Hair loss

Postpartum hair loss: When to expect the "hairfall" and why it's normal

If a few months after delivery you start noticing a frightening amount of hair on your comb, pillow, and in the shower, don't panic. This is not baldness, but a temporary and completely normal phenomenon known as postpartum telogen effluvium. It is the result of the hormonal reshaping your body undergoes after pregnancy.

Hair life cycle: Growth phase and resting phase

To understand why this happens, you need to know that the hair on our heads has its own life cycle. Under normal conditions about 90% of hair is in the active growth phase (anagen), and the remaining 10% is in the resting phase (telogen), after which it falls out, making room for new hair. We lose about 100 strands each day.

During pregnancy the high level of estrogen "freezes" hair in the growth phase. Significantly fewer strands enter the resting and shedding phase. That's why your hair becomes so thick and luxurious—you simply lose far less than usual. We wrote earlier about these and other hair changes during pregnancy.

What happens after delivery?

After the baby is born, estrogen levels drop sharply. All the hair that was "held back" in the growth phase synchronously and massively shifts into the shedding phase. About 3-4 months after delivery (the length of the telogen phase) intensive shedding begins. You lose not only the "normal" 100 strands per day, but also all the hair that would have fallen out during the previous 9 months.

Although this may look dramatic, the process is temporary. It usually peaks at 4-5 months postpartum and completely stops by the child's first birthday. To support hair health, it is important to ensure adequate nutrition, rich in protein, iron, and vitamins.