Postpartum Hair Loss: A Complete Guide to Caring for Shedding Hair
Postpartum hair loss is common and usually temporary. Here is why it happens, when shedding tends to be heaviest, and a gentle hair care routine to see you through it.
10 min read
Postpartum hair loss is common and usually temporary. Here is how to care for your hair while it sheds.
THE COMPLETE POSTPARTUM HAIR LOSS CARE GUIDE
Why postpartum hair shedding happens
Postpartum hair loss is usually a form of telogen effluvium: a temporary increase in shedding that can follow a big physical event, such as giving birth.
Hair grows in cycles. At any time, most of your hair is growing and a smaller share is resting before it falls out. During pregnancy, many women notice their hair feels thicker because they shed less than usual. After birth, as hormone levels change, more hairs move into the resting phase at the same time, and they shed together a few months later. That is why the shedding can seem sudden and dramatic.
A typical timeline:
+ The first couple of months after birth: hair often feels normal.
+ Around three months: shedding becomes noticeable, often quite suddenly.
+ The following few months: shedding is usually at its heaviest. The American Academy of Dermatology says it usually peaks about four months after birth.
+ After that: shedding gradually slows, and short new hairs often appear around the hairline and parting.
+ Around the first birthday: the American Academy of Dermatology says most women see their hair return to its normal fullness by their child's first birthday, and many sooner.
For most women, what sheds is the extra hair held on to during pregnancy, not their usual hair. Knowing this can make the daily shedding feel less alarming.
For most women, postpartum hair loss means losing the extra hair held on to during pregnancy, not their usual hair.
Ingredients to care for your hair and scalp
No shampoo or serum can stop postpartum shedding, which tends to settle on its own. What good hair care can do is keep your scalp comfortable and help the hair you have look and feel stronger and fuller. Ingredients worth looking for in scalp and hair care:
+ Rosemary oil. A popular botanical for scalp massage, always diluted in a carrier oil. Patch test first.
+ Caffeine. Found in many scalp serums and shampoos made for fine or thinning-looking hair.
+ Niacinamide. Helps keep the scalp feeling comfortable and balanced.
+ Plant oils such as jojoba or pumpkin seed oil. Nourishing for scalp massage and dry lengths.
+ Proteins and peptides. Used in some hair care to help strengthen the look and feel of fragile lengths.
Food and supplements:
A varied diet supports your overall health while you recover from birth. Some women are low in iron or vitamin D after pregnancy, and your GP can check this with a simple blood test. Do not start supplements for your hair without talking to your GP, midwife or pharmacist first, especially if you are breastfeeding.
If you use a prescription treatment, or are thinking about one, check with your doctor or pharmacist.
Short new hairs at the hairline can look like a messy halo. They are a normal part of this phase.
A gentle postpartum hair care routine
Wash day routine
1 - Use a mild, sulphate-free shampoo that leaves your scalp feeling comfortable.
2 - Massage the shampoo into your scalp with your fingertips (not your nails) for about a minute. It feels good and helps lift away oil and product.
3 - Apply conditioner to mid-lengths and ends, where hair needs it most, so the roots do not feel weighed down.
4 - Detangle with a wide-tooth comb in the shower while the conditioner is in.
5 - Finish with a cool rinse.
6 - Pat (do not rub) with a microfibre towel.
7 - Apply a leave-in conditioner or hair oil to mid-lengths and ends only.
Weekly
+ Scalp massage with a diluted plant oil, such as rosemary oil in jojoba, for five minutes, two or three times a week. It feels lovely and gives you a calm moment to yourself.
+ A deep conditioning mask once a week to help protect the lengths from breakage.
Day to day
+ Avoid tight hairstyles such as high ponytails and buns that pull on the hair.
+ Use a silk or satin pillowcase to reduce friction.
+ Skip heat styling where you can.
+ Trim every six to eight weeks to keep the ends healthy.
+ Short new hairs at the hairline and parting are a normal part of this phase.
Wash frequency: wash as often as your scalp feels comfortable. Many people find two or three times a week is enough.
Styling postpartum hair while it sheds
Short new hairs at the hairline and crown often stick up like a halo of fluffy "baby hairs". This is normal, but it can look untidy for a few months.
Styling ideas for this phase:
+ A side parting instead of a centre parting, to soften the look of thinner areas at the crown.
+ Layered haircuts, which make hair look fuller than blunt cuts.
+ A volumising root spray at the crown for the look of more fullness.
+ Hair powder or dry shampoo at the parting, to make the scalp less visible.
+ A tinted root spray, which can soften the look of both grey roots and thinner patches.
+ Headbands and hair accessories, a stylish way to tame the new-hair halo.
+ Soft waves or curls, using rollers or a curling iron on a low setting, to add volume.
What not to do:
+ Avoid strong chemical treatments (relaxers, perms, bleach) until shedding has settled, because they can add to breakage.
+ Do not cut your hair very short in a panic. You may regret it once shedding settles.
+ Avoid extensions or weaves with tight attachments. They pull on fragile hair.
+ Be wary of any product or supplement that promises quick results. Hair grows slowly.
When postpartum hair loss isn't just postpartum
For most women, postpartum shedding settles within the first year. If yours does not, or it does not follow the usual pattern, it is worth getting it checked. See your GP, or ask about a trichologist, if:
+ Heavy shedding continues beyond a year after birth.
+ You notice distinct bald patches rather than thinning all over.
+ Hair loss comes with extreme tiredness, weight changes, feeling cold or other symptoms. These can have other causes worth checking, such as thyroid changes.
+ You notice your hairline receding at the temples or your parting widening.
+ Your hair feels brittle and breaks easily.
+ There is a family history of significant hair loss in women.
Your GP may suggest blood tests, for example to check your iron levels, thyroid function or vitamin levels.
A trichologist specialises in hair and scalp health and can look at your hair and scalp in more detail.
Most postpartum hair loss settles on its own, but persistent or unusual shedding deserves a proper check.
What to expect, month by month
A realistic picture of the months after birth:
The first few months: hair often feels normal, then shedding begins, often suddenly.
The heaviest months: shedding is at its most noticeable. A gentle routine will not stop it. Focus on limiting breakage and caring for the hair you have.
As shedding slows: short new hairs appear around the hairline and crown. This is a normal part of the phase.
Later in the first year: the new hairs grow longer and blend in, and hair looks fuller again.
If heavy shedding carries on beyond a year, it may not be postpartum shedding and is worth checking with your GP.
Hair grows slowly, so changes take months to show. Monthly photos are a kinder way to track things than daily mirror checks.
Things worth remembering:
+ For most women, this phase is temporary.
+ What you are losing is mostly the extra hair held on to during pregnancy, not your usual hair.
+ Short new hairs at the hairline are a normal sign of this phase.
+ Broken sleep, feeding and stress are part of life with a new baby. Look after yourself where you can, and ask for help when you need it.
+ Months can feel long when you are in them, but this phase passes. Stay gentle with your hair and with yourself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Many women notice it around three months after birth, sometimes earlier. After birth, as hormone levels change, hairs that stayed in the growing phase during pregnancy move into the resting phase together and shed a few months later.
For most women, shedding is heaviest for a few months and then gradually slows. The American Academy of Dermatology says most women see their hair return to its normal fullness by their child's first birthday, and many sooner. If heavy shedding continues beyond a year, or you notice patches, see your GP.
Be gentle: a mild shampoo, conditioner on the lengths, a wide-tooth comb, loose hairstyles and less heat. A scalp massage with a diluted plant oil can feel soothing. No product can stop postpartum shedding, which usually settles on its own. If you are breastfeeding, check with your GP, midwife or pharmacist before trying supplements or new scalp treatments.
For most women, postpartum shedding is temporary. Sometimes other causes, such as low iron or thyroid changes, can look similar and need checking. If shedding carries on beyond a year, or you notice patches or a widening parting, see your GP.
Only your GP, midwife or pharmacist can tell you what is suitable for you while you are breastfeeding, so check with them before taking any supplement. They can also check whether you are low in iron or vitamin D, as some women are after pregnancy.
A trim every six to eight weeks helps keep the ends healthy. But try not to cut your hair dramatically short at the height of shedding, because you may regret it once things settle. A medium-length layered cut makes hair look fuller than a blunt cut or a pixie crop, and it grows out easily. Save a dramatic change for later if you still want it.
Postpartum hair loss is usually temporary, so be gentle with yourself
Postpartum hair loss is one of the most common and least talked-about parts of new motherhood. It can feel alarming and go on for months, but for most women it settles on its own within the first year.
A gentle routine will not stop the shedding, but it helps you care for the hair you have: a mild sulphate-free shampoo, conditioner on the lengths, a soothing scalp massage and loose, low-heat styling. Pair this guide with our hair washing guide, natural shampoo guide and hair conditioner guide for the basics. Track changes with monthly photos rather than daily mirror checks.
If shedding continues beyond a year, you notice patches or a widening parting, or you feel very tired or unwell, please see your GP, midwife or pharmacist. They can check for other causes and help you find the right next step.
