Bald patches after having a baby

Postpartum shedding is normally all over, so spotting a bald patch or a bare hairline is alarming. Often it’s the hairline and temples, which thin first and look worse than the rest of your head. Sometimes it’s something else, and it’s worth knowing early.

Thinning at the temples is normal

Pregnancy hormones keep hairs in the growing phase, so after birth they shed together. The hairline and temples show it first because the hair there is finer. It can look like a receding hairline, with short new hairs growing back along the front, which is a good sign. For most women it settles within a few months to a year. This is the same all-over shedding described in the postpartum hair loss guide.

When a patch isn’t normal shedding

A round or oval patch with a clear edge and smooth skin, often appearing quickly, looks more like alopecia areata. Alopecia areata is an autoimmune condition. Stress and infections are sometimes suggested as triggers, but the link isn’t proven. Other signs it’s something else: a scalp that’s red, sore, scaly or scarred, a patch that keeps growing, loss of eyebrows or eyelashes, or months of tight styles pulling at the hairline.

Check iron and thyroid

Thyroid problems can start after birth and low iron is common. Both can make shedding heavier and recovery slower. Ask your GP for iron and thyroid tests.

When to see a doctor

See your GP if you can see a distinct patch, if it’s painful or scarring, if shedding is still heavy after six months, or if you feel unusually tired or unwell. They can refer you to a dermatologist.

Why tracking matters

It’s hard to tell by eye whether a patch is growing, staying the same or filling in. One photo a month of the same spot, in the same light, shows which. A dated record also shows a doctor how fast it’s changing, which beats “I think it got bigger”.