Is Postpartum Hair Loss Normal?

Is Postpartum Hair Loss Normal? New moms have a lot to deal with. Adjusting to the new realities, responsibilities, and routines (or lack thereof) of parenthood can be overwhelming, and chronic sleep-deprivation doesn’t help matters. But for many women, the months after giving birth also comes with the unwelcome and unexpected sight of hair loss.

Postpartum hair loss – also called postpartum alopecia – is a common phenomenon. Up to 90 of women experience some degree of hair loss three to five months after giving birth, and a large percentage of new mothers experience excessive shedding, even hair falling out in clumps, during that time. The good news is that this hair loss is almost always temporary and hair growth returns to normal in plenty of time for baby’s first birthday party.

Why Does Postpartum Hair Loss Happen?

Every mom knows the havoc that their hormones wreak on their body during pregnancy. But the months that follow delivery also involve dramatic fluctuations in hormone levels as the body returns to its normal state. This hormonal whiplash takes its toll on hair as well.

Many pregnant women notice that their hair seems thicker and fuller than it did before their pregnancy. That’s because elevated estrogen levels increase the percentage of hairs that are in the growth cycle, while simultaneously freezing hair that is in the resting phase of hair growth. After childbirth, estrogen levels fall dramatically, and all the hair that was growing so beautifully starts to fall out. While we all shed hair regularly, at a rate of around 80 hairs per day, the extent of postpartum shedding can raise that number to closer to 400 hairs a day.

While you may not be able to stop postpartum shedding, changing up your hairstyle and keeping control of your stress levels can help you ride out this temporary condition.  Just as life slowly returns to a new normal as the months go by after having a baby, so too will your hair.

Call the Hair Transplant Institute of Miami Today If You Have Hair Loss Questions

While most postpartum hair loss is temporary, not all hair loss problems are. If you are concerned about or are experiencing hair loss and want to know what you can do about it, please contact the Hair Transplant Institute of Miami. Our world-renowned physicians diagnose and treat hair loss cases through advanced hair restoration surgery techniques and alternative non-invasive treatments.

To receive a personalized evaluation and treatment plan, contact us online or call our office directly at 305-925-0222.