It’s usually a few months postpartum when you first notice it: Clumps of hair circling the bathtub drain when you’ve finally found four baby-free minutes to shower. But why is it happening, and will your hair grow back?
We asked a few hair and scalp experts to share their insights on post-pregnancy hair loss, including its causes and some potential solutions to help you through this transitional period.
"Postpartum hair loss is a stress-induced hair loss event that is typical for many women around 3 to 4 months after giving birth," explains Dr. Greenfield. "As opposed to some other forms of hair loss, it occurs throughout the scalp, but it does not leave scarring, and is not inflammatory."
Postpartum hair loss is totally normal and common, affecting approximately 50 percent of women after giving birth, Kingsley explains. Here’s why: During pregnancy, estrogen levels increase, which extends the anagen (growth phase) of the hair growth cycle. This causes you to hold onto more hairs than usual and shed much less. For context, it's normal to lose anywhere between 80 to 100 strands a day, but during pregnancy, you might only be losing between 10 to 40 hairs, according to Kingsley. This also explains why your mane looked much more lustrous for a short time.
Post-baby (or while breastfeeding, if you decide to nurse), estrogen levels return to normal…and so does your hair. So all that hair that was in the “resting” phase for weeks starts to fall out at an accelerated pace, which is why you're seeing those clumps of hair circling the shower drain.
"While having a baby is joyous, the postpartum period can be challenging both mentally and physically," says Kinglsey. "The good thing about hair shedding, although it is monumentally distressing while it’s occurring, is it’s a sign your hair is re-setting."
"Most people notice a sudden onset of increased shedding the shower or clumps of hair falling out when they brush their hair. Typically, this occurs at around 3 months after delivery," says Dr. Greenfield.
It's also not uncommon to find more hairs than usual on your pillowcases and clothes; for some postpartum women, they'll notice their hairline is thinning in the front, as if they're balding.
We repeat: It’s hormonal, so there’s not a lot you can do. But since your hair cells are the second fastest growing cells in the body, if it starts to become an issue, it’s an indicator that you could be depleted elsewhere, says Pullaniat. In fact, given that hair is non-essential tissue, your body automatically de-prioritizes its energy needs if something else needs more attention. In other words, factors like stress, poor nutrition and lack of sleep—all common for new moms—can exacerbate postpartum hair loss.
Yep, it’s a tall order for a mom with a newborn that requires her attention 24/7 in the early days. Still, Pullaniat stresses the importance of making an effort to prioritize (or enlist help) when it comes to these things. For example:
For some women, postpartum hair loss resolves at the six-month mark. But since it’s tied to your hormones, it varies, which means you might be dealing with it for close to a year.
"If hair loss has been occurring for more than six months, make an appointment to see your doctor or a trichologist, so you can arrange for relevant blood tests and assess if anything else might be going on," advises Kinglsey.
Postpartum hair loss is reported to affect approximately 50 percent of women after giving birth and there can be a variety of causes as explained above.
Postpartum hair loss often shows up 3 to 4 months after giving birth. The good news, according to Kinglsey: After telogen (resting) and exogen (when hair is released), anagen (growth) starts. There’s a new hair at the heels of one that’s just fallen out, so you can expect to see regrowth fairly quickly. That said, try to be patient, as it will take a little while to actually see the progress, as hair only grows half an inch a month.
