My hair is falling out since I stopped taking birth control pills

[loveisdivine]

So, I stopped taking birth control pills at the end of December. I had to stop taking them because of Occular migraines which put me at a higher risk of stroke. Every since I stopped taking them I've basically started to fall apart. I've gained weight, my cycle was fine for the first 4 months but has since stopped all together and the vey worst of all is my hair si starting to fall out.

I noticed it a couple of months ago really, mostly along the hairline and parting. I can see that my parting is getting wider and lately when brushing or washing I'm loosing handfuls of it.

I'm utterly devastated. I stopped using straightners over a year ago and hoped that by now I would be seeing the benefits. In fairness though, the hair that is there looks realtively healthy (except the ends) but thats no good when it keeps falling out.

I'm getting married in 6 weeks and I'm just so down that my hair isn't going to look beautiful like I wanted it too.

I just don't know what to do. I've had blood tests because of my cycle stopping and they were fine. The doc thinks its just hormonal because I stopped BC, but that was 8 months ago!

[sarahthegemini]

This is probably waaay off but any chance it's stress? Perhaps the weight gain and messed up cycle, not to mention upcoming wedding (congrats btw!) is taking it's toll?

Eta: Sorry I couldn't be more help, I was mainly bumping this thread for you,

[RileyJane]

Look at your iron. Take an everyday supplement like a woman's one a day, I reccomend the GNC's version of it (wayy better) and consult your doctor. It could be a deficiency of some sort that can easily be fixed; it is a transition thou! I'm sorry thou :(

[Leeloo]

It might take a very very long time for your hormones to level out on their own. Super healthy diet is almost a must in this case (just like any other time I suppose). Maybe trying some hormone levelling herbs might be helpful to speed things up like taking Dong Quai, royal jelly (only cycle this one 15 days take, 15 days do not take), evening prim rose oil, fish oil.
Also for extra stress control look up benefits of adaptogens. Adaptogens are plants that decrease cellular sensitivity to stress. They suppose to help your body to handle more stress without physical manifestations of off balance hormone level. These herbs should be taken during times of extra stress. Some of the adaptogens (and there are many of them) are ginseng (all three kinds: Asian, American and Siberian), Ashwaganda and many other ones. These herbs usually come in capsules that integrate many different herbs and labelled for stress relieve. Hope this helps.

[Nightshade]

This happened to me when I switched from BCP to an IUD almost 5 years ago. It's a hormonal shed :(

The good news is your hair will return to normal! What style were you hoping to wear for your wedding? I might have some ideas on how to add some thickness :)

[Firefox7275]

So, I stopped taking birth control pills at the end of December. I had to stop taking them because of Occular migraines which put me at a higher risk of stroke. Every since I stopped taking them I've basically started to fall apart. I've gained weight, my cycle was fine for the first 4 months but has since stopped all together and the vey worst of all is my hair si starting to fall out.

I noticed it a couple of months ago really, mostly along the hairline and parting. I can see that my parting is getting wider and lately when brushing or washing I'm loosing handfuls of it.

I'm utterly devastated. I stopped using straightners over a year ago and hoped that by now I would be seeing the benefits. In fairness though, the hair that is there looks realtively healthy (except the ends) but thats no good when it keeps falling out.

I'm getting married in 6 weeks and I'm just so down that my hair isn't going to look beautiful like I wanted it too.

I just don't know what to do. I've had blood tests because of my cycle stopping and they were fine. The doc thinks its just hormonal because I stopped BC, but that was 8 months ago!

Unfortunately hair can stay in the dormant state fr some weeks before shedding. Go back and pester your doctor or see another one in the practice, it's not acceptable they tell you everything is fine if your cycle has stopped and your hair is falling out, there are generally more blood tests that can done done. In the short term review your diet making it as varied and nutrient dense as possible, physical activity levels (too much is as bad as too little), practice stress management techniques. Please do not randomly take supplements without an appropriately qualified medical professional agreeing it, you can worsen imbalances or mess with the results of further tests.

[fairview]

The change in estrogen levels can directly effect hair quality. An increase in estrogen can cause the growth and resting phase to be significantly extended meaning your hair will get longer and have more volume. A dramatic decrease or returning to normal levels in estrogen will bring your hair back to its normal growth, resting and shedding cycles. Not only will you start shedding the normal 100-150 hairs a day but everything that should have been shed and hasn't will start dropping also. It can be very dramatic.

In regards to your blood panel, keep in mind that the test is a snap shot of what is going on inside at that precise moment. If you are normal in regards to height/weight ratio, eating a balanced diet and have normal activity levels as in not training for a iron man contest or prepping for a body building contest, your blood test may have been normal at the time they were taken but from what you have posted, something is amiss. I would be curious as to cortisol level and thyroid function.

As far as your hair, check this out http://babethings.com/tape-in-pro-method/ Find a salon that does these, they are inexpensive and when done correctly and blended with your hair, they are totally invisible. They are more maintenance that natural hair, in fact they can be a nightmare if you don;t do certain things, but they will get you through your wedding and you can have any style you want.

Good Luck

[Anne10]

As far as your hair, check this out http://babethings.com/tape-in-pro-method/ Find a salon that does these, they are inexpensive and when done correctly and blended with your hair, they are totally invisible.

I can't figure out how these work. They actually tape it to your hair and scalp with some kind of extra strength adhesive? What on earth happens to your own hair when you remove these? It seems like it'd be awfully hard on your natural hair.


They are more maintenance that natural hair, in fact they can be a nightmare if you don;t do certain things, but they will get you through your wedding and you can have any style you want.

What certain things do you need to do?

[massivecnqstdr]

I don't really have helpful advice, but I have the same problem. I had a six week time between BCP and getting my BC arm implant, and I had crazy symptoms including hair loss. I always feel like crap when I don't have birth control. Do you possibly have PCOS?

[loveisdivine]

Thank you so much for all the replies! I've been really down about this the last couple of days so it helps to hear other peoples thoughts.

So to answer some questions, I do classes at the gym on average 3 times a week and sometimes add some swimming in too. My diet is fairly healthy, I eat a lot of veg and little to no processed crappy foods. All dinners are homemade from scratch.
I don't think its stress. I used to be a very stressed person, however in the last year I have really gotten it under control. I would actually say I'm the most 'chilled' I've ever been. Part of that is because I take a beta blocker for migraines, which also has an anti-anxiety side effect.
I already take Vitamin B2 and CoEnzymeQ10, these are on the advice of my neurologist for migraines (which are thankfully under control atm).

I've made an appointment for the docs next week so hopefully we can look into it further. I already knew that stopping BC can mess your hormones up for a while, I just didn't expect this much. When I originally started taking them they had no side effects at all, so I figured coming off would be similar. Boy was I wrong!

Would trying Biotin maybe help? I dont want to mess with my hair too much in fear of making it worse. For the wedding I plan to wear it down as I have a silk flower wreath with a floor length veil, which I feel would look odd with hair up. Thankfully, the wreath will sort of shield the top of my head so it will be less noticeable.

[loveisdivine]

Thank you so much for all the replies! I've been really down about this the last couple of days so it helps to hear other peoples thoughts.

So to answer some questions, I do classes at the gym on average 3 times a week and sometimes add some swimming in too. My diet is fairly healthy, I eat a lot of veg and little to no processed crappy foods. All dinners are homemade from scratch.
I don't think its stress. I used to be a very stressed person, however in the last year I have really gotten it under control. I would actually say I'm the most 'chilled' I've ever been. Part of that is because I take a beta blocker for migraines, which also has an anti-anxiety side effect.
I already take Vitamin B2 and CoEnzymeQ10, these are on the advice of my neurologist for migraines (which are thankfully under control atm).

I've made an appointment for the docs next week so hopefully we can look into it further. I already knew that stopping BC can mess your hormones up for a while, I just didn't expect this much. When I originally started taking them they had no side effects at all, so I figured coming off would be similar. Boy was I wrong!

I though PCOS too, but the doctor didnt even suggest it. He just stuck with it being hormones from coming off the pill.

Would trying Biotin maybe help? I dont want to mess with my hair too much in fear of making it worse. For the wedding I plan to wear it down as I have a silk flower wreath with a floor length veil, which I feel would look odd with hair up. Thankfully, the wreath will sort of shield the top of my head so it will be less noticeable.

Edited to add - I also seem to be producing a lot more sebum. I get little tiny balls of it on my scalp :(

[loveisdivine]

Thought I would add a couple of pictures so you can see what I'm talking about. I forgot to add that although all the negative stuff is happening to my hair, it actually seems to be growing much quicker than before. I've done a couple of small trims to get rid of splits and damage and its grown back within a week or two. Also, there are quite a few wispy hairs round the front which I dont think are breakage, so I'm hoping it might be some new growth.

http://i341.photobucket.com/albums/o369/loveisdivine_photos/108E1A0F-2E8E-4E85-9A73-18B845C1BA0E-434-000000D6D58BD86F_zpse4bf1ba6.jpg (http://s341.photobucket.com/user/loveisdivine_photos/media/108E1A0F-2E8E-4E85-9A73-18B845C1BA0E-434-000000D6D58BD86F_zpse4bf1ba6.jpg.html)

http://i341.photobucket.com/albums/o369/loveisdivine_photos/85B20CA4-FAEA-4BBD-93DA-27ABF9DB1CD5-434-000000D676CFF310_zps64d3339d.jpg (http://s341.photobucket.com/user/loveisdivine_photos/media/85B20CA4-FAEA-4BBD-93DA-27ABF9DB1CD5-434-000000D676CFF310_zps64d3339d.jpg.html)

and one in a slightly different light

http://i341.photobucket.com/albums/o369/loveisdivine_photos/8C4E5544-0AEF-4C2C-977A-AD7EB3EF5B82-434-000000D670A4516F_zps2088c7c6.jpg (http://s341.photobucket.com/user/loveisdivine_photos/media/8C4E5544-0AEF-4C2C-977A-AD7EB3EF5B82-434-000000D670A4516F_zps2088c7c6.jpg.html)

and just to cheer the post up a bit, heres one of my lovely rabbit Reggie, his hair is thick and fluffy :)

http://i341.photobucket.com/albums/o369/loveisdivine_photos/B6C386BD-B982-47A7-854D-CA64E847DA32-434-000000D7A533212E_zps2abd12e5.jpg (http://s341.photobucket.com/user/loveisdivine_photos/media/B6C386BD-B982-47A7-854D-CA64E847DA32-434-000000D7A533212E_zps2abd12e5.jpg.html)

[Flor]

Your bunny is soooo adorable!!

I wish I could be of some reassurance, but I have PCO (polycystic ovaries with normal blood panel) and I also have issues with less thick parting. I've always had that, but last year due to acute stress shed, it got pretty bad, I started freaking out that I was gonna end up bald. Fortunately my head was full of baby hairs a few weeks after and it's back to normal now. What I did back then was switching to all-natural shampoo bars, to make sure it's not aggravated by anything in mass-produced shampoos. And basically telling myself to stop adding more stress into my life by constantly worrying about hair loss (it could turn into a vicious cycle).

If you were regular before starting BCP, then it's unlikely PCOS/PCO. If not, then it very well may be. But doctors would often not suspect it (and run proper tests for it) unless you're overweight and apple-shaped. Hair loss or not, PCOS or not, they're gonna have to figure out what's happening with your cycle.

[loveisdivine]

To be honest I don't remember if I was regular or not. I started taking the pill when I was 15 which is 11 years ago! I never really kept track of it before that, it just arrived when it arrived and that was it. I have gained about half a stone in the last 5 ish months whic has pushed me just into the "overweight" category and I've never been overweight before. Its mostly around my stomach and bra line and a little on the hips. It will be a different doctor when I go next week so maybe they might give it more attention.

To be honest, we're not having children so I'm not that fussed about not having a proper cycle. Its nice to not have a "time of the month" but its also a bit annoying knowing that it could just start any minute.
Thats why I'm more concerned about the hair and weight stuff.

In the meantime I have bought some baby oil to try and help the ends look their best and I'm gonna try and stop itching my scalp as I can't imagine that helps at all!

At one point I thought maybe I had lice or something and that the little white bits were actually nits not sebum. But they aren't stuck to the hair like nits would be and if I'd had lice for this long I would be able to see them!

Edit - The more I read up about PCOS the more I think I may have it. The weight gain, cycle stopping, a lot more spots on my face which I never had whilst on the pill, I even get pimples in my hair. The hair shedding and the oily but still flaky scalp. I'm definitely gonna brin git p with the doctor.

[Lumilou]

Hi
Just a couple of thoughts that might help...
I shed a heap of hair after my hormonal changes after giving birth and this lasted for 6-7 months, the OCP makes your body behave as though it's pregnant and the hormones as previously suggested can take ages to balance out. However if it's PCOS, I have to add that I read an article in a health mag that had a PCOS sufferer healing her condition through a detox from caffeine, alcohol, refined sugar, stress (as much as that's controllable!) and starting mellow style exercise, like yoga or tai chi. I know this is a little off topic but I just thought it was fairly amazing because she went on to get pregnant when she'd been trying without success for years.
I ended up cutting layers into my hair and making a larger fringe to hide the thinness and taking hair, skin and nail supplements and zinc. I think it took a full year to get back to normal though.
I've heard the tape extensions if done well are better than the other types because they grow out better without damage to the ends.
Best of luck :)

[loveisdivine]

Thank lumilou. I already meditate so Yoga could be a good idea.

I just had a thought, perhaps all this 'hormones getting back to normal' is causing the excess sebum which in turn is causing all the shedding? I remember I definitely noticed the sebum/oilyness before the thinning started.

Maybe I should try a homemade clarifying treatment to see if that helps a bit. At the very least, if I could get the sebum under control then I probably wouldnt get as many pimples and I wouldn't feel the need to scritch at my scalp so much, which can only be a good thing for all the shedding.

Could this also be made worse by the fact that I dont always wash my hair after I've been to the gym? I figured it would be bad to ash it everytime as I go 3-4 times a week. But maybe that has added even more to the excess sebum.

[Flor]

There's not much hormones getting back to normal 8 months after stopping BCP. If you were getting regular cycles for the first 4 months, then your hormones were back to normal already. On BCP, the hormone levels are maintained even the whole time. In a natural cycle you get estrogen peaking first half, progesterone - the other. And so they cycle. If this process got disrupted for some reason, you're likely having estrogen dominance at the moment, which does not get balanced up by progesterone in second half (if you're not ovulating), or simply estrogen phase taking a lot longer than it should. That can cause excess oiliness (not directly, but by affecting other hormones). You can't really treat that locally, I'm afraid. Flaxseed oil been known to help though.

But in the end, disrupted ovulation cycle is not only an issue if you're trying to get pregnant and it's not as little of inconvenience as not knowing when to expect next period. Those sex hormones affect us on so many more levels. Even when they're balanced, it's not always picnic ;)

I hope you get some answers in your next appointment!

[fairview]

[QUOTE=Anne10;2483465]I can't figure out how these work. They actually tape it to your hair and scalp with some kind of extra strength adhesive? What on earth happens to your own hair when you remove these? It seems like it'd be awfully hard on your natural hair.

Yup, that is the basic idea. A good salon will wash your hair with a clarifying shampoo first to remove any impurities. They will not use and conditioner then. If they don't want to wash your hair with a clarifying shampoo or want to condition it afterwards, I would question if they really understand how to install them. These can be very hard on your hair if you aren't committed to the extra maintenance steps for extensions. In fact down right destructive. I have had to cut some of them out simply because my guests were to lazy to follow a few simple steps.

1. After installation, you can not wash your hair for 3 days so they can really set. If you do a few of the extensions will fall out.
2. First and foremost, no bikes, motorcycles, running, swimming (especially swimming), wind tunnels and wild romps in the bed without first putting your hair in a loose braid.
That's the biggie right there. After that it is just common sense.

Never rinse your hair out over your face, before and after washing finger comb your hair, follow your extension rows when shampooing and don't get to aggressive, use a wet brush or better yet a nylon reinforced boar bristle brush to detangle, blot with your towel, brush each layer/row of extensions with a grooming brush gently each day, find a good styling oil and sparingly work it in your hair when it is damp. Other than that, I can't think of anything else and it is pretty much common sense for anyone with long hair.

Many people make the mistake of thinking it damages their hair because when they are removed they think they are losing a lot of hair. Any hair that is shed that is sandwiched between the tape doesn;t come out until they are removed and more than anything else, the wearers have gotten accustomed to luxurious volume that is instantly taken away when the extensions are removed.

If you ahve any questions, just pm me.

You can also do clip-ins that look pretty good but not like the tapes.

[Anne10]

Thanks, fairview!

[jessokitty]

The same thing happened to me when I stopped a year and a half ago and only now is my hair starting to be back to its normal thickness. Just be patient and make sure you take care off your diet and all should be well again with time. Good luck :blossom:

[loveisdivine]

Ugh its practically coming out in handfuls today :( I worked so hard to have long and lovely hair for my wedding and now its all ruined. I already know that there wont be anything the doctor can do tomorrow, but I still feel like I should at least go and see what they say.

I'm trying not to stress, as that will make it worse. I just can't help it today. I almost cried when I saw how much came out in the shower this morning. I've also finally started to perfect my braiding technique, then when I saw how tiny and crappy my braid was in the mirror it was so disheartening. Looked like a rats tail!

[emilyann]

Destress :)

Drink some chamomile tea, watch a feel-good movie (if that interests you), get a massage if it's in the budget. Anything that will help you relax is good. Sometimes I take a supplement called Natural Calm when I feel overwhelmed, it's magnesium citrate powder that you mix in water. It tastes great, relaxes me before bed, and gets me a boost of magnesium, which is good for the body. Also helps me sleep more soundly.

I'm sorry that I can't give any advice in the realm of stopping the shed, but I am also going through the same thing - stopped BCP 6 weeks ago. My hair is shedding like crazy, but I'm just trying to relax and wait for it to stop. It will grow back...hopefully soon!

Also, my hair was not nearly as long as I wanted it to be for my wedding because it grows so slowly. But let me tell you, on your wedding day, you won't be all that concerned with your hair. Mine doesn't hold a curl for very long so I was also fretting about that all week before the wedding because I knew the exact style I wanted. But once the ceremony was over, I couldn't have cared less about it, because I was having so much fun with my new husband, my family and my friends. There are pictures of me holding my hair up off my neck (it was styled half-up and curled), and I love them because it reminds me of how much fun I was having, sweating while we danced outside in the late September humidity. If you had asked me the week before my wedding if I would want pictures of me sweating in a wedding dress with my curls falling out, I would probably have fallen apart, lol! But they are wonderful :)

[chen bao jun]

They really ought to mention this issue to young women when they put them on the pill. It has a lot of side effects, but women are just about never told that they might have a stroke, that its not uncommon to shed while going off it.
I know it's awful, and I'm sorry, but actually its pretty much like having been pregnant, the shedding stops eventually. It's terrible that this is happening just before your wedding when you want to look super nice, but you are going to be a beautiful bride in any case. Your future husband does not love you for your hair. My sister in law had to do chemotherapy and she was completely bald for her daughter's wedding and her husband bought her a beautiful wig which looked lovely for her to appear in. At worst case, you can get a glammo wig just for that day. Or else use some sort of tasteful fall or faux braid/bun. However, I doubt you will need it. Just keep reminding yourself that these rescue routes are open, though, as it may help you to de-stress!
Sending hugs your way...

[YamaMaya]

There are herbs that can balance you out after you go off BC. I think Dong Quai in particular is a good one. Best of luck :grouphug:

[loveisdivine]

Do you think henna could be worth a shot? I dyed my already ginger hair a brighter shande of ginger recently with a vegetable dye and I liked it. So I think I would like the colour.
Or would it be better to just leave well alone for a while?

[AnnaB]

Do you think henna could be worth a shot? I dyed my already ginger hair a brighter shande of ginger recently with a vegetable dye and I liked it. So I think I would like the colour.
Or would it be better to just leave well alone for a while?

I am going through a shed myself right now, and just like you its coming out in clumps. Its horrible my hair has gone so thin :(

I am a henna girl but I have stopped because henna is quite heavy on the hair. Its like having mud on it, and for good results you got to keep it on the head for quite a few hours. I found because henna is heavy it pulls hair out, and so does washing it off.

However, having said that henna does make my hair feel thicker. But its hard to find the right red. You might end up copper red or sunset red.

Anyway, I hope your shed will stop soon :)

[loveisdivine]

Just a small update. I managed to see a different doctor this time and she was much more understanding. I have been referred for a pelvic x-ray to make sure there are no cyts or anything and if thats clear then we will talk about possibly starting up with the pill again.

So I still don't have any kind of solution or explanation yet, but it was nice to at least be taken seriously and for her to acknowledge that there is a problem.

Despite all the woes, my hair (whats left!) continues to grow unusually quickly so I will update ion the BSL to WL tonight :)

[Theia]

When I stopped taking birth control pills I lost a lot of hair too! It took about a month and after that everything was back to normal. It is hormonal and one of the side effects when stopping birth control pills.

[sofo]

I think it might be the same thing like as many women lose a lot of hair post pregnancy. Its hair that you should have lost before but didnt due to hormones.

[loveisdivine]

It could well be hormonal. Its been 8 months since I stopped taking it and the shedding only really started 2-3 months after I stopped.
I see the logic with the pregnancy thing but I had been on the pill for 10 years and I always had a regular amount of shedding in that time, so I dont think it would have stored up for like 10 years!

[chen bao jun]

Birth control pills (and shots) screw with your entire body. It's like synthetic estrogen along with other chemicals and has all kinds of side effects.Having strokes and near strokes is common. You stop menstruating (although you have what look like periods while you're on it, they are actually not the same as normal menstruating) and all kinds of toxic things take place. Its amazing to me that a generation that is so concerned about the environment and eating clean (vegan and vegetarian and so forth) so casually put this stuff into their bodies for long periods of time at a drs say-so and accept their downplaying the problems with this, as most doctors do. I have known many, many women badly affected by birth control pills and they all seem to think they are the only one having the problems, not just during taking the pill but afterwards.
I repeat, I am so sorry you are going through this and I wish you the best for the wedding with how your hair looks and all other ways. Please do a LOT of research before returning to be on the pill in any form, your good health is of #1 importance and you must take charge yourself and be very informed when talking to drs.

[Tristania]

It's essentially postpartum hair loss, as taking BC tricks your body into believing you're pregnant.

[sofo]

Hopefully it will stop soon, most women have stabilized hormones a year after stopping with the pill. Takes longer for a few and in that case there are some medications that can help. The syntetic hormones does mess with your body on levels you might not be aware of, but unwanted pregnancy is more dangerous than the pill.

[loveisdivine]

Well I'd rather not start taking the pill again. I will give it at least 12 months to sort itself out before I start thinking about what else I can do. I know the pill isn't great for your body but I can't go back and change my mind now and I dont want to be stuck with thinning hair and weight gain forever.

I'll see what the ultrasound says and if thats clear then hopefully it will start to return to normal after a few more months!

In the meantime, anyone have any tricks for making hair appear thicker?! I'd rather not resort to extensions! Its only really for the wedding day, is there a way of drying it that could help?

[chen bao jun]

Hopefully it will stop soon, most women have stabilized hormones a year after stopping with the pill. Takes longer for a few and in that case there are some medications that can help. The syntetic hormones does mess with your body on levels you might not be aware of, but unwanted pregnancy is more dangerous than the pill.
You need to be aware, your choices need to be informed. Hearing that 'most women' will be fine is not so useful when you fall into the not inconsiderable number who are not fine. my sister had a ministroke at age 32 because of the pill, something she was not even aware was a possibility. You should be made aware of these possibilities and yes, even that it commonly causes hairloss when you go off BC, because that might be important to you, it's an area of your health where you have a RIGHT to be more informed that I find 99 out of 100 young women are.

[KatieK1]

Hi Loveisdevine, I was wondering if you ever found a solution or how long it took for the shedding to stop? I'm going through a similar situation right now after stopping taking the birth control pill :(

[Sarahlabyrinth]

I have heard that birth control pills fool your body into thinking it is pregnant and when you stop taking the pills you get a shed like a post partum shed, the same as if you had given birth.

It must feel awful. Hugs, and I hope it regrows again quickly.

[betterhairday]

Hi Loveisdevine, I was wondering if you ever found a solution or how long it took for the shedding to stop? I'm going through a similar situation right now after stopping taking the birth control pill :(

If you have access to fresh ginger may I suggest you peel it and squeeze the juice onto your scalp and massage it, then place a turban and leave it overnight and shampoo & condition in the morning. If the scalp feels hot it means the ginger juice is working to stimulate the scalp and hopefully encourage hair growth. Eastern method. OR Western method http://www.livestrong.com/article/537418-how-to-rub-vitamin-e-on-the-scalp-to-promote-hair-growth/
My daughter used both methods just to make sure. Her hair got back to normal in a couple of months if I remember correctly.