Postpartum Hair Loss: Why It Happens and When to Seek Advice

My experience of hair loss after pregnancy

Hair loss after pregnancy is one of those experiences that catches many new mothers off guard, and yet it is rarely talked about openly. Here, writer and new mother Grace Ackroyd shares her own experience of postpartum hair shedding, and what she discovered when she spoke with Consultant Dermatologist Dr Nicola Clayton, about why it happens, what helps, and when to seek expert advice.

When women talk about how their hair during pregnancy is the best it's ever been, I can relate. In the lead up to having my son last year, I remember looking in the mirror and being so impressed with my thick, bouncy, shiny hair.

But what followed in the few months after that wasn't something I'll file under 'best bits of having a new baby'. Along with the sleepless nights, I started noticing a lot of hair in my brush. Even more alarmingly, after I'd washed my hair in the shower, I'd notice a clump of it in the plughole.

I spoke with other new mums about my hair shedding and realised many were experiencing the same thing. And sooner or later, my hair stopped falling out so much, and baby hairs started appearing. Worry over.

However, I was still curious and wanted to find out more about why many new mothers experience hair loss after pregnancy. I also wanted to know whether anything could help to prevent hair shedding, to find out about certain signs that could indicate a health issue, and when to seek expert help.

I spoke with Dr Nicola Clayton, Consultant Dermatologist at The Medical Chambers Kensington. Nicola is an expert in hair loss, and she answered all of my questions, including why postpartum hair shedding (telogen effluvium) is common, and how it's got a lot to do with hormones.

What causes postpartum hair loss, and what should you expect?

Here are eight facts about post-partum hair loss that I learned from Nicola:

What causes hair loss after having a baby?

Not every woman will experience hair loss after childbirth, but if you do, it's a very natural phenomenon. During pregnancy, your body is flooded with the female hormones oestrogen and progesterone, which prevent your hair from falling out. Your hair goes into a prolonged growth phase, and you might well find it's thicker and glossier.

Hormones, blood loss, and a lack of nutrients can all compound hair loss after pregnancy. Nicola explained to me that during pregnancy, you retain more hair because of the surge in pregnancy hormones. After pregnancy, oestrogen levels fall quite dramatically, causing more hair strands to fall out than usual, especially in comparison to the relatively low hair shedding that women experience during pregnancy. 

Other factors, such as blood loss during delivery, sleep deprivation, and general exhaustion that comes with caring for and feeding a new baby, can take its toll, and compound hair loss.

How long does postpartum hair loss last?

Usually, significant hair shedding will stop within six months of starting. Along with all the other things you might experience after having a baby, including sleep deprivation, a new routine, and breastfeeding, hair shedding can feel quite overwhelming. Although it is usually only temporary, sharing your experience with other mothers who might have experienced something similar can offer some reassurance that this won't last forever.

Nicola told me that hair loss after pregnancy is very common, but can be upsetting. However, it normally adjusts to its pre-pregnancy growth pattern within six months of starting, provided that there aren't any ongoing issues such as iron deficiency. This is reassuring news for anyone worried that the hair shedding will go on forever.

When does hair loss start after having a baby?

Postpartum hair loss usually starts around three months after having a baby. Of course, every woman's experience of hair loss after having a baby will differ. Some women are going to be more sensitive to the change in hormones, in the aftermath of having a baby, or at any point in life where hormones are affected. Even stopping or starting the contraceptive pill can affect hair.

Looking back, I realise that my hair didn't shed immediately after having my son. In fact, I was rather enjoying the thick, shiny hair of pregnancy well into the first few weeks of being the mother of a newborn. It was only when my son was nearly three months old that I noticed more hair than usual in my hairbrush after brushing in the morning. So, why then?

Nicola explained that this was due to the fact that after giving birth, oestrogen dips, and hair enters a resting phase, which means it doesn't start shedding during this period. It's after a few weeks of being in this resting phase that your hair starts to fall out, which is why some women, including myself, don't initially link hair shedding with pregnancy.

 How much hair loss is normal after having a baby?

The amount of hair you shed can look like a lot. When I experienced hair shedding after having my son, seeing the hair in my plughole after a shower made me think there would be none left on my head. But in reality, I hadn't shed as much hair as I imagined; it was just that I was seeing it all at once, in one big clump.

Nicola understands why women experiencing hair shedding that is unusual for them might feel concerned. She explained that during periods of 'normal' hair-shedding (when you are not pregnant, or have not recently had a baby), you might lose from 80-100 hairs per day. During pregnancy, the loss is usually significantly less, because of an altered growth and loss cycle.

After having a baby, however, you can shed considerably more hairs, up to about 200 hairs per day. When you consider that you've gone from losing barely any hair at all, to losing significantly more, this can look, and seem excessive - especially if you have particularly long hair. It's reassuring to know that this is just a phase, and won't go on forever.

 Is there anything I can do to help my hair grow back more quickly?

Taking supplements and eating well can improve the recovery of telogen effluvium. I've been taking a new-mother multivitamin since my son was born. Feeding and looking after a little one meant I often forget to prioritise my own nutritional needs, so I thought a supplement could help to fill any nutritional gaps, although they are definitely not a substitute for a healthy diet.

Nicola agreed that taking a good supplement with vitamin D and iron, alongside eating a varied, healthy diet, can help to support overall wellbeing, as well as hair health, especially if you lost a lot of blood during delivery.

A diet rich in iron and protein is particularly useful here. Protein-rich foods such as meat, fish, beans and eggs, as well as kale and asparagus, are worth prioritising, as the proteins in them are converted into keratin, one of the key building blocks of hair.

If you are worried that you are lacking in certain nutrients, or that areas of your health are being compromised due to vitamin deficiency, it is entirely reasonable to want to check in with your GP, to make sure that your bloods, and your thyroid function, are OK.

A blood test might include checking your iron, ferritin, B12, folate, vitamin D, zinc levels, and thyroid function, and will highlight areas where you might need a supplement, or treatment.

How should I look after my hair while it's shedding?

Keeping your hair routine simple, kind, and gentle is key. After I'd had my baby, I loved giving my scalp a massage with a silicone scalp massager, but I would not like seeing the amount of hair that came out. So, I gave up for a while.

Nicola says that the psychological effect of seeing a significant amount of hair loss can be devastating, and recommends avoiding anything that draws your eye to the amount of hair you are shedding.

She does, however, advise sticking to your preferred hair-care routine, using a shampoo that properly cleanses the scalp and gets rid of dead skin cells, and a conditioner that hydrates the hair. Thankfully, it's not always the most expensive products that offer the best results!

When should I seek help for postpartum hair loss?

Sometimes, prolonged hair loss, six months from when you started to shed your hair, might indicate a health problem. While postpartum hair-shedding is common, if you are noticing excessive or prolonged hair loss, it is worth seeking an expert opinion.

When I spoke with Nicola, she mentioned that in some cases, women who experience postpartum telogen effluvium may not get back to their baseline hair density, irrespective of whether they correct any underlying deficiencies, such as iron. For some, the telogen effluvium can unveil an underlying female pattern hair loss (FPHL).

As such, she advises anyone who is worried about hair loss that does not feel normal for them, and does not follow a 'common' shedding period postpartum, to see a consultant dermatologist with specialist experience in hair loss.