Shedding can peak between four and eight months postpartum...
haircare
If you’ ve recently had a baby and noticed more hair than usual in your brush, on your pillow, or in the shower drain, you’ re not alone. Postpartum hair loss, medically known as telogen effluvium, is a common and completely normal experience for many new mothers. It can feel alarming, especially while navigating the emotional and physical changes of early motherhood, but it’ s a temporary phase, not a permanent loss.
“ Your body has just grown a whole human, and your hair is responding to that massive hormonal shift,” explains Dr Danielle Gounders, director at Skin Recode in Cape Town.
What does postpartum shedding look like?
Every woman’ s experience is different, but common signs include:
• Hair falling in larger clumps when washing or brushing
• More visible scalp, especially around the temples and hairline
• A“ fringe” or baby hairs growing back after a few months
• A ponytail feeling noticeably thinner
Shedding can peak between four and eight months postpartum, just when many new moms are already feeling stretched thin, tired, and self-conscious.
Does breastfeeding affect it?
Hair loss happens whether you breastfeed or not. However, some women who breastfeed report shedding for slightly longer, likely due to extended hormonal changes.
Other factors can worsen or prolong shedding:
• Iron deficiency( common after birth)
• Thyroid imbalances
• Extreme stress or lack of sleep( which can feel unavoidable as a new parent!)
• Nutritional gaps
If shedding becomes severe or persists beyond 12 months, it’ s worth seeking medical advice.
Shedding can peak between four and eight months postpartum...
Why does hair fall out after pregnancy?
During pregnancy, high levels of oestrogen keep hair in its growth stage for longer. Many women notice their hair becomes thicker and fuller, a lovely side effect of those surging hormones.
After birth, however, oestrogen levels rapidly return to normal. This triggers a sudden shift in many hair follicles into the shedding stage all at once. The result? A noticeable amount of hair coming out over a short period, typically around three to six months postpartum.
“ This isn’ t true hair loss,” says Dr Gounder.“ It’ s delayed shedding of hair you would have lost gradually during pregnancy; it’ s just happening all at once now.”
www. babysandbeyond. co. za
71