Post-Pregnancy Hair Loss
Why you might lose your hair after having a baby
Typically, a hair follicle will produce new hair for three to four months, then rest for three to four months. During this “rest mode,” old hair falls out to make room for new growth. On average, five to 10 percent of our hair follicles rest at any given time–that’s why we always lose a few hairs when we shower, comb or brush.
During pregnancy, hormonal changes drastically reduce the hair follicle rest periods–there’s a reason everyone tells you how great your hair looks when you’re pregnant.
“Once estrogen is reduced after giving birth, the hair follicle rest mode kicks into overdrive,” says Dr. Michael Reed, a Manhattan-based dermatologist. For some women, this means a return to having a normal five- to 10-percent of their hair in rest mode, even though it might seem as though you’re losing more hair because you had such lush locks during pregnancy.
However, some women can have up to 30 percent of their hair follicles turn to rest mode at one time, which translates to sudden and dramatic hair loss.
