Rihanna's Reaction To Her Postpartum Hair Loss Is The Refreshing Take We Needed

Keeping it real is what Rihanna does best. From showing some unshaven leg hair on Instagram to owning up to having a bit of a mommy belly pooch, she often tracks as girlfriend rather than diva. Consequently, it's no shock that she opened up right away about her postpartum hair loss, which is just one of the surprising things that happen to your body after giving birth.

In an interview with Refinery29 (via Instagram), Rihanna rolled her eyes as she discussed her experiences with hair loss after giving birth twice. (She's since given birth again.) With expressiveness only a mom could understand, she asserted that the way she started losing her hair "was not on the pamphlet."

How exactly did Rihanna's post-baby hair loss unfold? According to the star, her hair loss "went from this spot to that spot and then to another spot" rather than thinning at once. As a result, she started getting imaginative with her 'dos. The workaround led to a host of different looks, including braids and curls.

Rihanna's comments received lots of props from fans. "I love how natural and relatable she is," said one. Another gushed, "She's so authentic." However, many commenters wavered between being confused about why she would have lost her hair and being unable to relate because they didn't lose theirs.

Postpartum hair loss (aka telogen effluvium) is a temporary condition typically associated with new mothers. As a woman's hormone levels (especially her estrogen) reset, they may induce excessive hair shedding. Postpartum hair loss typically lasts anywhere from six months to a year.

The condition isn't as shocking from a scientific angle as it is from a social one. Nurse practitioner Melissa Mesenburg called it "normal," explaining to Beaufort Memorial that despite its suddenness, "it's a natural part of your body returning to its pre-pregnancy state." A 2023 study published in the International Journal of Women's Dermatology found that around nine out of 10 women reported hair loss in the months after having a baby.

Rihanna's tale of thinning tresses is hardly uncommon. However, it isn't just new moms who are affected by telogen effluvium. There are several other causes of the condition, including hyper- and hypothyroidism, stress, and protein-deficient diets. While mothers typically regain their locks within a year, some people with this type of hair loss turn to topical hair growth products like minoxidil or nutritional supplements.

Rihanna isn't the only celebrity who's been pretty transparent about losing her hair after starting a family. For instance, Selma Blair told People in 2011 that she had to collect hair from her drain after every shower at about the third month after she gave birth. Similarly, in 2022, Jessica Alba told Shape that no one had prepared her for the possibility of having hair-related issues as a first-time mommy (via She Knows).

(Read about some celebs who have opened up about their postpartum mental health issues.)