Postpartum Hair Loss — When It Starts, When It Stops, What to Do

To understand postpartum hair loss, you first need to understand what pregnancy does to your hair cycle. Hair normally goes through three phases: anagen (active growth, 2–7 years), catagen (transition, 2–3 weeks), and telogen (resting/shedding, about 3 months). At any given time, roughly 85–90% of your hair is in the growth phase and 10–15% is in the resting/shedding phase. You normally shed 50–100 hairs per day.

During pregnancy, elevated estrogen extends the anagen (growth) phase, meaning far fewer hairs enter the resting and shedding phases. You're shedding less than normal — which is why pregnant hair often feels gloriously thick and full. You're not growing more hair; you're just keeping more of what you have.

After delivery, estrogen levels plummet by 90–95% within 48 hours. This sudden hormonal withdrawal signals all those hairs that were held in the growth phase to simultaneously enter the telogen (resting) phase. After the telogen phase runs its course (about 3 months), those hairs all fall out at once.

This condition is called telogen effluvium — a temporary, diffuse shedding triggered by a major physiological event. You're not losing more hair than normal in the long run; you're losing the hair you would have shed gradually over the previous 9 months, all compressed into a few months.

The timeline of postpartum hair loss follows a predictable pattern, though the exact timing varies from woman to woman.

Months 1–2: Most women don't notice significant shedding yet. The hairs that transitioned out of the growth phase at delivery are still in the telogen (resting) phase, which lasts about 3 months before the hair actually falls out.

Months 2–4: Shedding begins. You start noticing more hair in the shower drain, on your pillow, wrapped around the baby's fingers, and clumped in your brush. This can be startling — you might be shedding 200–300+ hairs per day compared to the normal 50–100.

Months 3–6: Peak shedding. This is when most women feel the most alarmed. The volume of hair coming out can seem excessive, especially around the temples and hairline. Some women notice their hairline receding or thinning patches, particularly along the part line.

Months 6–9: Shedding slows noticeably. You'll start to see new growth — short baby hairs sprouting at your hairline and temples. These wispy regrowth hairs are a reassuring sign that your follicles are healthy and active.

Months 9–12: Full regrowth is underway. By your baby's first birthday, most women have returned to their pre-pregnancy hair density. The texture or wave pattern may temporarily change due to the proportion of new versus established hair.

If you're breastfeeding, the timeline may shift slightly — some women find that significant shedding is delayed until weaning, when another estrogen dip occurs.

Postpartum hair loss affects an estimated 40–50% of women noticeably, though hormonal hair cycle changes occur in virtually all postpartum women to some degree. The amount of shedding correlates roughly with how much extra hair you retained during pregnancy.

Normal postpartum shedding can look alarming: clumps of hair in the shower, handfuls coming out when you brush, hair covering your clothes and the baby. You might shed 200–300 or more hairs per day during peak shedding, compared to the normal 50–100. While this feels like an emergency, remember — this is the accumulated hair from 9 months that would have shed gradually.

The shedding is diffuse, meaning it's spread across your entire scalp rather than concentrated in one area. You might notice the most visible thinning at the temples, along the hairline, and at the part line — simply because these areas are most visible and hair density changes are most apparent there.

What distinguishes normal postpartum hair loss from a problem is the pattern: diffuse thinning (not patches), onset 2–4 months postpartum, gradual improvement after 6 months, and visible regrowth by 9–12 months. If you're seeing distinct bald patches, if your scalp is red or itchy, or if hair loss persists without any regrowth beyond 12 months, that may indicate a different condition — alopecia areata, iron deficiency, or thyroid dysfunction — and warrants medical evaluation.

Breastfeeding has a complex relationship with postpartum hair loss, and you'll find conflicting information about it. Here's what the evidence actually shows.

Breastfeeding maintains somewhat higher levels of prolactin and modestly suppresses the resumption of full estrogen cycling. Some women find that breastfeeding delays the onset or peak of postpartum shedding — the hair loss doesn't hit as hard while they're exclusively nursing, but increases when they start weaning or significantly reducing feeds.

Other women experience shedding on the typical timeline regardless of breastfeeding status. The hormonal drop after delivery is so dramatic that breastfeeding-related hormonal differences may not be enough to significantly alter the hair loss trajectory for everyone.

What is clear is that weaning can trigger a secondary wave of shedding. Weaning reduces prolactin and causes another hormonal adjustment, which can push additional hairs into the telogen phase. If you wean gradually rather than abruptly, the hormonal transition is smoother and hair loss may be less noticeable.

Importantly, breastfeeding itself does not cause hair loss. Some women worry that nursing is "depleting" their body and causing their hair to fall out. The shedding is driven by the postpartum estrogen crash, not by breastfeeding draining nutrients. That said, breastfeeding does increase your caloric and nutritional needs — if you're not eating enough or are deficient in iron, zinc, or protein, that can independently contribute to hair thinning and should be addressed.

While you can't prevent postpartum telogen effluvium — it's a normal hormonal process — you can support your body's ability to regrow hair efficiently and minimize the visual impact.

Nutrition is foundational. Continue taking your prenatal vitamin — it provides iron, zinc, biotin, and folate, all of which support hair growth. Prioritize protein intake (hair is made of keratin, a protein): aim for at least 65–75 grams per day, more if breastfeeding. Ensure adequate iron levels — iron deficiency is common postpartum, especially after significant blood loss during delivery, and it independently causes hair thinning. Ask your provider to check your ferritin level if shedding seems excessive.

Be gentle with your hair during peak shedding. Use a wide-tooth comb instead of a brush, avoid tight hairstyles that put tension on fragile hairs (ponytails, braids, buns), minimize heat styling, and skip chemical treatments (color, perms) until shedding subsides. A volumizing shampoo and lightweight conditioner (applied to ends only) can help hair look fuller.

Some women find that a shorter haircut during the shedding phase makes the thinning less noticeable and the regrowth phase less awkward. This is a personal choice — there's no medical reason to cut your hair.

Biotin supplements (2,500–5,000 mcg daily) are widely recommended for hair support. While evidence for biotin's effectiveness in non-deficient individuals is limited, it's generally safe and many women report subjective improvement. Collagen peptides are another popular supplement with emerging but not conclusive evidence.

Above all: be patient with yourself. The regrowth will come. This is temporary.

Yes — and this is an important distinction because postpartum thyroid dysfunction is common, affects 5–10% of women, and presents with symptoms that overlap significantly with both normal postpartum recovery and postpartum depression.

Postpartum thyroiditis typically occurs in two phases. The first phase (1–4 months postpartum) is hyperthyroid — your thyroid releases excess stored hormone, causing anxiety, rapid heart rate, weight loss, and hair thinning. The second phase (4–8 months postpartum) is hypothyroid — your depleted thyroid underperforms, causing fatigue, weight gain, depression, dry skin, and hair loss.

The hair loss pattern in thyroid dysfunction can look similar to normal postpartum telogen effluvium, which is why it's often missed. However, there are clues: if your hair loss started very early (before the typical 2–4 month window), if it's accompanied by other symptoms like extreme fatigue, unexplained weight changes, feeling unusually cold, or constipation, or if shedding isn't improving by 9–12 months — request a thyroid panel.

A complete thyroid panel should include TSH, free T4, free T3, and thyroid antibodies (TPO). Women with positive thyroid antibodies are at higher risk for postpartum thyroiditis and may need monitoring even if initial levels are normal.

Most cases of postpartum thyroiditis resolve spontaneously within 12–18 months, but about 20–30% of women develop permanent hypothyroidism requiring ongoing treatment. Early detection leads to better outcomes — both for hair regrowth and overall well-being.