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Is hair loss after pregnancy normal?

Yes — postpartum shedding is common and usually temporary. During pregnancy, hormones hold more hairs than usual in the growth phase; a few months after delivery, those extra hairs shed together, which can look alarming in the shower without being dangerous.

Watch the answer28s · Nora, our educator
Transcript

New mothers are often told they're losing their hair. Usually, they're not. During pregnancy, hair stays in its growing phase longer than normal, so less falls out than usual. After the birth, all of that hair cycles out together. It looks alarming because it's synchronized, not because anything is wrong. It's the hair you didn't shed for nine months arriving at once.

Most women see recovery within six to twelve months. Worth a doctor's look sooner: shedding that continues past a year, patchy loss, or thinning concentrated at the part line — those patterns can indicate something beyond the normal postpartum wave.

If you want reassurance rather than worry, a doctor's assessment now — from home, free, with Uberhair — turns the question into an answer, and the clinic can measure again in a few months if there is anything to watch.

The honest next step for most hair questions is a measured look at your own scalp. The Uberhair hair check is free, takes about 3 minutes from your phone, and your photos go to the doctor you choose.

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Uberhair connects you with hair and skin providers and helps you prepare for your visit. It does not provide medical advice — always talk to your provider about your care.