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Pregnancy hormones and curly hair
7 minute read

Pregnancy Hormones & Curls

Pregnancy hormones can change many things about our hair and curl pattern. You may experience more dryness, less curl definition, less volume or even hair loss. Read our stories here and discover how to get your curly hair back after pregnancy.

Meet the women answering your most-asked questions:

TELL US IN A FEW SENTENCES HOW PREGNANCY HAS AFFECTED YOUR CURLS.

Michele: My children are now 15 and 13 so it's a long time ago now that I was pregnant. I don't recall any real changes during that time with my curls. I fell pregnant again when my first child was just over a year so went full blown back into the pregnant hormone journey.

Lilian: I don't feel that pregnancy affected my curls very drastically but after my second pregnancy, I did notice my hair was thinner.

Sanne: Pregnancy had a major impact on my hair. My curls became a bit looser when I was pregnant, luckily my curls were still defined and I rocked volume. But i think it was 3 months after I gave birth to my daughter that I noticed my curls start to change. The pattern became looser and I lose volume and definition.

Molecia: I am a mum of five beautiful girls ranging from ages 11 years old to 9 months old. In every one of my pregnancies my experience was different, with two of my postpartum ending up with hair loss.


WHAT ARE YOU NOTICING ABOUT YOUR CURLS POST-CHILDBIRTH? ARE THEY TRANSITIONING BACK TO HOW THEY WERE BEFORE? IS YOUR CURL PATTERN LOOSE OR TIGHTER?

Michele: After the birth of my second child I started to notice changes with my hair. My curl pattern completely changed, the curls were a lot looser and I had much less volume. I'm not sure if that was to do with the fact that my hair was less dense due to postpartum hair loss, during pregnancy you lose less hair on a daily basis and then begin to shed most post birth.

Lilian: My curls during and after my first pregnancy stayed the same pattern. I did not experience a lot of postpartum shedding but I did experience a lot of hair loss on the temple of my head. Post-childbirth with my second child I noticed that my curls became a bit looser in the pattern. They were elongated mostly on the sides of my head. I also felt that my hair was thinner for some reason. I did not mind the changes and kept going with the hair routine that I had always used.

Sanne: The struggle with my curls was real post partum. Every washday was a challenge and the results were never what I wanted them to be and it made me very insecure. Of course my curls do not define who I am as a person but I do feel that my hair and my identity are incredibly interconnected. That’s why I’m so happy that my curls seem to tighten up again the past few weeks. I’m still breastfeeding after 16 months so that might slow down the process. The pattern is still much looser than it was before but that’s okay, my hair makes me smile again.

 
WHAT TECHNIQUES HAVE YOU FOUND TO HELP WITH ANY ISSUES YOU HAD?

Sanne: I stopped brushing my hair after I applied my styling products. I used to brush it as a final step for extra definition but it did elongate my curls. Now I apply my products using the praying hands method and scrunch upwards so that my curls start to form.

Molecia: I took vitamins and supplements to help with my hair and skin growth and made sure I was having enough iron and eating as healthy as possible. With my last pregnancy my hair grew soo much and my curls were a lot more curly than normal, but on top of that super dry too. I wash my hair every 2-3 weeks and then use the Intensive Moisture Treatment with my hydrating steamer to lock in the moisture and then use castor oil and Revive 5 Hair Oil to help with my curls.

Lilian: I had two issues - dryness and single strand knots. To combat dryness, I used the Bouclème Intensive Moisture Treatment. My hair absolutely loves it! For my single strand knots I learned that a very thorough detangling session each washday with a wide tooth comb helped majorly with reducing the amount of knots in my hair. Previous to this, I was only detangling with my fingers which was working great up until after my second pregnancy.

Michele: I learnt to work with what I had and not stress about it as being a new mum or mum of multiple children under 2 is stressful enough! Patience is key. Changes to hair post pregnancy is completely normal, trust in the process. During pregnancy the mother's body works really hard supplying the nutrients the baby needs to grow and develop so it can take 2 years for the body to restore fully on a cellular level post birth. For me almost exactly 2 years after the birth of my second child my curls pinged right back and I got my volume back.

HAS YOUR ROUTINE CHANGED? IF SO, HOW?

Lilian: The only thing that has changed with my routine is the amount of time I spend on doing my hair and re-introducing a styling tool (wide tooth comb) into my regimen. Taking care of two children and working full-time leaves little time for long lavish washdays. I keep it simple and stick to the products that my hair likes.

Sanne: I use a bit more gel because my curls have a harder time staying in place. My hair still lacks volume so I make sure to clean my scalp every wash. This way I ensure it is free from any product build up that may flatten my roots.

 
ANY FAVOURITE BOUCLÈME PRODUCTS THAT HAVE BEEN YOUR HOLY GRAIL DURING THIS TIME? OR PRODUCTS YOU WISH YOU HAD DURING PREGNANCY?

Michele: 15 years ago the market for curly hair looked very different to how it does now. There was very little choice and no choice for plant based curl care. This was one of the many reasons I went on to create Bouclème. Since then my curls have never looked better!

Lilian: Holy grail is definitely the Bouclème Intensive Moisture Treatment for my hair. And I absolutely love the combination of the Curl Defining Gel with the Super Hold Styler for my wash n gos! My hair feels so soft and I experience no dryness whatsoever. The smell and definition is wonderful and I get a hairstyle that lasts for at least five days.

Sanne: The Bouclème Curl Cream always gives me the most defined curls. For extra hold I mix in the Super Hold Styler as it really makes my curls last for days.

Molecia: I still use the Intensive Moisture Treatment, along with the Curl Cream and Curl Defining Gel - life saviours! Not just for me, but for my kids beautiful curls as well. Castor oil has also remained in my routine, especially for my edges. In the space of 4 months my hair has grown out so much!

 
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR SOMEONE EXPERIENCING POSTPARTUM HAIR LOSS?

Molecia: Don't stress, establish a hair routine, castor oil is going to be your best friend, make sure to give your hair intense hydrating treatments, take your vitamins and if you’re going to do a protective style, do one that’s light weight and easy on your edges.

 

We hope this blog post has helped, but if you have any more questions regarding pregnancy hormones and curls, or just curl questions in general, you can drop us an email any time at info@boucleme.co.uk.

Thank you to our Founder Michele, Sanne (AKA @curlsandblondies), Ambassador Lilian and Celebrity Hairstylist Molecia (AKA @momoshair) for sharing their journeys and advice.

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