Now that I’m a bit over two months post-partum, I thought it would be a good idea to take a few photos of what my hair looks like right now. The post-partum shedding hasn’t started yet (maybe I will get lucky and not have it? I don’t have anything to lose!) so once it does, I’ll need something to compare it to. Many women report that their hair appears thicker while pregnant since the hair remains in a “resting” stage to due hormonal changes. You’ll recall in my post about pregnancy hair, that, uh, wasn’t the case with me. I didn’t shed anything significant, so I guess that’s something to be grateful for. However, I certainly didn’t perceive any sort of thickening effect, unfortunately.
Here’s what my hair looks like right out of the shower, not brushed, just clipped up:
You can really tell when it’s wet the extent of my loss; it’s mainly concentrated just pass the front hairline on the top of my head.
And here it is when it’s dry. I don’t have any product in it except for some inexpensive volumizing mousse.
I really can’t decide if it looks any worse than my last update. Maybe slightly? Would love any opinions. The light is shining directly onto the top of my head so it may look ever-so-slightly exaggerated.
Here is a pic from the front:
I’m terribly bad at selfies, so I’m not sure what that face was all about.
I always feel so much better after I put on my favorite topper (my $113 synthetic topper from Gallery of Wigs, color Medium Brown)! In just a few short seconds I go from “blah” to feeling 1000 times more presentable.
And there you have it – me from start to finish. 🙂 It’ll be interesting to see how my hair changes over the next few months as my hormones become more normalized. I’m hoping to at least maintain what I have now; my toppers are the clip-in types and I need to keep enough hair to be able to wear them!
I agree that it doesn’t look bad when dry, you still look awesome. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences. Keep up the good work!
Thank you for all your informative posts! Question for you, what makes you like this one more than the Milan? Better color or does if fit/feel better? I totally want to order one (and I love the way this one looks) but I’m thinking the better choice for me color wise in available in the Milan.Thanks again!
For me, this one is better due to color. The size is also smaller, which matched my bio “look” a bit more closely than the Milan, as well. They are both great, I just like this one a teeny bit more. 🙂
I think your topper looks very real. You definitely picked the right color to match your bio hair! I don’t think your hair loss looks worse–looks like your concealers should still work just fine. I would love to try a topper but the color match will be tricky with graying blonde hair!
I have been to 3 doctors over the past few months. I got very determined to figure out what is happening to my hair and how to “fix” it.
So I had the scalp biopsy and diagnosis is androgenetic alopecia. That doctor wants me to start on spiro, 50 mg per day and go from there.
The second doctor did blood work only and wanted me to start HRT and feels the estrogen will help my hair regrowth.
The third doctor said, well your are older and some women just get thinning hair. I’m 56. Try minoxyl.
So I don’t know where to go from here.
I’ve read so much about spiro I’m a little afraid to start it.
Same with HRT.
So I continue to use Toppik and hair thickeners for now!
Happy New Year and thanks for this website!
It seems like the opinions are always conflicting and that’s soooo frustrating! Toppik and thickeners are definitely less scary than the alternatives, so if you are comfortable with that, stick with it! I’m not sure if I will go back on Spiro…I think I will start up Rogaine, however, once I’m done nursing.
How is your topper holding up with it being synthetic? I am wondering because with having naturally curly hair, from what I am reading, finding a HH topper to match my hair will be next to impossible. I will only need to wear my 2 days a week most weeks. At work I have to wear my hair back with a hat covering it so I really will only need it for the weekends. Right now I wear hats a lot on the weekends. But that is not really an option for church. I am thinking about getting some kind of concealer to put in my hair as well. Right now I am leaning towards Joan Rivers Great Hair Day and didn’t know if you and anyone else on here had any experience with this brand. Also, I think your topper looks great and you and your baby are so beautiful. Congrats from a fellow mommy of 2 boys, they are the best.
Hi Marsha! I haven’t been the most careful with this topper, especially during the holiday season. I got a bit too close to the oven a few times, haha. 🙂 The ends are a tad frizzy and it feels a little dry after a few days post-washing but all-in-all, I should be able to make it about 3.5/4 months before needing a new one. For the price, it’s not bad when you add it up annually ($113 x 3 or 4). I would think with the frequency you are describing it should last you at least 6 months.
What kind of loss are you looking to cover with the Joan Rivers Great Hair Day Powder. I do have that and use it often on the very front piece of my bio hair, to help integrate it with my topper. I did try to use it to cover a large area (like how I do when I use my Bumble & Bumble concealer) but it’s definitely not made to do that. This is good for tiny spots or at the front hairline only, in my opinion. I have to see if I still have the pics of when I tried to use it on a large-scale; it was pretty awful. If I still have them maybe I’ll do a post about it. The good news about the JRGHD (phew, easier to type it that way) is 1) it smells really good, and 2) it doubles as eyebrow powder. 🙂
I’m loving having the two boys! I can’t wait until they start interacting!
Thanks for the information. I am hoping I can get by with concealers for a long time. With the way I wear my hair up I only have a small area showing in the front so I am hoping that it hangs on for a long time before I have to move on to the next step. I am hoping I can find really great, inexpensive helper hair when it comes time for that. At this time I can not afford to spend thousands of $$ on replacement hair. Thank you again for this blog and all of your bravery, you are helping so many people.
Hi Marsha,
I have the Joan Rivers product and agree with Lauren that it is good for small areas but does not provide enough coverage for larger areas. I use it on either side of my part to conceal any shininess there. But overall I use Toppik and Nanogen combination to conceal the crown area. The other thing I use is TruLift Color. I ordered it off HSN website. It is a light weight powder.
First I LOVE this web sight. Thank you! You have helped me feel more comfortable with what is happening on my head. You are look great with and with out the topper.
<3 Toni
Aww, thanks!
Lauren,
As always thanks for sharing your experiences. Your pics look great, so there with you on the after shower thinness awareness… My least favorite part of the day. The newest topper you have is awesome, it looks so real and natural. I keep thinking of getting a topper every day, I just need to do it and your picturs definitely inspire me. And thanks for sharing the exact one you purchased. I know I asked a while ago, and now that it has been a few months I would like to ask again if you have noticed any hair loss from where the toppers clip in? I know you said you alternate between two that have clips in different places. I keep mentioning how much my hair loss is bothering me to my husband but haven’t told him I’m thinking of getting “helper hair”. I may just go with the get it, wear and see if he notices route. My favorite part of your post was that after you put it on you feel 1000 times better. I use to feel that way using toppik, but it’s just not cutting it anymore. Just wanted to say thanks and the topper looks great and you inspire me! Happy New Year
I’ve actually been thinking about this very thing the past few days, so good timing. 🙂 At first, I was kind of alternating between multiple toppers, but I found that I love this one the best right now, so she’s basically been my one and only. I DO think that there is some minor additional loss as a result of wearing her exclusively. The easy remedy is to sew in additional clips (or super-glue them in, which I may do as I am needle-challenged and this piece is cheap enough to do so) so that I can use alternating clips throughout the week.
It really is hard to tell. When you take off the topper at night, your bio hair is all matted down and pulled up where the clips are (it’s really NOT a pretty sight. I’ll do a post on it, soon) and you immediately think, “OMG, this thing is making these areas completely bald” but after a wash you realize it’s not the case. I do have some additional loss in those areas right now, but I need to get off my butt and put some more clips in there and I should be fine. The area where these clips go happen to be my weakest areas — if my loss was more diffuse and less concentrated I probably wouldn’t have a problem.
As for your husband — I bet if you found a piece that is similar in color and style to yours he wouldn’t even notice. Mine never does. But then again, most men are clueless…
Hi Lauren. My hair is so similar to yours, except my hair is darker. Which sucks because I think it shows more with darker hair. In the dry picture, your hair doesn’t look that bad, and it looks GREAT with the topper. I really don’t want to get a topper but then again I am SO sick of putting on concealers and the mess it makes in my bathroom. And I am terrified to tell my fiancee that I might get a topper. He doesn’t truly understand the situation. So you feel that your topper feels pretty natural on your head? Because it looks totally natural!
Yeah, I can imagine the contrast is that much more with darker hair, unfortunately. This topper in particular is SO super light. I don’t feel it at all when it’s on. The first few days you wear it you will likely be really aware of it, and then, it disappears. Seriously. Something to consider if you might want to try a topper: get it and wear it and don’t even tell him. After a few days, a weeks, whatever…let him in on the secret. If he’s like most guys (and it matches your own color) he won’t notice. Then, when he knows, he might figure it’s no big deal. My husband is really supportive, but I was nervous about it. Now, I just treat it like it’s any other thing. He’ll ask what’s in the package that just got delivered. I say “hair” and leave it at that. To him, it’s the same as if I got a new set of kitchen bowls, now. 🙂
I think your hair looks similar to mine. Honestly when your hair is dry I really don’t think it looks all that bad, but I do have to say the topper looks amazing. And your baby is adorable congratulations!
Really? Ugh, I hate it! I could totally still pull of the concealers if I had to, but, it take two seconds to go from “eh” to “yay” so might as well! 🙂 Thanks, though, Randy!
Also what brand/color topper is this one? It looks great and very natural.
That would be helpful, huh? I’ll add it to the post. 🙂 This is the Amore Long Topper #752, which I got from Gallery of Wigs for $113.
You are so pretty! And I think it looks about the same.