This, my friend, is my new BFF.
It’s a pink wide-toothed comb that I got from Sephora a while back, and I’ve been using it lately because…my hair is falling out. I’m at that postpartum point, and even though I was expecting it to happen, it’s still been a shock.
It’s weird cleaning out the shower drain after a shower and finding big clumps of hair, and when I put my hair back into a ponytail before going for a run, I can feel how much thinner it is.
I posted about it on Facebook last week, and several girls mentioned taking pre-natal vitamins and eating a balanced diet with lots of protein, so I’m doing both. And I also read that using a wide-toothed comb and being really gentle when you wash your hair can help.
I don’t know if you’ve ever experienced any kind of hair loss, but if you have any suggestions — anything you’ve found helpful (or not so helpful) — please let me know in the comments. I’d really appreciate it.
Speaking of getting enough protein…
I made this Thai basil chicken dish the other day, and I wish I’d stopped to take a picture of it, but I was too ravenous at the time, so I wolfed it all down in 2.5 minutes!
I’m salivating just sitting here thinking about it. 🙂
Have you heard of skinnytaste.com? That’s where I got the recipe.
I LOVE that girl’s website. Her name is Gina, and I’ve made at least a dozen of her recipes. They’re always healthy and delicious and pretty easy to make (the ingredients are stuff you can find at any grocery store).
Seriously, the Thai basil chicken blew my cat lady socks off. It tasted as good as something from a Thai restaurant, and it came together quicker than it would’ve taken me to actually order takeout and pick it up.
I already had the ingredients in my kitchen except for one of them, the serrano chili, so I substituted red pepper flakes instead.
Try it sometime!
In other news…
I’m still on a ’90s kick, which might have something to do with all of the matte brown lipsticks all over the place, and probably also has something to do with that I love the ’90s concert I went to a couple weeks ago.
Anyway, do you you remember this song by Jeremy Jordan from the Beverly Hills 90210 (the O.G. version!) soundtrack? It’s called The Right Kind of Love…
My buddy Marisol and I listened to the soundtrack on the drive home from that concert. I hadn’t heard it in years, but I still remember the words! Amazing.
Do you remember this guy? I was super obsessed with him for a while there, haha.
Thank goodness today is Saturday, because girl! — I’m exhausted. Today I’m just really looking forward to painting my toes, which are in desperate need of some TLC, and seeing my parents. They’re coming over for a visit.
I hope you’re doing something fun. Talk soon, ‘k?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Skinny taste is my FAVORITE cooking blog! I cook from there at least 2-3x a week. Gina also has a fabulous cookbook and is coming out with a 2nd one this year 🙂
Yes to basil, yes to the nineties 🙂
I dont’t know of any hair loss remedies, but I have the same comb as you! I tend to lose many hairs in any case every time I wash my hair, and i find with my think, curly hair the wide tooth comb run through while conditioning is the beat option for detangling without losing even more hair!
Thanks for the recommendation on the food blog – Its always good to find new healthy recipes, so i will be sure to check it out.
And, I love reading your blog! 🙂
I did have quite severe hair loss years ago, mine was from being unable to eat/keep food down, and just one side effect of that.
So I don’t really have any remedies, other than I cut my hair into a bob which made it look a bit thicker. Also my hair is naturally curly which hid the thinner hair well.
Try biotin, I get the berry flavored kind that they sell at costco. I started it when I was getting treated for an eating disorder and my hair was falling out like crazy, I think it really helped.
I started losing my hair when I started early menopause 18 months ago. In my case, it was lack of B12 and D3. You might have that checked when you go to the dr next time. Biotin gummies also help.
Hi karen;
While i have not personally tried it, alot of people of hair board swear by garlic shampoo and or garlic conditioners, for shedding. Tea rinses help alot too.
Try sugarbear vitamins. I went thru huge hair loss due to extreme over processing (I would have giant chunks of hair in my hand whenever I ran my fingers thru my hair). This stuff is pretty great.
I’ve had periods of hair loss over the past three years that come and go. I’ve tried everything. The only thing that has had any positive improvement is liquid iron. Try Floradix, you can get it on Amazon and it has vitamin C in it so it absorbs better 🙂
I had an episode of severe hair loss a while back, and I had to take iron for over a year.
But in your case, it’s the classic post-partum hair loss, and I’m afraid there isn’t much to do but wait for it to stop. It is caused by the hormonal changes your body went through, and it’s perfectly normal. Eventually, it will stop and the hair you lost will grow back. Being gentle or using a wide-toothed comb won’t change a thing: the hair that’s falling is already dead (it’s in the telogen phase), so if it doesn’t fall off today, it will tomorrow, or within the next few weeks. Studies have showed that biotin supplements are basically useless – and they can cause breakouts. The only one treatment with demonstrated effect is minoxidil (the active ingredient in Rogaine).
If you’re really worried you can talk to your doctor and have your hormones and iron levels checked. And of course it can’t hurt to have a balanced diet. But you’re most likely gonna have to wait for it to stop by itself, and don’t worry, it will! I know how horrible it is to find huge balls of hair in the shower, on your pillow, on you chair… But it will eventually stop, I promise!
Hair loss: take Vitamin E supps or just a plain pre natal as you stated. DO NOT WEAR A PONYTAIL!! If you have to have your hair up, then use a claw clip so it doesn’t pull your hair like a rubber band. Do not color it for a while (yikes I know!) This postpartum phase will pass! Mine has been falling out lately due to stress I think and I don’t shampoo as much or tug when brushing. Funny because I noticed how beautiful your hair has been looking…I would have never known!
Hi Karen,
everyone around me is raving about Biosil which contains three proteins-collagen, keratin, and elastin. All these proteins are very good for hair, nails and skin. Hopefully it will help you. 🙂
Thank you soooo much for the skinnytaste.com link. I’m always looking for low carb recipes that are not boring and she has so many. Love your blog and always look forward to seeing what Tabs is up to.
Wash hair in cold water and gently rub when washing. This helped me reduce hair loss!
The three things that have really helped to boost my hair volume are incorporating more gelatin into my diet, using tea tree oil as a scalp massage at night, and washing with sulfate free shampoo no more than three times a week. Hope that helps.
Another vote for biotin–I have waist-length hair that was also falling out due to hormonal reasons. When I started taking biotin and vitamin E, along with switching to the exact Sephora comb you pictured above, I noticed I stopped losing hair. It took about a month to really feel the difference, but now it’s back to normal. Good luck!
There is a supplement called Keratin Hair Volumizer that I just started trying. It’s for hair loss and its gotten rave reviews so I hope it really works. You can get it at the Vitamin Shoppe.
Thanks, Cathy. I’m actually headed there to pick up some vitamins so I’ll check it out. 🙂 I hope it works for you!
Oh no, the dreaded post-partum hair loss! I am just catching up on your blog and was thinking your hair is looking extra great, so you’re concealing it well 🙂 I had MAJOR hair loss after having Elena, and it lasted until I she was about 10 months old, ugh! SO much hair came out every time I washed. Thankfully I’m well past that stage but the annoying part now is the baby hairs at the front on my scalp closest my temples are OUT OF CONTROL! And like, my wedding is in 3 weeks so I don’t know what I’m going to do to hide that s&%t.
Unfortunately, I didn’t find any solution to the problem but at least it DOES go away at some point. I hope you don’t suffer it for too long!