Don’t fret; it’s not permanent. Patience is all you need to restore your lock luster.

No matter how much hair you start with, it still comes as quite a shock when three to four months post-partum, half your mane goes down the drain. It’s the new-mom hair-loss horror, also known as telogen effluvium.

Like many physical changes connected to pregnancy, it’s hormonal, temporary and totally normal.  When you’re expecting, your estrogen levels are through the roof, which causes most of your hair to remain in its “growth” (anagen) phase. This means that the hair you usually lose every day – typically around 100 strands – stays firmly attached to your scalp. Thus, your tresses are at their thickest and glossiest, truly your crowning glory.

Then you have your beautiful baby and your estrogen levels return to normal. All that hair that you didn’t lose during pregnancy goes into the “resting” (telogen) stage – and a few months later falls out by the fistful. For most women, shedding lasts two or three months. But in rare cases, it can go on for a year and result in visible bald spots and receding hairlines. Dramatic hair loss can be incredibly traumatic, especially if you were thin on top to begin with, but don’t despair: Assuming that hormonal changes are the only cause of your hair loss, it will grow back. (If your loss seems excessive and you have symptoms such as extreme fatigue and sensitivity to cold, speak to your doctor about hypothyroidism, which is not uncommon after childbirth. A simple blood test can determine where you are on that front.)

When your hair takes root again, you can count on some awkward stages. If you’re like most women, regrowth begins as wisps around your temples. The wisps thicken into wayward clumps and just when you thought it couldn’t get any goofier, a ring of short, straight and supremely unflattering Julius Caesar bangs sprouts on your forehead. (For the ultimate Caesar shot, check out Katie Holmes’ wedding picture, taken seven months after Suri’s birth. Et tu, Brutus?)

Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do to prevent baby-pattern baldness except continue taking your prenatal vitamins and eat a diet rich in protein.

Once your hair starts growing back, you can camouflage the clumps/Caesar by layering the front of your hair or cutting bangs. Alternatively, try smoothing tufts with hairspray and powerful styling potions or covering them with hair accessories or scarves, which are newly trendy again.

And if all else fails, simply refocus your attention on your glowing mommy complexion and decadent décolletage. Thank your hormones for those, too. - ALEV AKTAR