Postpartum hair loss is a thinning of the hair that can happen after giving birth. There are a lot of hormonal fluctuations during pregnancy and after childbirth; these changes can affect the hair follicles, leading to hair loss. Typically, increased hair shedding will start around three months after childbirth and can last for several months before returning to normal.
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Is Postpartum Hair Loss Normal?
Postpartum hair loss is a normal and expected phase after pregnancy. As the body returns to pre-pregnancy hormone levels, the growth cycle of your hair can be affected, resulting in a few months of increased hair loss.
If your postpartum hair loss lasts for more than six months, it could be a sign of an underlying medical condition, such as thyroid problems or iron deficiency. For this reason, it is a good idea to speak to your doctor, who can explore your symptoms and order some simple blood tests if there are any concerns.
What is the Cause of Postpartum Hair Loss?
The exact process behind postpartum hair loss is not completely understood; however, it is thought to be caused by changes in various hormones including oestrogen and progesterone (the female sex hormones) after pregnancy. These hormones can have an effect on the hair growth cycle.
The normal hair growth cycle has four main phases:
- Anagen – this is the growth phase of the hair follicle. Follicles in this stage produce hair growth at approximately an inch per month. This phase is the longest, lasting around three to five years.
- Catagen – catagen is a transitional phase between the growth phase and resting phase (telogen). In this phase, the hair stops growing and loses its blood supply. This is the shortest phase, lasting around 10 days.
- Telogen – this is the resting phase. During telogen, the hair is no longer growing, but it is still embedded in the scalp. Around 10% of your hair follicles are in this stage at any given time. Telogen lasts for approximately three months.
- Exogen – exogen is the final phase in which the follicle releases the hair and it is shed from the scalp.
These four stages are a normal part of hair growth and different hair follicles will be in different phases at the same time. During pregnancy, various hormonal changes disrupt the normal hair growth cycle. This leads to a greater number of hairs remaining in the anagen (growth) phase.
After pregnancy, as the hormone levels settle back to normal, there is nothing to keep these hairs in their anagen phase, so a greater number of follicles will enter the catagen and telogen phases at the same time. Given that the telogen phase lasts approximately three months, it is at this time that the follicles will start to transition into the exogen phase causing hair loss. It is the synchronisation of hair follicles during pregnancy that leads to the simultaneous loss of hair postpartum.
Over time, as hormone levels settle, your hair follicles will start to settle back into their normal cycle, leading to regrowth and a return to your normal head of hair.
Can Postpartum Hair Loss be Permanent?
Postpartum hair loss is a temporary condition that can last a few months after pregnancy. Typically, postpartum hair loss starts three months after childbirth and lasts for around six months, but in some cases it may take longer to resolve.
If your hair loss has been going on for more than six months, it is a good idea to speak to your doctor for further advice. It may be the case that your hair follicles are simply taking longer to return to their normal growth cycle, but it could be a sign of an underlying health condition.
Many women experience iron deficiency during and after pregnancy. This occurs because your body uses up its iron stores to make more new blood cells for you and your baby. Low iron can affect your body’s ability to carry oxygenated blood to your hair follicles. When hair follicles do not have a good blood supply, this can disrupt the hair cycle and lead to hair loss. Iron deficiency is usually treated by a course of iron supplements, but in severe cases an infusion of iron into your veins or even a blood transfusion may be recommended.
The thyroid can also be affected by pregnancy and may become overactive or underactive. Both of these states can lead to increased hair loss by interfering with the hair growth cycle or damaging hair follicles directly. Thyroid disorders are typically treated by medications to adjust the levels of thyroid hormones in your body.
What Can You Do About Postpartum Hair Loss?
Postpartum hair loss is a normal and predictable occurrence after childbirth. It is not something that you can prevent, but there are various things you can do to minimise its impact.
Certain hairstyles can make hair loss more obvious than others. You could speak to a hairdresser about different cuts or styling products that might make your hair look thicker and draw attention away from any hair loss you’ve experienced. While volumizing shampoos may not prevent postpartum hair loss, they can help to “fill” the gaps in your scalp, especially if you choose the right hairstyle.
Hair loss shampoos such as Regaine contain minoxidil, which can help increase hair growth by improving blood supply to the hair follicle. However, you should speak to a doctor before using these products if you are breastfeeding. Whilst it is not known to be harmful, minoxidil can pass into breast milk, so it is a good idea to explore the risk of this with your doctor before you make a decision.
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Conclusion
Postpartum hair loss is a normal phase after pregnancy and childbirth caused by changing hormone levels in your body. If your hair loss lasts for more than six months, it is recommended that you seek medical advice to rule out any underlying health problems.
If your hair loss is having a negative impact upon you, you may want to speak to your hairdresser about alternative hairstyles, accessories or styling products to reduce the appearance of your hair loss. Some women find minoxidil can be beneficial in helping to restore their hair, but you should be mindful of the risks involved if you are breastfeeding during this time.
