While there are a lot of things that I knew to expect when having children, others took me totally by surprise—and postpartum hair loss sits right at the top of the list.
Call me underprepared, but I had no idea that after having a baby, it’s incredibly common for you to lose a fair amount of hair due to a drop in hormone levels. For most people, this is a temporary condition known as telogen effluvium, which settles down again around six months after giving birth (and your hair growth should return to normal after that).
However, for others, like myself, hair loss can be quite significant, and long-lasting and result in permanent thinning of the hair. While my hair loss experience was fairly standard the first time around, after having my second child, the fallout was pretty major and I was left with some very sparse patches around my hairline.
I’ll admit, despite not spending huge amounts of time thinking about my hair previously, it became an all-consuming issue. My hair has always been naturally thick and voluminous so it felt alien to scrape it back into a ponytail. Plus, not only did it feel so much thinner and more fragile, but I was also left with noticeable gaps at the front… It was a real knock to my confidence.
So, as a beauty editor, I did what I do best and turned my attention to testing practically every product on the market that promised to support hair growth and boost thickness. And, undoubtedly, there was one product that made the most noticeable difference in the shortest amount of time: the Living Proof Scalp Care Density Serum.
As a lightweight daily scalp serum, which promises to reduce shedding, increase hair density, improve hair growth and also minimise the appearance of grey hairs in just 90 days, I have been truly wowed at the changes I’ve seen since using this. So, let’s get into what makes it just so brilliant.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
(Image credit: Mica Ricketts)
As someone who has quite an oily scalp, I was worried about the idea of applying the Living Proof Scalp Care Density Serum. While you can put it on a dry or damp scalp, I only wash my hair a couple of times a week, so I was nervous that applying it in between washes would exacerbate oiliness and leave my hair looking greasy and limp.
Impressively, the serum did no such thing. It’s incredibly lightweight in texture—like thick water—and it sinks in quickly without leaving behind any residue. The packaging itself is luxurious, it comes in a heavyweight glass bottle and the pipette dispenses the product effortlessly. I applied it directly from the dropper onto my scalp, and it’s worth noting that you need to use two or three droppers per application.
But what exactly is inside that dropper of product that makes it so effective?
THE FORMULA
So, let’s break down the Living Proof Scalp Care Density Serum formula to work out what makes it so efficacious.
The two key players are the brand’s own density-boosting technology, which promotes natural growth and reduces shedding. It also has an anti-grey complex, which is a blend of antioxidants and amino acids that reduce the appearance of existing greys and works to prevent new ones… As someone who has never coloured their hair, but has an increasing amount of new greys, this was undeniably appealing!
Alongside this, there are amaranth peptides which increase the diameter of your hair fibres for thicker-looking hair and pea sprout extract to protect the scalp. And as for what’s not included? This serum is free from oils and silicones—which contribute to it feeling so lightweight and not weighing the hair down. Plus, it’s safe for colour-treated hair too.
RESULTS
(Image credit: Mica Ricketts)
Mica before using the Living Proof Scalp Care Density Serum with thinning hair around the temples and some scattered grey hairs at the roots.
Before we get onto my own result, it’s worth mentioning that Living Proof provides some pretty impressive stats based on a 90-day trial of this product. 100% of people experienced an increase in hair thickness with a less visible scalp and 76% experienced a decrease in new grey hair growth.
It’s pretty impressive stuff, and the customer reviews mirror these results too. As for my own experience? As a beauty editor, it’s hard for me to stick to using one product long-term as I’m always testing and trialling different things. However, for the last month, I have been using this daily and even in just 4 weeks I have seen a marked difference in regrowth.
(Image credit: Mica Ricketts)
Mica after using the Living Proof Scalp Care Density Serum for a few weeks, showing hair regrowth around the temples and softer greys.
My problem areas are at the front of my hairline, around my temples, where my hair has thinned to the extent that I have visible bald spots in places when I pull my hair up.
Now, I can see some pretty impressive regrowth on my hairline and the only thing that I can chalk it down to is this product—especially as it has now been almost three years since I had my last child. I can’t yet speak to the prevention of greys, but I definitely haven’t spotted more emerging than usual. To conclude, I’ll certainly continue to use this just for how much stronger and thicker my hair already feels; it’s a win-win in my book.