Mum whose hair fell out in giant chunks after giving birth discovers ‘miracle cure to hair loss’
Kimberley Coke, 35, researched a range of remedies online before trying a supplement she said restored her hair’s strength and vitality following the birth of her son
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A MUM-of-two's confidence was shattered when her hair fell out in big chunks after giving birth to her second child.
Kimberley Coke began to lose her hair after she stopped breastfeeding Jonah at five months old.
The 35-year-old from Apsley, Hertfordshire was suffering from postpartum hair loss, a common condition that affects new mums.
According to trichologists, at least 300,000 women a year suffer from post-pregnancy hair loss like Kimberley, including catwalk model Abbey Clancy and Geordie pop star Cheryl Cole.
Kimberley, who works as a restaurant concierge in London, said she would brush out large handfuls of hair after her morning shower with her hairline becoming noticeably thinner over time.
"At first it was quite slow and then great clumps were coming out in my brush after my shower in the morning," Kimberley said. "And to see it so thin particularly at the front...was very depressing," she said.
Her job has seen her booking tables at some of the most famous restaurants in the world for wealthy clients, including celebrity chefs Marcus Wareing and Michel Roux Jr.
Her hair loss happened just a few months before she was due to return to work - and she was worried how this would affect her self-confidence.
"Image is important in my job," she said. "I am booking the very best restaurants in the world for elite clients.
"They are the kind of tables where there is a waiting list for months if you have not got the right connections.
"I am out all the time meeting clients and it is vital that I look my best.
"My hormones were all over the place after having Jonah, so to add hair loss into the equation so soon before I returned to work was an absolute nightmare.
"I was really worried about going back with my hair so thin and lacklustre."
Looking for a "miracle" cure, Kimberley used a supplement called GROW by Hair Gain, which she was recommended by another mum after it restored her hair’s strength and vitality following the birth of her son.
GROW claims to work because it's derived from organic pea shoots, which is said to restore shine and vitality to hair, making it fuller and thicker.
WHAT IS POST-PARTUM HAIR LOSS?
- Postpartum hair loss is common with new mums, starting around three months after birth.
- It''s a temporary condition, and is to do with the hormonal changes during pregnancy, which stimulate an increase in the percentage of hairs in the growth phase. As a result, many women enjoy thicker hair during pregnancy, as more hairs than normal are growing and fewer than those that are resting/shedding.
- The hormonal changes after childbirth mean a larger number of hairs enter the resting phase, which is followed by greater-than-normal hair shedding.
- 300,000 women a year from post-pregnancy hair loss like Kimberley.
- The hair loss can be extreme if hair grew much more than normal during pregnancy, or if you have long hair.
- Most women will return to their usual hair growth cycle within six months, or between 6 and 12 months after birth.
"I was prepared to try anything because I was so worried about my hair," Kimberley said.
"I had always been very lucky...it's always been very full and thick and I have often got compliments about my lovely long, blonde hair."
While postpartum hair loss is only temporary, with most women hair returning back to normal 6-12 months after child birth, Kimberley said that once she'd started taking the supplements she saw a difference within a month.
"After three months it was just like it was before my pregnancy.
"I was stunned at the difference and I could feel my self-confidence surging as I prepared to go back to work."
A number of celebrities have spoken recently about their pregnancy-related hair loss.
Model Abbey Clancy, 32, wife of ex-England footballer Peter Crouch, began losing her hair while pregnant with her third child Johnny and she has continued to lose it since his birth in January.
Cheryl Cole, 35, also suffered postpartum hair loss following the birth of her son Bear in March 2017 and used supplements to help it to regrow.
Hair loss in women is not uncommon. Around eight million women in the UK suffer from hair loss at some point in their lives, many of which is related to postpartum loss in the first five months after giving birth.
Natural trichologist Cheryl Mackie, who recommends supplements like GROW to her clients because they can "noticeably slow down shedding, increased hair growth and improved scalp health in a month".
The supplement was developed by a mum who went through the trauma of postpartum hair loss herself.
It contains powerful phytonutrients which are said to deliver fuller, thicker hair for women suffering hair loss for a number of reasons - not just after pregnancy but due to stress, nutritional deficiencies, changes in metabolism and over-styling.
Formulated using vitamins, minerals, botanicals and aminos, which are claimed to be needed for healthy hair growth. the GROW supplement is also vegan, vegetarian and Halal approved.
Kimberley said that now her hair has returned to its natural sparkle, she cannot wait to return to work.
"I love my boys to death but I have really missed the restaurant scene," she said. "It will be fab to return with my hair back to its best."
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