Jamie Chung Experienced Hair Thinning After Becoming a Mom, but Says This Treatment Changed Everything
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“I take my Nutralfol vitamins with me everywhere I go,” the actress tells PEOPLE
Jamie Chung first noticed her hair thinning shortly after becoming a mom in 2021, when she and husband Bryan Greenberg welcomed their twin boys, now 2 1/2 years old.
"We were dealing with feedings every three to four hours, staying up at night, not sleeping," Chung, 40, tells PEOPLE over a Zoom call. "I was so stressed out. I lost a lot of weight. I was just eating whatever leftovers we had in the fridge. I wasn't taking care of myself whatsoever — and that's when I really noticed my hair thinning."
But instead of the big clumps you might picture when you think of hair loss, Chung's experience was more subtle. "I noticed an abnormal amount of hair in my brush and on the bathroom floor," she shares. The actress says that during her worst "bouts" of hair thinning, she wore caps, she used clip-on extensions and powders to cover her exposed scalp on sets, and once, she even wore a wig to a public appearance.
It wasn't until she visited Dr. Sheila Nazarian for a facial that Chung learned about Nutrafol, an over-the-counter supplement that promotes hair growth by targeting the root causes of thinning hair. Now, "I carry my Nutrafol vitamins with me wherever I go," she says.
"Nutrafol uses highly concentrated botanicals to address every stage of the hair growth cycle," board-certified dermatologist Dr. Dendy Engelman tells PEOPLE. "It contains ingredients that work to hydrate and nourish the hair, along with anti-stress adaptogens to rebalance hormone levels and reduce follicle damage."
Dr. Engelman deems Nutrafol a "great preventative and remedial" for hair thinning and appreciates that different formulas are available for women in different stages of life. There's an option for postpartum women, menopausal women, and even for those with plant-based diets.
Buy It! Nutrafol Women's Hair Growth Supplement, $79–$83.60 with subscription (orig. $88); amazon.com and nutrafol.com
Despite the fact that 50 percent of women will experience hair loss in their lifetime, it still isn't totally normalized. That's why Chung leans on her sister, her friends, and "mom support groups" where they "open up to each other" about their struggles. These vulnerable conversations are exactly what Nutrafol is trying to foster with its new online forum, Shed the Silence. Chung calls it "a safe place to voice your concerns, exchange information, and share before and after pictures."
Buy It! Nutrafol Postpartum Hair Growth Supplement, $79–$83.60 with subscription (orig. $88); amazon.com and nutrafol.com
Along with taking her Nutrafol vitamins every day, which "get to the root of the problem," according to Chung, she is also trying to maintain a healthier diet to prevent hair thinning. "When I'm stressed out, I eat — excuse my French — like an asshole," she admits. "I'll just get whatever's convenient: any fast food restaurant or whatever's on the way home." But recently, the Real World alum has been prioritizing cleaner meals — and serving the same ones (which include a "protein, grain, and vegetable") to her toddlers.
Buy It! WeeSprout 3-Pack Suction Plates for Babies & Toddlers, $21.99; amazon.com
"My husband and I have a really distinct schedule," Chung shares. "I try to plan out the meals for Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, and my husband's responsible for the meals on the other days. So, I have my mornings where I can really enjoy myself and spend more time with the kids while Bryan's in the kitchen."
When it comes to handling the everyday stressors of being a mom, wife, and working woman, Chung's advice — though she admits it's "really hard" — is simply to "f--- it and just be you."
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