Physical Recovery

Postpartum Hair Loss: Why Hair Falls After Delivery and When It Stops

By Rahul Singh Negi · Founder, MatraBloom · Published September 17, 2026 · Updated September 17, 2026 · 7 min read · Profile

This article is for general education and does not replace professional medical advice. Guidance aligns with ACOG, CDC, NHS, and WHO resources. Read our Medical Disclaimer and Editorial Policy.

Quick answer

Postpartum hair loss is heavy shedding caused by falling estrogen after birth. It usually starts two to three months after delivery, peaks around four months, and most women's hair is back to normal fullness by the baby's first birthday. It is temporary and cannot be prevented. Shedding that lasts longer or leaves bald patches should be checked, because thyroid problems and low iron also cause hair loss.

Handfuls of hair in the shower a few months after birth are frightening, and usually temporary. What causes postpartum hair loss, how long it lasts, what actually helps, and the signs that point to something else.

This article is general information drawn from the sources linked at the end. It is not a diagnosis. If you are worried about your hair or how you feel, talk to your doctor, midwife or health visitor.

If your hair started coming out in handfuls a few months after your baby arrived, you are very likely seeing postpartum hair loss, and it is very likely temporary. Cleveland Clinic describes it as “a very common type of hair loss in women,” and the American Academy of Dermatology says most women see their hair return to its normal fullness by their child’s first birthday.

That is the short version. Below is why hair fall after delivery happens, the timeline the sources give, what genuinely helps, and the signs that your shedding may be something other than the normal postpartum kind.

Why does hair fall after delivery?

Every hair on your head goes through a growing phase and a resting phase, after which it falls out. Normally you shed somewhere between 50 and 100 hairs a day without noticing.

In the last trimester of pregnancy, estrogen levels rise and hold back that normal shedding. After birth, estrogen falls. Cleveland Clinic explains that this “causes a large number of hairs to enter the resting phase,” and after a few months those hairs are shed together. Dermatologists call this telogen effluvium, which simply means excessive hair shedding.

So the hair you are losing is not being destroyed. Much of it is hair that pregnancy hormones held on to, now leaving at the same time.

What does postpartum hair loss look like?

Cleveland Clinic describes seeing more loose hair than usual on your brush, pillow or shower floor, and more loose hair stuck to your clothing. With this type of shedding it says you may lose more than 100 hairs a day.

When does postpartum hair loss start, peak and stop?

The sources agree on the shape, but not on the exact months, so here is what each says:

  • Start: the American Academy of Dermatology says a new mom can see excessive shedding about two months after giving birth. Cleveland Clinic says it occurs about three months after childbirth.
  • Peak: shedding “usually peaks about four months after giving birth,” according to the AAD.
  • Stop: Cleveland Clinic says the shedding should last less than six months. The AAD says hair tends to regain its normal fullness within six to nine months, and most women are back to normal by the first birthday.
  • Longer outliers: MedlinePlus, from the US National Library of Medicine, gives a wider range, saying hair loss from childbirth “often goes away after 6 months to 2 years.”

In short, a few months of heavy shedding that is clearly easing by the end of the first year fits the usual picture. Shedding that is still going strong past that point is worth getting checked, which is covered below.

Does postpartum hair loss happen to everyone?

It is common but not universal. Cleveland Clinic says “most people notice some hair loss after childbirth,” which also means some people notice little or none. How dramatic it looks varies a lot.

It is also worth knowing that the research here is thinner than the confident online advice suggests. A 2016 review in Skin Appendage Disorders looked at the published studies and found “no well-performed clinical studies” measuring postpartum shedding properly. That does not mean your shedding is imaginary. It means exact figures for how many women get it, and how long it lasts, are not well established.

Can postpartum hair loss be prevented?

Cleveland Clinic is direct about this: “There’s nothing you can do to prevent postpartum hair loss.” Anything sold as a way to stop it before it starts is promising more than the evidence supports.

Does it grow back, and what does regrowth look like?

Yes. Cleveland Clinic says “Hair loss after childbirth is not permanent. New hair will start growing back as soon as the old hair falls out.” It adds that a few people notice their hair is thinner than it was before pregnancy.

Regrowth can show as short hairs around the front of your hairline and at the temples. A 2020 review of telogen effluvium in Cureus describes exactly this: “shorter, re-growing hair in the frontal and bitemporal areas.” Those short hairs are a good sign.

Is postpartum hair loss worse when breastfeeding?

Many people are told breastfeeding causes it or makes it worse, but the evidence does not settle this. The Cleveland Clinic and AAD pages on postpartum hair loss do not name breastfeeding as a cause. One study did find a difference at four months between women who breastfed and women who did not, but the 2016 review noted that “the number of non-lactating women analyzed was only 4,” which is far too few to draw a conclusion. The honest answer is that nobody knows.

What helps postpartum hair loss, and what does not

None of the sources used here offer a way to stop the shedding once it has started. What they suggest is making hair look fuller and avoiding extra breakage while it passes. The AAD and Cleveland Clinic suggest:

  • A volumising shampoo and conditioner. The AAD suggests avoiding heavy conditioning shampoos, which can weigh hair down, and putting conditioner mainly on the ends.
  • Lower heat settings on blow dryers and straighteners.
  • Avoiding tight ponytails and braids that pull on your hair.
  • A shorter haircut, which the AAD says can make hair look fuller.
  • Eating well. Cleveland Clinic advises getting the nutrients hair needs from a healthy diet.

On supplements, hair vitamins and home remedies: none of the sources here show that they stop postpartum shedding. Cleveland Clinic’s advice is to “talk to your provider about vitamins to supplement your diet.” Another reason to ask: a blood test may find a specific deficiency, such as low iron, that needs proper treatment rather than a general hair product.

When hair loss is not the normal postpartum kind

A 2024 study of 200 women with postpartum hair loss in The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology found that most also had another hair loss condition, such as female pattern hair loss or traction from tight hairstyles, alongside the postpartum shedding. The authors concluded that postpartum shedding “may be associated with other hair loss disorders.” Two other causes are especially worth knowing after a birth.

Postpartum thyroiditis

Postpartum thyroiditis is inflammation of the thyroid in the first year after pregnancy. Cleveland Clinic estimates it affects 5% to 10% of women. It can have an overactive phase, usually one to six months after pregnancy, with symptoms including anxiety, hair loss, unexplained weight loss, a rapid heart rate and feeling too hot. An underactive phase, usually four to eight months after pregnancy, can bring fatigue, weight gain, depression, dry skin, constipation, muscle pain, low breast milk supply and feeling cold. Because these overlap with ordinary new-parent exhaustion, they are easy to miss. Cleveland Clinic’s advice: “Don’t assume you have to power through symptoms that aren’t improving.”

Iron deficiency anaemia

The NHS says “heavy periods and pregnancy are very common causes of iron deficiency anaemia,” and lists hair loss among its less common symptoms, alongside tiredness, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, pale skin and headaches. It is confirmed with a blood test, and the NHS recommends iron tablets if the test shows it, so see a doctor rather than guessing.

When to call your midwife or doctor

See your doctor if you are worried about your hair at any point. The sources specifically name these situations:

  • Shedding that continues for more than six months (Cleveland Clinic), or hair that has not regained its normal fullness after a year (AAD).
  • Bald patches, or bald spots in your eyebrows, or eyelashes falling out (MedlinePlus lists these under alopecia areata, a different condition).
  • Hair loss in an unusual pattern, or losing hair rapidly.
  • Pain or itching with the hair loss, or scalp skin that is red, scaly or looks infected.
  • Hair loss with weight gain, muscle weakness, feeling cold or fatigue, or with anxiety, weight loss, a racing heart or feeling too hot, which can point to a thyroid problem.
  • Hair loss with tiredness, breathlessness, palpitations or pale skin, which can point to anaemia.
  • Acne, new facial hair or irregular periods alongside the hair loss.

None of the sources used here give a different timeline for postpartum hair loss after a C-section delivery than after a normal delivery.

Keeping track of the bigger picture

Hair fall on its own is usually just a phase. What makes it worth mentioning to a doctor is when it comes with other changes that are not easing, like exhaustion, low mood or feeling hot or cold. MatraBloom’s daily check-in and week-by-week recovery timeline can help you notice those patterns and describe them clearly at an appointment. It cannot tell you why your hair is falling out; your doctor can.

See what is typical in each week of postpartum recovery

Sources

The information in this article is for general education only and does not replace professional medical advice. Read our Medical Disclaimer.

Frequently asked questions

Is hair fall after delivery normal?

Yes, it is common. Cleveland Clinic calls it a very common type of hair loss in women and says most people notice some hair loss after childbirth. It is temporary shedding rather than permanent hair loss, though shedding that goes on for a long time or comes in patches should be checked.

When does postpartum hair loss start and when does it stop?

The American Academy of Dermatology says shedding can start about two months after birth and usually peaks about four months after. Cleveland Clinic puts the start at around three months and says the shedding should last less than six months. Most women's hair is back to its normal fullness by their child's first birthday.

Is postpartum hair loss permanent?

No. Cleveland Clinic states that hair loss after childbirth is not permanent and that new hair starts growing back as soon as the old hair falls out. It also notes that a few people find their hair is a little thinner than it was before pregnancy.

Can postpartum hair loss be prevented?

According to Cleveland Clinic, there is nothing you can do to prevent it. What you can do is make the shedding less noticeable while it passes, with volumising products, gentle handling, lower heat and looser hairstyles.

Is postpartum hair loss worse when breastfeeding?

The evidence is too weak to say. One study found a difference between women who breastfed and women who did not at four months, but a 2016 review pointed out that only four non-breastfeeding women were included. None of the major health organisation pages used here say breastfeeding causes it.

Will postpartum hair loss make me bald?

Telogen effluvium, the type of shedding that follows birth, usually won't affect your hairline or cause total baldness, according to Cleveland Clinic. Bald patches, or bald spots in your eyebrows, are not the usual pattern and are a reason to see a doctor.

Do vitamins or special shampoos stop postpartum hair loss?

None of the sources used here say a shampoo stops the shedding; the AAD suggests volumising products to help hair look fuller. For vitamins, Cleveland Clinic advises eating for the nutrients hair needs and talking to your provider about supplements. If a blood test shows a deficiency such as low iron, your doctor will advise on treatment.

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