Postpartum hair loss is often dismissed as “normal,” but what if there’s more to the story? For decades, women have been told that shedding hair after pregnancy is just a side effect of rapidly shifting hormone levels. However, emerging research points to the possibility of an additional pathophysiology involving stress-induced follicular aging and cellular senescence.
Pathophysiology of Postpartum Hair Loss
Postpartum hair loss, often referred to as postpartum telogen effluvium (PPTE), is a prevalent but temporary form of hair loss that affects approximately one-third to one-half of postpartum women. This condition typically emerges between two to four months after childbirth, presenting as a diffuse rapid shedding of hair that can be distressing for new mothers.[1]
The prevailing medical explanation is that since estrogen keeps more follicles in the growth (anagen) phase during pregnancy, a large portion of follicles get pushed into the shedding (telogen) phase after pregnancy. In most cases, hair growth normalizes within six months to one year.[3]
PPTE quite closely resembles other forms of telogen effluvium triggered by major stressors like illness, surgery, or sudden weight loss, which also manifests as rapid diffuse shedding 2–4 months after the event. The resemblance indicates that postpartum hair loss could be linked to the body’s stress response to a sudden fluctuation in hormones and the physical stress of childbirth and pregnancy. When added stressors like sleepless nights, potential nutrient deficiencies, and the general stress of motherhood are factored in, hair loss can continue longer than six months into what is known as chronic telogen effluvium. Additionally, some women notice that hair density does not return to its pre-pregnancy fullness, suggesting additional causes for hair loss besides hormonal rebalancing.
Postpartum Hair Loss and Hair Follicle Cellular Senescence
While changes in hormones and postpartum stress explain one side of the story, emerging evidence suggests that much more is happening at the cellular level within hair follicles. While further research is needed, cellular senescence is thought to play a significant role in stress-related hair loss. [5,6]
For example, CRH, a stress-regulating hormone, has been shown to drive senescence in hair follicle cells by prematurely shifting them out of the anagen (growth) phase. During pregnancy, CRH levels rise dramatically— reaching concentrations 1,000 to 10,000 times higher than in non-pregnant individuals—and are believed to contribute to the initiation of labor. [7,8]
Moreover, pregnancy has been linked to a temporary acceleration of biological aging. Epigenetic studies indicate maternal biological age increases during pregnancy and partially reverses postpartum. This suggests that aging pathways, including senescence, may be particularly active during pregnancy. Interestingly, women with preeclampsia, a condition that poses many serious health complications during and after pregnancy, display higher levels of systemic senescence. [10,11]
Given that cellular senescence has been implicated in hair thinning and follicular dysfunction, it is plausible that pregnancy-associated senescence and CRH-induced follicle senescence may contribute to postpartum hair loss. [12,13,14]
Mitigating Postpartum Hair Loss With OS-01 HAIR: A New Drug-Free Approach to Targeting Cellular Stress
By the time postpartum hair loss begins, your hair follicles are already under stress. But what if you could combat stress-related hair loss before the shedding starts?
Introducing OS-01 HAIR, the first scalp serum powered by OS-01, proven to target cellular senescence, a key contributor to hair loss and thinning.[5,12,15,16]
When tested in the lab, OS-01 HAIR was able to lower levels of CRH-induced senescence showing promise for treating CRH and senescence-associated hair loss.
Shown in lab studies on ORSCs (hair follicle cells) by measuring the change in senescence via senescence associated-beta galactosidase staining. Cells were treated with corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) alone or in combination with OS-01 HAIR. After 72 hours, cells treated with OS-01 HAIR + CRH showed significantly lower senescence levels compared to those treated with CRH alone.
Though OS-01 HAIR hasn’t been tested for postpartum hair loss specifically, we believe that minimizing the cellular stress response with OS-01 HAIR ahead of such stressful events as pregnancy, childbirth, and early motherhood may allow women to get ahead of postpartum hair loss. When paired with proper nutrition and lifestyle habits, OS-01 HAIR offers a science-backed solution to keep their hair stronger, healthier, and more resilient through every stage of life.
Is OS-01 HAIR Safe for Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women?
Unlike minoxidil, finasteride, and other DHT blockers—which are not recommended during pregnancy and breastfeeding[17,18]—OS-01 HAIR is a drug-free, non-toxic alternative for scalp and hair health.[19] As with all OneSkin products, OS-01 HAIR was designed to be gentle on the scalp and safe for sensitive skin. Its tested ingredients are safe for topical application, and it's free of known endocrine disruptors such as sulfates, parabens, and phthalates.
While OS-01 HAIR should be safe to use while pregnant or breastfeeding, we always suggest reviewing the ingredient lists with your doctor.
What about the OS-01 peptide?
OS-01 HAIR’s ingredient list is non-toxic and safe for topical application. But what about the OS-01 peptide, which is proprietary to OneSkin?
While we have not conducted a clinical study on pregnant and breastfeeding women, our extensive testing and wide customer base support the idea that topical application of the OS-01 peptide is safe for most people across age groups and life stages.
You can read more about the safety studies on the OS-01 peptide here.
Key Takeaways:
- Many new mothers experience postpartum hair loss, but its causes go beyond just shifting hormones. Emerging research suggests stress-related follicular aging may also play a role.
- During pregnancy, estrogen keeps more hair follicles in the growth phase, but after childbirth, the sudden drop in estrogen can push them into the shedding phase.
- When coupled with postpartum stressors like exhaustion and nutrient loss, hair shedding can persist longer, evolving into chronic telogen effluvium.
- New research suggests that stress-related cellular senescence in hair follicles may accelerate postpartum hair loss, making recovery slower for some women.
- Unlike minoxidil and DHT blockers, OS-01 HAIR is designed to minimize cellular senescence while being safe for pregnant and breastfeeding women.
References
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23974577/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4908443/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5676194/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430848/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11068553/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7310274/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23385670/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24248185/
- https://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/abstract/S1550-4131(24)00079-2
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352396421003297
- https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.123.22250
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0923181117300269
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1534580720302318
- https://karger.com/drm/article/239/4/533/836627/Cellular-Senescence-Ageing-and-Androgenetic
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378512214003259
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5556182/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK582707/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10405544/
- Based on data from clinical studies and/or lab studies conducted on human skin samples, 3D skin models, and skin cells in the OneSkin lab. Explore more at oneskin.co/claims
