Hormonal shifts that surge during pregnancy and birth often cause physical changes that can be alarming to women experiencing them for the first time.
A big one is postpartum hair loss. While an increase in hair shedding post-delivery is generally temporary, it can still be disconcerting to see so much hair falling out.
Hairstylist and educator Dana Rollo, the Head of Education for the ACTIIV scalp-first hair wellness line, answers the most common questions asked about postpartum shedding and how to manage it.
Q: Why does postpartum hair loss happen?
Dana Rollo: It is primarily caused by a drop in hormones after pregnancy, specifically estrogen. It’s extremely common, and many women will experience some degree of hair loss after birth. How much hair is lost during this phase can vary widely between individuals.
During pregnancy, estrogen levels are higher, and we lose less hair than usual during that time due to strands being kept in the growing (anagen) phase.
After pregnancy, when estrogen levels drop, the hair growth cycle resets and postpartum shedding begins. While losing up to 100 hairs per day is considered average, postpartum women can lose far more than that.
This hair loss tends to even out with time. If excessive shedding continues beyond several months — or hair is thinning in specific areas and you aren’t seeing any improvement — it may be worth speaking with a general practitioner, trichologist, or dermatologist, to investigate if something else may be occurring such as an underlying condition.
Q: How long will it last?
DR: Postpartum hair loss is temporary.
Like most hair fall, postpartum shedding generally happens about two to four months post-delivery and peaks shortly after, typically around the six- to nine- month mark.
For most women, the normal hair cycle resets within the first year. However, returning to pre-pregnancy thickness and volume can take longer depending on overall nutrition, health, and stress levels.
Q: Are there ways to reduce postpartum hair loss?
DR: It’s most important to take care of your overall wellness. One factor is inadequate sleep — a common issue for postpartum women — as well as inadequate nutrition. Manage your stress levels, gently move your body (like walking or stretching), and take the nutritional supplements your OBGYN recommends.
It’s also important to support the scalp environment and its overall wellness.
Gentle cleansing, avoiding products that cause buildup, and maintaining a balanced scalp can help create the right conditions for healthy hair. At ACTIIV, our Recover Women’s Trio products target scalp health as the foundation for fuller, healthier hair.
Whatever you choose to focus on, consistency matters far more than looking for the next quick fix or trend. Healthy hair growth takes time no matter what. It is a long game.
Q: How to style around hair affected postpartum?
DR: Postpartum hair often regrows in finer at first, with shorter pieces around the hairline, which can be frustrating. I recommend working with the new growth, instead of against it. Bangs are often the first option, then face-framing or soft layers.
Using low-tension styles like blowouts or natural waves and curls, and avoiding slick-backs and tight ponytails, can make regrowth blend more naturally.
Lightweight volumizing products can also help create the appearance of fullness by giving the hair more body, without weighing the hair down.
New growth can be tricky to style, but as it grows longer over time, it becomes easier to manage.