Postpartum Hair Loss: Why It Happens, When It Stops, And What Helps
Last reviewed on 28 July 2026. We review our treatment guides every six months to keep them accurate.
Key points
Postpartum hair loss is normal, extremely common and temporary. It is not a sign you are going bald, and for almost everyone the hair grows back.
Its medical name is postpartum telogen effluvium. It is caused by the drop in pregnancy hormones after birth, which lets a large number of hairs that were held in the growth phase shed at once.
It typically starts around two to four months after giving birth, and is often most noticeable along the hairline at the front, according to the UK pregnancy charity Tommy's.
It is temporary. Tommy's notes the shedding rarely continues beyond about 15 months, and hair usually returns to its normal fullness somewhere between six and twelve months.
No treatment is needed and, as the British Association of Dermatologists states, medication does not speed up regrowth. Shampoos marketed for it are not backed by good evidence.
See your GP if the hair comes out in clumps, you develop bald patches, or the shedding has not settled by around a year, since occasionally it can unmask another cause such as female pattern hair loss, low iron or a thyroid problem.
If you are a few months past giving birth and suddenly finding hair on your pillow, in the shower drain and wrapped around your hairbrush, it can be genuinely alarming, particularly on top of the exhaustion of a newborn. The reassuring truth is that this is one of the most common and most predictable things a body does after pregnancy, and it almost always fixes itself.
This guide explains why postpartum hair loss happens, when to expect it and when it will stop, what does and does not help, and the small number of situations where it is worth seeing a doctor. It is general information and not a substitute for advice from your GP, midwife or health visitor.
What is postpartum hair loss?
Postpartum hair loss is a temporary increase in shedding that happens in the months after giving birth. Its medical name is postpartum telogen effluvium, and it is a specific, self-correcting version of telogen effluvium, the general term for shedding when more hairs than usual enter the resting phase of the hair cycle at the same time.
It is worth being clear about what it is not. It is not female pattern baldness, it is not caused by anything you have done wrong, and it is not permanent. The British Association of Dermatologists lists childbirth as one of the most common triggers of telogen effluvium, alongside things like illness, surgery and significant stress, all of which jolt the hair cycle in the same way.
The hair loss is diffuse, meaning a general thinning and loss of volume all over rather than distinct bald patches. Many people describe their ponytail feeling thinner, or notice fine regrowth at the hairline later on as the cycle recovers.
Why does hair fall out after having a baby?
The short answer is hormones, and specifically the fall in oestrogen after birth. Understanding it helps explain why it feels so dramatic.
Normally each hair follicle runs on its own independent cycle, so at any moment only a small proportion of your hair, around 15 per cent, is in the resting and shedding phase, and most people lose somewhere between 30 and 150 hairs a day without noticing, as the British Association of Dermatologists describes.
During pregnancy, high levels of oestrogen keep more hairs than usual in the active growing phase and hold off the normal shedding. This is why many people find their hair looks unusually thick and full during pregnancy. As Tommy's puts it, because of the change in hormones "you probably shed a lot less hair during your pregnancy" and it "appeared thicker or fuller".
After the birth, oestrogen levels fall steeply, and all of those hairs that were kept growing shift into the resting phase together. A couple of months later they shed as a group, which is why the loss seems sudden and heavy rather than spread out. It is not that you are losing more hair than a body should over time; it is that a year's worth of postponed shedding arrives at once.
According to Tommy's, this usually happens around two to four months after childbirth, and tends to be most noticeable along the hairline at the top of the forehead.
Does breastfeeding cause postpartum hair loss?
No. This is a common worry, and the timing can make it seem connected, but the shedding is driven by the hormonal shift that follows birth itself, and it happens whether you breastfeed, formula feed or combine the two. Stopping breastfeeding does not cause it and continuing does not prolong it. If you are choosing how to feed your baby, hair loss is not a reason to decide either way.
How long does postpartum hair loss last?
It is temporary, and there is a fairly predictable arc to it, though the exact timing varies from person to person.
The shedding phase of the hair cycle lasts around three to six months, as the British Association of Dermatologists describes, so the heavy shedding is not permanent, it is time-limited. After it settles, the follicles return to normal growth, and it then takes further months for the new hairs to grow out to their previous length and for the overall thickness to recover.
In practical terms, most people find the shedding starts around two to four months after birth, is at its most noticeable for a couple of months, and has settled with the hair returning to its normal fullness somewhere between six and twelve months, often around the baby's first birthday. Tommy's notes that postpartum hair loss rarely continues beyond about 15 months.
One quirk many people notice during recovery is a fringe of short, fine, upright new hairs along the hairline. That is not a new problem; it is the visible evidence of regrowth, the follicles switching back on.
Does postpartum hair loss grow back?
For the great majority of people, yes, fully. Postpartum telogen effluvium does not destroy hair follicles, so the hair that shed is replaced. The British Association of Dermatologists states that telogen effluvium "usually gets completely better without any treatment".
There is one honest nuance worth knowing rather than worrying about. In some people, the stress of the shedding can bring forward, or make newly visible, an underlying tendency to female pattern hair loss that would have emerged eventually anyway. The British Association of Dermatologists notes that telogen effluvium "can lead to an early diagnosis" of pattern hair loss. This is not the shedding causing baldness; it is the shedding revealing a separate, pre-existing pattern. If your hair does not recover its fullness after a year, or you notice persistent thinning specifically at the parting or crown rather than an even recovery, that is worth discussing with a doctor, and our guide on hormonal hair loss in women may help.
What can you do about postpartum hair loss?
Mostly, and reassuringly, nothing needs to be done. Because it corrects itself, the sensible approach is to be gentle with your hair and patient with the timeline. The British Association of Dermatologists is clear that no treatment is required and that taking medication does not speed up regrowth.
A few things are genuinely worth doing:
Treat your hair kindly while it recovers: avoid harsh brushing, limit heat styling and tight styles, and go easy on bleaching and chemical treatments, all of which the British Association of Dermatologists suggests for shedding hair.
Eat well. A balanced diet with enough iron and protein supports healthy hair, and this matters more than usual after pregnancy, when iron stores are often low.
Ask about your iron levels. Low iron is common after birth and is a separate, treatable cause of shedding; our guide on iron deficiency and hair loss explains the link, and a GP can check with a simple blood test.
Be sceptical of products promising to fix it. As Tommy's notes, many shampoos are marketed for postpartum hair loss but "there is not enough evidence to prove that they work".
A word on hair-loss medicines: some, including minoxidil, are generally not recommended while breastfeeding, so do not start any treatment without checking with a pharmacist or GP first. For postpartum shedding they are not needed anyway, since the hair recovers on its own.
If the thinning is making you self-conscious in the meantime, volumising shampoos and cosmetic hair fibres can disguise it while it grows back, and a flattering cut can make thinner hair look fuller.
When should you see a doctor?
Postpartum hair loss is normal, but a few situations are worth getting checked, because other, treatable causes of hair loss can appear around the same time. See your GP, midwife or health visitor if:
your hair is coming out in clumps, or you develop distinct bald patches rather than an even thinning, which Tommy's advises having assessed;
the shedding has not settled by around a year after birth, or your hair has not recovered its fullness;
you also feel very tired, low, or notice other symptoms, since an underactive or overactive thyroid can develop after birth and cause hair loss, as can iron-deficiency anaemia. Our guides on thyroid-related hair loss and iron deficiency cover these.
A doctor can usually diagnose the cause from your history and a look at your scalp, and may do a blood test to check for thyroid problems or low iron. The NHS has general guidance on hair loss and when to seek help, and Alopecia UK is a charity offering information and support for all types of hair loss.
Where does this leave you?
Postpartum hair loss is one of the more unsettling parts of the after-birth period precisely because it is so visible, but it is also one of the most reliably temporary. It is your hair cycle catching up after pregnancy, not a treatment you have missed or a sign of anything wrong, and the strong likelihood is that within a year of giving birth it will have sorted itself out. The main job is to be reassured, be gentle with your hair, and get the small number of red-flag situations checked.
Frequently asked questions
When does postpartum hair loss start and stop?
It usually starts around two to four months after giving birth, according to Tommy's, is most noticeable for a couple of months, and settles with the hair returning to its normal fullness somewhere between six and twelve months, often by the baby's first birthday. Tommy's notes it rarely continues beyond about 15 months.
Is postpartum hair loss permanent?
No. It is a temporary shedding, and the follicles are not damaged, so the hair grows back. The British Association of Dermatologists states that telogen effluvium usually gets completely better without any treatment. If your hair has not recovered by about a year, it is worth seeing a doctor, as another cause may be involved.
Does breastfeeding make hair loss worse?
No. Postpartum hair loss is caused by the hormonal changes after birth, not by breastfeeding, and it happens whether you breastfeed, formula feed or do both. Stopping or continuing breastfeeding does not change it.
What helps postpartum hair loss grow back faster?
Nothing reliably speeds it up, and the British Association of Dermatologists says medication does not hasten regrowth. The useful things are to be gentle with your hair, eat a balanced diet with enough iron and protein, and have your iron checked if you are tired or the shedding is heavy. Shampoos marketed for it are not supported by good evidence.
Could my postpartum hair loss be something else?
Usually it is straightforward postpartum shedding, but two other causes are common after birth and worth ruling out if the timing or pattern is unusual: iron-deficiency anaemia, and a thyroid problem, since the thyroid can become over- or underactive in the months after childbirth. Bald patches rather than diffuse thinning can indicate a different condition, alopecia areata. A GP can check with a history and a blood test.
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