Birth Control and Hair Growth

[HeatherAshley3]

Ok...quick question...I was off of my birth control for about a month, and I just realized today that my hair seemed to grow faster...but also it is finally at my shoulders...so that might be why it seems to be growing faster also.
Could it be possible that BC could slow hair growth?
It does contain hormones...??
And if it did slow growth...it wouldnt be THAT big of a difference right??

[curlycrown]

Ok...quick question...I was off of my birth control for about a month, and I just realized today that my hair seemed to grow faster...but also it is finally at my shoulders...so that might be why it seems to be growing faster also.
Could it be possible that BC could slow hair growth?
It does contain hormones...??
And if it did slow growth...it wouldnt be THAT big of a difference right??

I saw a major growth spurt when I finally quit BC. I was on it for a year and 6 months. After quitting I grew about an inch a month for like 4 months. Then I went back to the normal 1/2 inch a month. I guess my body had to regulate itself again which affected my growth.

[Pumpkin]

Good question.....I will be watching this thread to see what others will be saying on the subject, since I just quit BC.

[pepperedmoth]

A known side effect (for SOME women, SOME of the time, on SOME pills) of oral contraceptive pills is increased shedding. I don't know about growth, persay.

Talk to your provider about different formulations, if you're concerned. Not all pills are created equal, and your MD/PA/NP can help you figure out something that might work better, if you're interested.

But no, it's not just you. ;-) At the risk of sounding like a broken record, talk to your provider, talk to your provider, talk to your provider . . . they should be happy to help.

[Bellona]

The only time in my life when my hair seemed to grow slowly was when I was on BC. I never thought about it before, but it could have just been because I was in college and not eating right, too.

[lexiflowers]

This is interesting. I would have thought that maybe being on the the combined pill would actually increase growth, if anything, because it sort of mimics pregnancy hormonally, and lots of people I've spoken to had faster hair growth when pregnant.

I'll be watching this thread. I've been on the combined pill for the sake of my crippling periods since I was 15, and I haven't properly tried to grow my hair since then until recently, so I guess I wouldn't have noticed any difference either way...

[SlightlySoprano]

I want to get off the pill, because i don't like the way it has affected my body (growth slowing down, increased shedding, etc) but at the same time, yay for regulated periods and lesser cramps!

[SeaShell]

This is bad news if there is truth to it..I'm 25 and I've never been on BC before, but yesterday I made an appointment to get on it...I actually wondered if it might increase hair growth like "Lexiflowers" said, because it mimics pregnancy??

[missjessiecakes]

I hadnt heard it mimics pregnancy just that it puts in a constant just ovulated phase. Goodness I am really having a brain fart hmm I know it starts with an L.


In any case mine did slow down and I was shedding a whole bunch but the biotin I was taking combated that nicely.

[SlightlySoprano]

In any case mine did slow down and I was shedding a whole bunch but the biotin I was taking combated that nicely.

I did take biotin for a while, which definitely helped, but my skin rebelled and I started getting painful cystic acne, so I had to stop taking the biotin :(

[littlemoon]

this scares me! I've been on the pill for two years now, and I've never heard of it slowing down growth. (though I am not at all surprised and believe you ladies.) I never tried growing it out intentionally before I went on the pill, so I wouldn't know if its slowed me down. and I wouldn't like for that to be my reason to get off it, it just stinks that I'm gonna have to live with that fact now. (if its true for me/my brand of birth control)


if anyone finds out exactly why it does this, id be glad to know!

[lexiflowers]

I hadnt heard it mimics pregnancy just that it puts in a constant just ovulated phase. Goodness I am really having a brain fart hmm I know it starts with an L.


In any case mine did slow down and I was shedding a whole bunch but the biotin I was taking combated that nicely.

You're thinking of "luteal", I believe. :)

The combined pill is designed to mimic pregnany though, to prevent ovulation. Or at least that's what the leaflets say. This is why a common side effect is achey boobs.

[Konstifik]

I'd go on another train here and say that BC-pills has increased my hairgrowth. :D

Then again, I started taking them pre-lhc, which means I started taking them before I did monthly measurements.
But I have noticed that just in these last few years, my hair has actually grown, compared to the almost constant stall it was on in my teens.

So, take what I say with a grain of salt, I don't know if it's the BC that increased my growth, it most probably isn't. But it surely hasn't decreased it. :)

[Hay22]

I would think it varies. I've been on the pill for almost 7 years to control my periods. I never really thought about hair growth until recently, but in the year that I've been tracking growth rates I've found I gain 1/2" - 1" per month, which seems average to above average. My hair has also been consistently thick throughout this time, from teenage-hood to twenties.

[little_cherry]

Hmm..I'm on Yasmin and haven't really noticed a difference. I did start shedding a lot more recently, but that was due to Iron deficiency.

[Kristin]

I just decided to quit the pill after 7+ years. My hair does grow kinda slow, but I don't remember how fast it grew before the pill. I'll be watching this thread, too.

[verene]

I haven't noticed any difference from when I wasn't on the pill to being on the pill now. My growth rate and thickness have stayed about the same. My hair growth seems to be related more to diet, stress levels, and exercise; not that I measure my hair each month so this is just my perception.

[Anje]

I'm wondering whether I'll have a post-partum-like shed when I go off hormonal birth control (perhaps this month?!). Guess I'll find out, one way or another. I don't know what my hair growth was like before, but it seems to have slowed down since I got to my current length, which might have more to do with approaching terminal.

Could a person have different terminal lengths with and without hormonal BC?

[enfys]

See, the fear of shedding now is stopping me going off the pill. Does switching to another hormal method like the implant stop it happening, or is it unavoidable?

[Zindell]

I will get off my pill (Yasmine) tomorrow due to various reasons. (Not including babies or hair)

Will be interesting to see if it affects hair growth, shedding etc. :)

[mellie89]

I was on Yasmin for a year and definitely noticed FASTER hair growth and more shedding. I got 6 inches in 6 months, while my normal growth rate is a little over half an inch per month. It was still quite thick so my shedding wasn't catastrophic.

I went off it this fall and didn't notice any huge shed. I was still shedding at my normal, "pill rate" for a few months though. It slowed a lot after about 3 months off it. I am now back to a half inch per month as well.

[misspriss]

I got off the pill in July 2009. I was on it for over three years. I have noticed my hair is considerably thinner than it was before I got on it. I mean really thinner.

I saw this thread, and began to think that my hair had gotten thinner since I got on the pill. I have noticed in the past few months, a lot of new growth, the little whispies around my face, etc. I wonder if I started growing more hair since I got off the pill? I don't know. I can only wait and see.

I used to have very thick hair when I was younger. Now my little sister has that same thick hair, and it reminds me of what mine used to be. I wonder if my hair will ever grow as thick as it used to. But I do think that the pill had a lot to do with it.

I also noticed a lot of shedding since then, which has just almost magically dropped off after the first of the year. I have no idea if that is related, or if I just became less stressed out after the first of the year.

[HeatherAshley3]

Same here with the Biotin! My face started to break out...
So now im just sticking with a daily multivitimin.

[Buddaphlyy]

I definitely know being on BC has effected my hair journey. I was just commenting to my mom last night that my hair is getting very thick but no necessarily long. I've been on the pill for about 9 months but I don't want to go off because I really enjoy having painless, predictable periods.

[ArienEllariel]

Wow, I'm kind of glad I don't take the pill. :P

[Kunoichi]

I've been on the pill for 7.5 years. I only started measuring about a year ago, but I grew about 7-8" this past year. :)

I think I shed the normal amount every day, but it always looks horrible to be in the shower and have those clumps in the drain trap. :o

[Kirry-Folk]

My hair grew a bit faster while on BC, the other side effects were not worth it, though. :twocents:

[hmmm]

I went off BC a month ago, and I've got increased growth, although it could just be picking up after the winter stall. I didn't like what it did to my body though, I don't much worry about how fast my hair grows.

[hennared]

I have not taken BC pills since I was 20, and it was for about a year. I'm 43 now.
HOWever.. I have hair loss for other reasons. I hang around a lot of hair loss boards.

And,
I note that many many, young women report losing hair because they are on birth control pills (particularly if they switch them around a lot). Their doctors do not always agree this is the reason, but docs are NOT always correct. I read enough instances of *young* women losing hair and it correllating with starting the pill or a new pill... you have to wonder.

Hair loss stories I've read about the Mirena implant are particularly scary (massive MASSIVE hair loss and bleeding).

Buyer beware.

As for birth control itself - I used a diaphragm for years and years.. it served me well and NO side effects.

[gnegirl]

Been on the mono and tri=cyclen versions of the stuff for about 20 yrs. The lady who cuts my hair still comments that it grows like a weed.

The pill made the texture finer though, so it seems like there is less up there.

[BrightEyes7]

I noticed when I started BC my hair started shedding way more. I thought I was like dying because I didn't know this was a side affect. I went to my doctor freaking out.

After a few months when my body got used to the hormones it went back to normal shedding.

I don't think going off of it would increase growth though... but I'm no doctor!

[naereid]

I only started taking notice of my hair after already being on Yasmin for years, so I don't know if it changed anything. I shed a normal amount and my hair grows a centimeter a month, which is also supposedly normal. The only other side-effects I really noticed was a perfectly clear complexion after years of acne and gaining a few pounds.

[Kristin]

I quit bc recently and my hair finally hit 27". I'm not really good about tracking my growth, but it seemed to happen a lot sooner than I anticipated. No incresed shedding yet, but I'm only about 3 weeks off.

[vindo]

Ok...quick question...I was off of my birth control for about a month, and I just realized today that my hair seemed to grow faster...but also it is finally at my shoulders...so that might be why it seems to be growing faster also.
Could it be possible that BC could slow hair growth?
It does contain hormones...??
And if it did slow growth...it wouldnt be THAT big of a difference right??

Many scientiest suggest that BC mimics pregnancy and therefore lengthens the anagen-(Growth)phase.

But it is known that androgens, male hormones, produce faster hair growth. After quitting the pill the body has a much higher amount of androgens until it settles again..

[guccixx]

It's funny because I went off the pill two months ago and my hair has grown sooo much since then. I definitely like that PLUS the way I feel without the hormones.

[SeaShell]

is this the same for the low estrogen pills too, or is it only when you start taking pills with a high estrogen count that growth seems to slow?

[Forever_Sophie]

This is bad news if there is truth to it..I'm 25 and I've never been on BC before, but yesterday I made an appointment to get on it...I actually wondered if it might increase hair growth like "Lexiflowers" said, because it mimics pregnancy??

I've been on it for 10 yrs, never saw an increase in shedding, and the growth remained the same, except for when I'm taking biotin. I take Alesse 21 :)

[ladylowtide]

My monthly hair growth rate has doubled from and average of .5 inches a month to 1 inch a month since I started combined birth control. Though to be fair I went on it because my hormones were seriously out of whack. I also was shedding a lot before I went on the pill.

[RileyJane]

i havent noticed anything different about my hair, relating to growth, shedding, or just quality of it in general when compared to my younger self. i have also consistently been on BC since i was 16, so i think its pretty regulated in my system.

[Angelistarr]

I've experienced a lot of shedding. Too much where it's stressing me out. I thought it was due to the dandruff or WO I was on for a few months but now I'm beginning to think it is the BC. ugh.

[Rivanariko]

Funny. I had a ton of growth when I was on the pill, but it was also the year that I really started learning to take care of my hair, so I attributed it to that. When I went off birth control, my growth slowed way down, but I attributed it to stress, hard water, bad diet, etc. I got Implanon a year ago and I've finally passed classic. There are tons of other environmental factors that this could all be attributed to, but the evidence seems to say that my hair is a fan of birth control :-P

[chen bao jun]

I second the poster who mentioned the diaphragm. It worked for me for twenty years with no side effects. It's astonishing to me that a generation that is so concerned about eating natural foods (so many vegetarians, vegans, paleo diet, gluten free and all other kinds of eaters) doesn't feel more hesitation about the hormones (some of them chemically created) in BC and the very unnatural things it does to your body. Yes, there's the convenience of completely regulated periods but a little reading shows the side effects are numerous, common and can be quite serious. My sister actually had a stroke caused by being on the pill in her 30's. It's definitely buyer beware.

[ladonna]

I am not on Bc since my tubes are tied. I do, however, have a hormonal imbalance that I've had since puberty.
IF you have a horrible time during your period it usually points to estrogen dominance. Some people would have irregular cycle and spotting. HAIR LOSS. But nice skin.
Too high progesterone levels result in blemished skin. But increase in hair growth. The hair growth is also all over your body including the face.
IMO hormonal birth control isn't safe since there are so many bad effects.
I take fenugreek to up my estrogen and I have faster growing hair and nails. And also chasteberry up my progesterone. Also my skin has become healthy looking and very clear of blemishes.

[DarleneH]

I went off Yasmin a while back to try the Depo Provera shot every 3 months. My hair started falling out after a few months and went from thick and lustrous to thin and balding. I started researching and found that Depo increases male androgens in your body and I was getting something like male pattern baldness. My cystic acne also went crazy, which those androgens are a cause of that. Yasmin increases estrogen, which is why women generally keep their hair throughout their lives and why men don't. I'm back on Yasmin, my hair grew back thick, and my skin is cleared up again. I'm staying on it.

[Elina]

I was on BC for about 7 months, and my hair seemed to grow VERY slow, and I even noticed thinning of the hair around the temples.
Last spring was very hard for me. I was super stressed and didn't eat much, so that might have contributed to it all. And the bc also made me very moody, almost depressed, and it felt worse since I was so stressed out all the time.

I don't think I'll ever get back on bc. Considering all the dangerous side effects, I just don't think it's worth to sacrifice my health and happiness. The thought of blood clots and strokes scare the hell out of me, and since the risk increases significantly when you are on bc, I just don't think it's worth the risk for me.

But remember, EVERYBODY'S DIFFERENT! You'll never know how you'll react to bc by just reading about it. It works great for some people, and for some not so great. But I really think women should be catious when starting bc.

[rowie]

I wonder if this would have any side effects if a man used this method. I think maybe the pill has a lot of iron?

[gossamer]

I was on the Nuvaring for 5 years while I went from almost-classic to knee+. It didn't seem to affect my growth. I switched to a Mirena IUD back in July 2012. Seems like growth has sped up a little? I was expecting a huge shed given what I'd read about here and what a close friend of mine experienced, but didn't end up having that side effect. Overall, on both the Nuvaring and Mirena, I seem to have avoided all the worst side effects of hormonal birth control.

[MirrorOfErised]

finding this thread is very timely for me. I'm currently getting off the pill. Now that I'm reading about others' experiences, I feel like my hair has been shedding, thinning and generally not growing while I've been taking the pill. My other half also claims it has made me moody and depressed, and I have gained weight. I know I can't say *for sure* that it's because of the pill, so that's why I'm stopping for now, and I will be watching my hair closely!!! But I want to go back on it for the other benefits. Such an unfair situation!

[BellCat]

I think birth control has made my hair grow faster not sure how or why but it definitely seems to have made it grow much faster than before.

[oktobergoud]

finding this thread is very timely for me. I'm currently getting off the pill. Now that I'm reading about others' experiences, I feel like my hair has been shedding, thinning and generally not growing while I've been taking the pill. My other half also claims it has made me moody and depressed, and I have gained weight. I know I can't say *for sure* that it's because of the pill, so that's why I'm stopping for now, and I will be watching my hair closely!!! But I want to go back on it for the other benefits. Such an unfair situation!

It is, isn't it? I had those negative effects you mention as well when I was on BC, it all went away when I quit! It might take a while though before you see the results..


I have been on BC for 10 years (Diane 35 for my acne), the acne has gotten worse sadly, but it also seems my hair grows faster now! Maybe that's also because I don't cut it anymore, lol. But it definitely feels like it's growing a bit faster. I do feel healthier in general :)

[Mommyof4]

My hair grew much fast on BC.. Like at least an inch a month.

[Strands]

Funny. I had a ton of growth when I was on the pill, but it was also the year that I really started learning to take care of my hair, so I attributed it to that. When I went off birth control, my growth slowed way down, but I attributed it to stress, hard water, bad diet, etc. I got Implanon a year ago and I've finally passed classic. There are tons of other environmental factors that this could all be attributed to, but the evidence seems to say that my hair is a fan of birth control :-P

If I may ask, what was the pill you were taking? I am currently on NORA-Be tablets, but am looking to change if there is something better than does not hurt my hair growth.