Oral Contraceptives and hair loss - ask your doctor to change pill if necessary

[Silverbrumby]

http://www.philipkingsley.com/hair-guide/female-hair-loss/oral-contraceptives/

...NEGATIVE EFFECTS


Certain contraceptive pills can cause or worsen hair loss. This, again, is down to the sensitivity of your hair follicles and your genetic predisposition. Pills like Levonorgestrel, Norethisterone and Gestidone contain androgens.So if you have follicular sensitivity to male hormones, these pills aren’t always the best choice. If you have noticed a change in the density of your hair, increased scalp hair shedding, or facial hair growth since starting an oral contraceptive, please consult with your gynaecologist and a trichologist.

...It is not just stress that can have a detrimental effect on our hair, we now know The Pill can thin hair too. Several widely prescribed contraceptive pills, for example Logynon, Microgynon, Ovranette and Loestrin, all contain the highest levels of two particular male hormone derivatives, or progestins, that are linked with hair thinning – caused by the hair follicles getting smaller (and each hair growing thinner) rather than hair actually falling out. This thinning only affects women sensitive to hormonal change, but that accounts for 40% of women. The Pill is made up of both female and male hormones, ‘but look out for those containing levonorgestel and norethisterone, the two male hormone progestins that are the main culprits, they’re the most prescribed, though that’s more down to ignorance on the GP’s part. If you feel that your hair is thinning, your GP should be happy to change your prescription; ask for a Pill that has a low or no ‘androgenic’ action, like drospirenone found in Yasmin, norgestimate found in Cilest and desogestral found in Marvelon. Dianette, which works as an oral contraceptive, contains cyproterone acetate, and this can be helpful in treating thinning hair, along with acne and facial hair growth.

[wrh452]

This makes me wonder. I have nexplanon inserted in my arm and I have had some thinning lately, also more body hair. I wonder if that is one that can do it.

Yep. It sure can. I just looked it up

[Silverbrumby]

This makes me wonder. I have nexplanon inserted in my arm and I have had some thinning lately, also more body hair. I wonder if that is one that can do it.

Your doctor should be able to tell you if it's high in these. I'd never heard of this causing hair loss before but I had read some threads where women were wondering if the pill was causing an increase in shedding. I had no shedding when I was on it years ago.

[chen bao jun]

Thanks for getting this information out. I'm always saying this but people don't want to believe it.

[0xalis]

I'm currently shedding like crazy right now, but I've been on the pill almost a year? I don't think it would take that long to kick in. I'm taking Sprintec, which some people say causes hair loss. Idk. *shrugs*

[prettyinpink]

I quit the pill a month ago after 4 years and havent noticed less shedding. I do notice new growth is more curly, but it could just be my imagination

[sourgrl]

Thinning caused by birth control can continue long after you've stopped taking the pill. I've experienced thinning but I know there's so many variables that could contribute to it, not just the pill. I have a fibroid and have to take a pill to counter act the side effects of the fibroid. Unfortunately for me personally, because of the fibroid, the pill is not something I can eliminate for the sake of my thinning hair.

[Buddaphlyy]

I've been taking the generic version of Loestrin off and on for about 3 years and have not noticed any hair loss. The only time contraceptives affected my hair was when I got the Depo shot which made my body hair grow like crazy.

[Kaelee]

I've been on Kariva for over a year and my hair is thick as ever! :)

[Silverbrumby]

It's says only 40% of women experience hormonal shedding. I'm not sure but I would think the effects of the hormones would take a while to kick in or peater out?

I have hormonal induced shedding now but that's more pre menopausal shifts. It's been going on for for years and I've lost half my volume I'm the length.

[Andeee]

Also, one of the possible side effects of the Mirena coil is hair loss. It was reccommended to me to help with hormonal fluctuations at perimenopause and (which cause excessive bleeding due to fibroids). I told the gyno no way and cited the possible side effects and he just looked at me like I was being a stubborn and foolish child.

Sorry, but I've never taken any hormonal birth control and won't start now and also I've already struggled with and came back from a huge bout of hair loss, something I never want to repeat!

[Andeee]

Also, one of the possible side effects of the Mirena coil is hair loss. It was reccommended to me to help with hormonal fluctuations at perimenopause and (which cause excessive bleeding due to fibroids). I told the gyno no way and cited the possible side effects and he just looked at me like I was being a stubborn and foolish child.

Sorry, but I've never taken any hormonal birth control and won't start now and also I've already struggled with and came back from a huge bout of hair loss, something I never want to repeat!

[monsoonstorm]

The problem is...

It's the ones that have the highest androgens that are least likely to kill your sex drive.

[torrilin]

Several widely prescribed contraceptive pills, for example Logynon, Microgynon, Ovranette and Loestrin, all contain the highest levels of two particular male hormone derivatives, or progestins

Progestins aren't male hormones. They're just plain hormones. They're absolutely critical to the menstrual cycle, and every woman has some progesterone in her body, always. The level will change as the menstrual cycle progresses. I don't know as much about male hormone cycles, but there aren't any hormones I'm aware of that are produced by female bodies and not by male bodies or vice versa. The amounts vary across genders, but all women need testosterone just as much as guys do :). And guys get pretty sick if they don't have enough estrogen.

Most oral contraceptives use a combination of a progestin (progesterone replacement) and estrogen. The fanciest ones vary the concentration of each hormone to mimic the natural menstrual cycle. Some just use estrogen, others just use progestins (tho you practically have to search the world to find those).

Thing is, make even a very small change to one hormone, and it will affect all the other hormones in your body. Nudge one way, and you'll get more natural steroids. Nudge a different way, you get more thyroid hormones. Nudge another, more insulin. Very tiny changes can have very large effects. And most of our hormones affect hair growth as well as most other kinds of growth. Everything is connected. So it's not surprising that poking with your body's hormone balance can affect hair growth. They can affect muscle growth, your sex life, mental heath and just about everything else in your body, so hair is kind of "duh".

Generally tho, I'd address other issues first. Your decision to not have a baby is probably more important to you than your hair. And at least in my case, my desire to not have a stroke definitely ranks way above my hair :D. (mom has had a lot of blood clot issues, and there's a long family history of strokes, heart attacks and heart disease... estrogen increases my odds of stroke or heart attack, so given all that, a progestin only solution is safer for me) And for sure my desire to avoid menstrual cramps ranks above my hair. I get pretty suicidal when the pain hits, and the best painkiller regimen we've found is massive doses of ibuprofen which isn't all that great for my stomach. I like my stomach intact and digesting my food! My stomach is a wonderful organ and I love it dearly. So the best compromise we've come up with is the lowest dose progestin we can manage, which is a Mirena IUD. Progestin only can have some serious effects on bones if the dose is too high for too long, and I like my bones healthy too.

A lot will depend on how your particular make and model of body works, and what your overall priorities are. Chances are tho your hair is not the biggest health concern in deciding on a birth control method.

[shutterpillar]

I take Jolessa and have no excessive hair loss. I've also taken Quasense with no problems.

[lapushka]

Well, I haven't experienced *any* hairloss, or *anything* different, and I'm on Mercilon. Might be just how people react to the pill itself, and that can vary quite distinctively.

[alyanna]

I think The Pill is evil.
I've tried at least 6 different kinds and have had negative side effects on all them. The last one was Yaz, which I loved and had no side effects, except that my hair fell out.

[Rebelkat]

It definitely depends on the pill. My doctor had me try Lo-Loestrin for a year and I developed really bad acne, an increase in body/facial hair, and a slight increase in shedding. On Yasmin/Ocella, I have no acne, decreased body/facial hair, and less shedding than I do when I'm not on the pill... but I have PCOS, so it's probably just counteracting the symptoms caused by that. :shrug:

[Kat]

Chances are tho your hair is not the biggest health concern in deciding on a birth control method.

This. I'd rather have a completely bald head than babies.

(Except, y'know, kittens. Unfortunately, there is no pill you can take to keep boys from making you acquire kittens. Though technically, my "kitten" was an adult when we got her, but I was definitely fine being in a no-cat household for the first time in my life... until... my former partner thought he wanted a kitty and maybe we should go to the shelter and "just look"... :D )