How Long Does Postpartum Hair Loss Last?

How long will postpartum hair loss last?

The birth of a child is one of the most beautiful experiences in all of humanity. Although child birth can be very painful, and I mean very painful, it is a miraculous experience. So when you discover that you’re going to bring a beautiful baby into this world, you would probably never think of experiencing postpartum hair loss. However, women across the world are suffering from this very normal but alarming condition. So I am going to talk about the #1 question that I get from new mothers about their hair: how long does postpartum hair loss last?

But please know that I have given birth to two beautiful children and I experienced postpartum hair loss both times. This is how I felt after looking in the mirror at my postpartum hair loss for the second time:

So, if you feel this way, know that you are not alone. 

Why does postpartum hair loss happen?

It is important for you to understand why your hair sheds after giving birth. To answer the question of when does postpartum hair loss stop, you must first understand the 4 stages of hair growth. To save time, I will briefly explain. The active or growing phase of a strand of hair is called anagen and it determines the length of your hair. After a period of time, the hair follicle enters a transition phase called catagen before entering its resting phase.  After the transition phase the hair goes into telogen, which is the resting phase  of hair growth. Next, after telegen is the exogen  phase, which is when shedding occurs and then the process starts all over again.

Phases of hair growth

Typically, around 85-95% of your hair is in the growth phase at any point in time, but the hormonal changes during pregnancy stimulate an increase in the percentage of hairs in the growth phase. This is why when you’re pregnant your hair appears to be thicker and fuller and you tend to experience less shedding.  However, after giving birth you experience and increase in hormonal changes and more hair follicles than normal enter the resting phase. Since the resting phase is followed by hair shedding and regrowth, new mothers can often experience greater than normal hair loss once the resting phase ends.  This is why post partum hair loss can be such a shock, due to the number of hairs falling out at once.

 

How long does postpartum hair loss last?

If you’re anything like me, you just want to look in the mirror at your hair loss and say:

Most women begin to notice hair loss around three months after birth. The amount of time between childbirth and the start of postpartum shedding corresponds to the length of the resting phase of hair growth, which is usually between 1 to 6 months. This however, typically occurs on an average of  3 months. Your hair loss can appear more severe if your hair grew a lot during your pregnancy or if you have longer hair. However, the good news is that most women will return to their usual hair growth cycle within 6 months, or at the latest, between 6 and 12 months after birth.

What Can I do about postpartum hair loss?

Here are a few tips about managing this difficult process.

  1. You may find that modifying your hair care routine can help stop further hair loss. Try using a product that promotes hair growth and moisturizes your scalp.
  2. Practice more heatless styling methods to avoid further damage that excessive heat can cause. 
  3. Wear tension free hair styles that give your hair line (a common place for excessive postpartum shedding) a break.

If you’re suffering from postpartum hair loss and you are looking for a trusted product that can help you with getting back to full, healthy, and flourishing hair, then try our Voice of Hair PureFix Elixir. The PureFix Hair Elixir is a 6-in-1 hair and scalp treatment that works together to support longer, stronger and moisturized hair. This is what Robyn used, but please know there are no quick fixes. She used the VoiceOfHair PureFix Elixir for over three months. So, the key to using any natural hair care product are patience and consistency!

Key Takeaways

Here are a few key takeaways just in case you’re in a hurry.

  1. The birth of a child is one of the most beautiful experiences in all of humanity.
  2. After child birth women typically experience postpartum hair loss.
  3. To answer the question of how long does postpartum hair loss last, you must first understand the 4 stages of hair growth. 
  4. You may experience hair loss for between 1 to 6 months but things should start to improve after that.
  5. The VoiceOfHair PureFix Elixir is a 6-in-1 hair and scalp treatment for stronger and moisturized hair.
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Brandelyn Green is the Founder of VoiceOfHair, a platform to help women of color find the best hair care products, regimens and hairstyles! Since starting VoiceOfHair in 2014 she has grown the social media platform to over 1MM+ on Instagram and Facebook. As a natural who is also a salon goer, she wanted to create a platform where people could find the best products, hairstylists, advice and trends.
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17 Comments

  • I want to start the use ASAP

  • TT says:

    Thank you for this article. Pphl is not really talked out about by women. I believe it’s a very emotional time women go through after child birth with body changes, emotions, hair, it can be difficult to cope. After having my second child later in life, I too lost my hair and went into a serious depression. 1 year After childbirth I decided to do the big chop and start over. The decision wasn’t easy as I was use to having long hair but now I’m really happy with the outcome Having a healthy head full of hair. Looking at the Bigger picture everything worked out fine. It’s great to support each other during that Blessing and Journey of Childbirth. Losing hair is normal and hair will grow back.

  • Ellisa Hooker says:

    My hair has came out at top of my head how can i this product.

  • Stephanie Brooks says:

    I may have to get another bottle, due to one month didn’t do it for me, not sure if it will due to I have a spot in the top of my head , I think its from medication or stress. But I wanted to try this product.

    • Brandelyn Green says:

      Hi Stephanie, thanks for the feedback. If you’re medications have a side effect that causes hair loss- no product will be able to regrow your hair unless that medication is not being taken (they will work against each other). However, it’s also important to note that our hair grows only about 1/2″ per month so it could be that you just need to continue use. Many customers who use the product and have seen amazing results have been using for at least 45-60 days or longer, because hair growth is a process and it takes time to see the results. Feel free to give us a call, text us or email us if you need more help. We’d be happy to give you more specific advice!

  • Janice Brown says:

    I used it help my hair to grow. Very Shine and beautiful. Love the smell of it. Try to reorder with my discount did not work. Waiting to orders. I am out.?

  • Linda Price says:

    Hi Brandelyn Green. My name is Linda Price I am very happy free gift me I am deaf pls let me know when ok have a nice day

  • Amber L Tucker says:

    I’m out, gave my last to my niece. Would like to order 2 bottles, hoping to get a discount.

  • Eva says:

    What shampoo is best to use to wash hair after using your product

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