Postpartum Hair Loss: Why It Happens and How to Help
If your hair is coming out in handfuls a few months after having your baby, please know this first: postpartum hair loss is extremely common, completely normal, and almost always temporary. It is not really "losing" hair, it is shedding the extra hair that pregnancy hormones kept you from shedding, and it settles on its own, usually within a year. There is nothing you did wrong and nothing you strictly need to "fix". Here is what is happening and the gentle care that helps you through it.
Key takeaways
- Postpartum shedding is normal, it is the extra pregnancy hair coming out at once, not true hair loss.
- It usually starts around two to four months after birth and eases by your baby's first birthday.
- You cannot stop it, and you do not need to, but gentle care and good nutrition help.
- If breastfeeding, check with your GP or health visitor before any supplements.
- See a GP if it lasts beyond a year, is patchy, or comes with other symptoms.
Why it happens
During pregnancy, high oestrogen keeps more of your hair locked in its growing phase, which is why hair often feels thick and lush. After birth, those hormone levels fall, and all that retained hair shifts into the shedding phase together, a form of telogen effluvium. So the dramatic shedding is really just your hair cycle catching up. It looks alarming precisely because pregnancy hair was unusually full.
What you might notice
- Lots more hair in the shower, brush and on your pillow.
- Thinning at the temples and hairline especially.
- It peaks and then gradually settles, this is the normal pattern.
Gentle care that helps
1. Eat well, especially while nursing
Your body is busy, so keep meals nourishing: protein, iron, omega-3s, and plenty of fruit and vegetables. Biotin and zinc contribute to the maintenance of normal hair. If you are breastfeeding, ask your GP or health visitor before starting any supplement, and keep taking any recommended postnatal vitamins.
2. Be gentle with fragile hair
Use a wide-tooth comb, a mild sulphate-free shampoo, and go easy on heat. Avoid tight ponytails and buns that pull, traction on already-shedding hair does not help.
3. Style to your advantage
A shorter or layered cut can make hair feel thicker and is easier to manage with a newborn. Volumising products help while density rebuilds.
4. Rest and manage stress where you can
Easier said than done with a baby, but tiredness and stress add to shedding, so accept help and rest when you can.
5. Be patient, and see a GP if needed
This resolves by itself. If shedding is still heavy beyond your baby's first birthday, becomes patchy, or comes with symptoms like fatigue (postnatal thyroid changes and low iron are worth checking), see your GP.
A gentle, sulphate-free daily cleanser with biotin, argan oil and rosemary, kind, supportive cosmetic care for your scalp and hair through the postpartum shed. A supportive routine, not a medical treatment.
View Grow MeWatermans is a UK family business that has sold over 5 million bottles since 2012. The range is vegan and cruelty-free.
Frequently asked questions
When will postpartum hair loss stop?
It usually eases from around six months and settles by your baby's first birthday. Regrowth appears as fine new hairs along the hairline.
Is it permanent?
No. It is temporary for the vast majority of women, your hair returns to its normal cycle. Loss lasting beyond a year is worth a GP check.
Can I do anything to stop it?
You cannot halt the shed itself, it is hormonal, but gentle care, good nutrition and avoiding tight styles support your hair and help it look its best meanwhile.
Is it safe to take hair supplements while breastfeeding?
Check with your GP or health visitor first. Keep taking any recommended postnatal vitamins, but do not add new supplements while nursing without advice.
When should I see a doctor?
If shedding continues past a year, becomes patchy, or comes with tiredness or other symptoms, see your GP, postnatal low iron and thyroid changes are common and treatable.
Postpartum hair loss is a normal, temporary chapter, your hair kept extra strands through pregnancy and is simply catching up. Nourish yourself, handle your hair gently, avoid tight styles, and give it time; the regrowth is already on its way. For more on temporary shedding in general, see our guide to how to stop hair shedding.
