to tidy it up. I didn't want to chop it all off.

14 months and you're still dealing with the regrowth?

If your hairlosss is that bad, and going on for half a year, I would see the GP. I had that PP and my iron was very low (needed iron tablets). A friend of mine losr a lot of hair after having her DS, blamed it all on
the pregancy and birth but it turnrd out to be her thyroid.

I would agree that you should definitely get checked out to make sure there is nothing else going on to explain the hair loss. Are you taking any vitamin supplements?

I would be wary about getting a fringe to be honest. If you don't have time to wash your hair, then arsing about with trying to wash JUST a fringe is a huge pain, and takes longer than just washing the whole lot. If you don't wash it, then you're stuck with a horrible greasy fringe, which can cause break outs.

SOURCE: I went through a 12 year cycle of getting a fringe cut in, then growing it out Over, and over and over....

Plateofcrumbs I am still dealing with the regrowth at 14 months. I have very very fine hair though which I think makes it more noticeable.

Mines still falling out now 3 years later. I would also wear it up alot but all the front of my hair/ baby hair stuck up everywhere. My hair doesnt feel anything like it used to. I cut mine and regret it, it never grows past my shoulders. I changed shampoos until I found the one that suited me I take iron vitamins and am thinking of getting those hair and nail tablets too.

I had this exact problem & also had long hair. I took iron tablets which helped but it was already so thin at that point, my hair just looked straggly. Went for the chop & had it done Alexa Chung style & it looked so much better, so thick & lovely! Would definitely do that if I were you!

I think re growth at 14 months is ok. It's not falling out now, just regrowing and with long hair obviously takes time. My hairdresser used to blow along the hair to show me where it was all growing back after baby number one. It hasn't filly reached the length of my hair before I became pregnant again with number 2, but it's getting there!