Postpartum beauty is one of those things people love to oversimplify. Like it’s just a little shedding, a little tiredness, a little “give it time,” and then everything goes back to normal. Granted, to a degree that’s true, like often times, hair thinning happens after that second and third trimester hair (which is super thick and voluminous), but that’s due to hormones, and it’s all just naturally occurring anyways.
Sure, to a degree, it’s all normal, but it’s going to get to a point after a baby, many months after having one, if things aren’t back to the way they were, well, sometimes off here. So, the whole body went through a major shift, so it makes sense that the old routine can stop working like it used to.
It Usually Starts with the Hair
Hair changes hit hard because hair is such a “normal life” feature. It’s there every day, it’s in every photo, and it’s tied to identity more than people like to admit. And yeah, as you already know here, postpartum shedding is common, but it can still feel alarming when the brush fills up, the shower drain looks like it’s losing a fight, and the part starts looking wider than it used to.
A lot of postpartum hair issues come down to hormones shifting back, plus stress, plus sleep deprivation, plus nutrition being all over the place because life is busy and meals get weird.
Well, that combo alone can make shedding feel intense; granted, it is intense too. It also doesn’t help that hair takes time to show progress. It’s not like skin, where a product can sometimes create a quick visible change. Seriously, as unfair as it all is, hair recovery is slow, and that can make people spiral, even when it’s actually within a normal range. It’s not too uncommon for women to go to a dermatologist or even consider other means like a hair transplant if the hair loss is super bad, but there are options out there at least that help.
Skin Doesn’t Just “Bounce Back”
Which, yes, can be a scary reality. But just generally speaking here, though, postpartum skin can be unpredictable. Some people feel drier than they’ve ever felt, some break out like a teenager again, and some get that dull, tired look that no amount of concealer seems to fix. But a big reason is hormonal fluctuation, but sleep and stress play a huge role, too. When sleep is broken, skin often looks flatter and less bright, and products don’t sit the same way.
Well, unless you’re entirely stress-free and getting all the sleep in the world thanks to having a nanny, then no, your skin probably won’t go back to how it was, and instead, you’ll have to change your skincare routine to something a little more simplistic (timing and energy-wise, this is for the best).
The Real Issue is Time
Well, it was just mentioned above, but it deserves its own spot. Unless you have staff and a nanny, you can’t expect to have perfect skin and perfect hair like you once did. Hopefully, you can somehow pull it off, but just be realistic with yourself. Most moms are stretched thin with childcare, work, unpaid labor at home, and other obligations, too, be it social, family, their spouse, you name it. So a daily hair care routine, and a 20-step Korean skincare routine you see influencers do on TikTok just isn’t going to happen.
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