A Beauty Insider Shares Her Postpartum Hair Loss Journey

With almost 20 years of haircare innovation under its belt, Tangle Teezer is a brand both beauty insiders and salon professionals rate. Having redefined the way we brush our hair, its signature two-tiered teeth design glides through knots with less tension and tugging. Already a trusted favourite for all, the brand has only enhanced its status since it dropped The Ultimate Detangler Extra Gentle.

A hairbrush is a hairbrush, right? Not quite. The right one makes a world of difference. To be clear, brushing won’t prevent or reverse thinning, but “when done regularly and gently, it does help,” according to trichologist Eva Proudman. If you have fragile hair, your instinct might be to avoid brushing to minimise stress, but Eva recommends it once a day to keep your hair manageable and healthy. The act itself is important for a variety of reasons: from distributing sebum along the hair shaft and removing shed hairs to preventing tangles and stimulating blood flow to the scalp and follicles – which is vital for healthy hair growth. 

Enter, The Ultimate Detangler Extra Gentle. The clue is in the name: it smooths out knots without any discomfort, giving you peace of mind that you’re not putting any unnecessary stress on your hair. How does it work? The secret lies in the forward-thinking design. Designed to work on all hair types and textures, the teeth are widely spaced to reduce tugging and concentrated in the centre to effectively target knots.

“The wider the spacing, the less friction, meaning reduced risk of damage and breakage,” explains Eva. “The clever, shorter bristles allow for a super gentle detangling action that’s safe on both wet and dry hair. The hair is at its most fragile when wet, so usually a trichologist would recommend using a wide-tooth comb. But this is specifically designed to be used on wet hair too – it doesn’t pull or stretch the hair.”  

“Over the years, I’ve experimented with my hair more times than I can count. DIY highlights that my mum begrudgingly had to spend hundreds of pounds on fixing at the hairdresser? Guilty. Treating heat protection as optional? You bet. Dodgy extensions? Been there, done that. And let’s not forget the number of box dyes I’ve haphazardly thrown on.  

When I began my career in beauty journalism almost nine years ago, I’d say my hair was on the unhealthier end of the scale. But as I’ve learnt more, thanks to the incredible trichologists, colourists, stylists and scientists I’ve met along the way, I am a lot more conscious of the way I treat it.  

I’m currently six months postpartum and I’m trying to be kinder to my hair. My heart sinks a little every time I wash it and see the fallout. That’s why I’ve been opting for gentler glosses at the salon, using products specifically formulated for growth, and even trying to go longer between washes to reduce the amount of heat styling. 

One thing that shouldn’t be overlooked on your journey to healthier hair is the way in which you’re brushing it. Just as ‘great make-up starts with good skin,’ I feel great hair starts with a good brush. I’ve been the faithful owner of a two-tone pink Tangle Teezer for nearly a decade and it’s still as good as new. My best friend laughs at the fact that it comes with me everywhere.  

As my hair is currently more delicate, I’ve made the switch to The Ultimate Detangler Extra Gentle, which has been developed specifically for fragile, thinning hair. The wide-tooth pattern on the brush lets me comfortably brush through my hair with less tugging and breakage. Whether I use it on my hair wet or dry, I have noticed significantly less hair on the brush afterwards. 

If you’re currently experiencing breakage from over-styling, colour or chemical treatments – or, like me, you went from having the best hair of your life during pregnancy to struggling with postpartum hair loss – this could be a game-changer. The few times over the years I’ve been without my trusty Tangle Teezer, I’ve noticed some other brushes feel extremely harsh. Don’t underestimate the impact a small switch, like the right hairbrush, can have.”