This post is sponsored by Nutrafol, but all of the opinions within are those of The Everymom editorial board.
"Most women are familiar with the struggle of hair shedding. I haven’t met one woman who hasn’t complained about clogged shower drains or finding strands of hair in the most random of places. Losing 50-100 strands of hair a day is a normal amount of hair shedding according to medical experts, but anything more than that is considered excessive hair shedding.
Experiencing hair thinning can feel embarrassing and isolating, but the truth is that you’re not alone in it. There are so many people who have encountered this same hardship that entire companies have dedicated their resources to understanding root causes of hair thinning.
A few of our editors have dealt with these same concerns and they all turned to the same supplement for help: Nutrafol. They created physician-formulated hair growth supplements that help women achieve visibly thicker, fuller, and longer hair. Their science backed research showed that stress, hormonal fluctuation, and nutrition are root causes for hair thinning. Keep reading for more advice and our editors’ first-hand experiences:
Understanding Root Causes of Hair Shedding
Stress
Experiencing big life changes or added mental pressure (from a relationship change, job loss, family problems, etc.) can lead to to the production of cortisol, which is infamously known as “the stress hormone.” Cortisol signals hair follicles to prematurely shift out of the hair growth phase, accelerating the time it takes for hair to shed. Over time, stress can also impact hormones and nutrient absorption needed for hair growth.
If you’ve noticed shedding or thinning hair all over, and not just at your hairline or hair part, then stress could be a root cause. You may also feel like you’re having trouble sleeping or waking up, or feel tired or “over-tired” and wired throughout the day.
Hormones
Several things can lead to a fluctuation of hormones such as the birth of a child, starting or stopping birth control, experiencing irregular periods, or perimenopause. Postpartum hair thinning happens because of failing estrogen levels. Meanwhile, aging can make your body more susceptible to the dihydrotestosterone (DHT) hormone, which provokes hair follicles to shrink and can shorten the hair growth cycle.
If you’re seeing changes predominantly at your hair part and hairline or an excess of unwanted facial hair growth, then hormone changes may be a root cause.
Nutrition
Key nutrients are necessary to build hair and support a healthy hair growth cycle. Hair follicles are micro-organs and therefore directly impacted by nutrient deficiencies. Nutrient absorption from the gut microbiome can also further impact hair growth. Your overall lifestyle, like the products you use along with the foods you consume, can weaken the health of your hair as well.
Brittle hair, dry hair, or all-over thinning are signs of gaps in the body’s nutrients. If your hair is feeling damaged and weak with lots of breakage, nutrition and lifestyle can be root causes.
Addressing Root Causes of Hair Shedding
Now that we know why hair thinning and shedding happen, we can take the necessary action to help. Nutrafol’s science-backed research has allowed them to take an innovative approach to hair growth. All of Nutrafol’s physician-formulated hair growth supplements target root causes from within like stress, hormones, and nutrition, then take it a step further by customizing it based on life stage and lifestyle.
Nutrafol offers four different hair growth formulas: Women Hair Growth Nutraceutical (ages 18-44), Women’s Vegan Hair Growth Nutraceutical (ages 18-44 with a plant-based lifestyle), Postpartum Hair Growth Nutraceutical (first year post-birth), and Women’s Balance Hair Growth Nutraceutical (ages 45+).
For women ages 18 to 44
Nutrafol’s Women’s formula has 21 active ingredients that work in harmony with the body to balance stress and hormones, provide essential nutrition, fight environmental aggressors, and help support you internally. Senior Social Media Editor Keely Geist used Nutrafol for 11 months and had nothing but positive things to say about her experience. “After years of constant heat, improper products, and just overall neglect, my hair was fried, dry, and refused to grow past a certain length. I started using Nutrafol to improve the health of my hair and to help grow it out. I would say I noticed the biggest difference after three months of consistent use.”
Keely added, “My hair was noticeably stronger and shinier. I was hooked on from then on until I got my hair health exactly where I wanted it to be, which was visibly thicker and longer. I highly recommend it for any woman who is serious about wanting to see any significant improvement with their hair and feel like their confident self again.”
Social Media Assistant Abigail Moseman has been trying Nutrafol for about a month. She’s a big fan of the progress updates they send via email that detail what to expect as she continues taking them. She learned that in months 1-3 she can notice visibly fuller, healthier-looking hair and in months 4-6 she can see visibly thicker, fast growing, stronger hair. And months 6+ will continue to manage root causes to maintain hair growth results—this timeline was super helpful for her. For those with a plant-based lifestyle, opt for Women’s Vegan for the same great results.
For postpartum women
Nutrafol’s Postpartum supplement is ideal for women in their first year after having a baby or who are breastfeeding and struggling with hair thinning and shedding. It targets physical and emotional stress, hormonal changes, and nutrient depletion—so that, with consistent daily use, you’ll start to see visibly thicker, longer hair and less overall shedding (just like this mom did!). This formula was developed by OBGYNs and optimized for postpartum recovery with ingredients like Theanine and Shatavari, DHA Omega-3s and Tocotrienol Complex, and Marine Collagen with Nettle and Apple.
Branded Content Editor Steph Alleva Cornell started taking Nutrafol Postpartum after having her second baby and struggling with dry and brittle hair. She believes that the intense hormone fluctuation of being pregnant and breastfeeding both of her kids was the culprit behind her hair shedding. While taking the supplements, her hair has so far seen positive effects including reduced hair shedding and faster growing hair.
For women ages 45+
Nurtafol Women’s Balance focuses on helping the hair-thinning effects specifically triggered by menopause. It’s been proven to provide women with visibly thicker hair volume, fuller scalp coverage, and visibly softer and stronger hair growth. Women have also reported improved feelings of hot flashes, sleep, and mood.
Editor Kathy Sisson is on month four of Nutrafol Women’s Balance and has visible hair growth near her bangs and less shedding since starting her supplements. Since it usually takes six months for women to notice results, she’s excited to already see progress.
This post is sponsored by Nutrafol, but all of the opinions within are those of The Everymom editorial board. We only recommend products we genuinely love.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.