Birth control and Hair Loss (TMI)

[KatiSasha]

Hi everyone! I'm sorry in advance if some of this may prove to be TMI for some.

I have had to be on birth control for a long time due to severity of my cycle, but it did normalize in the past couple of years and I went off the BC for 7 months since I didn't actually have a need for it. I have been a Nuvaring user for the past couple of years. My wedding is coming up in September and I went back on Nuvaring a couple of weeks back since we don't want kids right away, but that's besides the point. Well, since I've been taking great care of my hair, my braid stated to get thicker, my hair shinier and healthier overall (thank you TLC). Imagine my surprise when I started to pull out handfuls of hair out of my COMB again :(

After much research I found this website that I feel may help quite of few of us out there. The birth control pill/patch/ring, etc are classified as high to low androgen. High androgen levels is what contributes to hair loss. Here's a link to a website that lists birth contol pills from LOW to HIGH androgen levels. http://www.womenshairlossproject.com/hair-loss/american-hair-loss-association-birth-control-pill-index/

I remember taking Desogen (lowest level from the BC listed) in college and my hair used to be so much thicker then. I know that some of us stuggle with hair loss for no apparent reason and I hope that this may be a solution for someone else besides myself.

Here's another link that actually discusses BC as hair loss TREATMENT!
http://www.everydayhealth.com/hair-loss/oral-contraceptives-as-a-hair-loss-treatment.aspx

Thank you again LHC for your help, inspiration and support! If it wasn't for this website I would never start questioning this sudden hair loss and find the culprit. Happy growing everyone!

[TheMechaGinger]

I've been on desogen for the past two years and haven't had any problems. Guess I got lucky when they decided to give me that brand instead of one of the more detrimental ones

[bluequeequeg]

Wow, I never would have thought. Being on birth control has solved so many of my body's issues, I wouldn't have even imagined it could cause one (besides, y'know, that long list of really terrifying things like stroke, etc).

[archel]

Well, I'm at high cancer risk, have ovarian cysts, and get extreme migraines, so I cannot take any form of hormonal birth control. I swear as soon as they can yank it all out I'm going for it...how's THAT for TMI? *LOL*

I'm glad you figured it out and hope this can help some other people.

[gabee]

I stopped taking the pill for good 3 weeks ago (switched to a copper IUD) after going on and off a few times because of the many side effects I was getting (depression, etc.). Lately I've noticed that my hair has been shedding more than usual. Its nothing alarming though, its definitely less than what I've read others have had. I'm wondering if perhaps the two are related; that I'm shedding more because I stopped the hormones.

Nonetheless my body is so much happier now without those hormones, I'll take a little bit of shed over depression any day.

[Aqua Gal]

Thanks for posting.

This may have been one of the factors in my huge shed. There was so much going on at once, so I can't say for sure.

Definitely something to think about. Messing with hormones can be scary stuff.

[monsterna]

I'm experiencing the opposite, I believe. I stopped the pill about 5 weeks ago and have noticed in the past 2 weeks or so that I'm shedding more than usual. As gabee said, it's not as alarming as others' shedding issue , but it's noticable and I'm pulling out a lot more hair on my hands and comb.

[gabee]

I'm experiencing the opposite, I believe. I stopped the pill about 5 weeks ago and have noticed in the past 2 weeks or so that I'm shedding more than usual. As gabee said, it's not as alarming as others' shedding issue , but it's noticable and I'm pulling out a lot more hair on my hands and comb.

I hope that your hair loss will diminish sooner or later, and that it will just last until your body gets back to its normal hormone levels.

[KatiSasha]

They do say that high-androgen level pills may cause hair loss not just during the period of taking them, but also for a few weeks after, just by messing with hormonal levels. Good news is that all of it is temporary and hair does grow back once your routine is adjusted:)

[Amber_Maiden]

One of the reasons why I got off any kind of BC is because if hair loss. It didn't make that much of a difference because I have thick hair, but it was annoying running my hand through my hair and coming away with grabs of hair... Very gross.

[racrane]

I am so glad I'm not alone on this. I had massive hair sheds when I was on the pill. Now that I"m off, I can feel my hair getting thicker. I'm very happy about it. The pill did not do me any favors, really, so I'm glad I'm off. :D

[WackyLisa]

I'm on high dose progesterone only pills and I don't think they have changed my hair but what has started to kick in is PCOS related hair loss. The high levels of Testestorone in PCOS usually lead to facial hair and the like so I never expected this but apparently it can happen as one ages.
Since BC is commonly used for PCOS I thought I'd mention it.

[happybear]

I went off the pill 1.5 years ago, I was on Ortho Tri-Cyclen which is a high estrogen pill, I experienced shedding and horrid acne about 3 months after going off of it. My doctor told me that it is normal to experience some shedding (telogen effluvium similar to postpartum shedding)several weeks to months after ending the hormones, especially the higher estrogen/progesterone ones because when you are one the pill, your body stops producing hormones, and then you cut them off cold-turkey.

My doctor told me It could take up to a year for my body to start regulating hormones properly again. I shed for several months due to my hormones being out of wack. things seemed to go back to normal though, and I think I have gained back the hair I lost

My doc also said that the high androgen pills can trigger early onset female pattern baldness (what happens when you go through menopause)

Doctors really should check your hormones before they prescribe this stuff, mine never did

[feb26]

Hmmm wonder what ties evra (birth control patch) has to hair loss? if anyone finds out, let me know. i use it, it's a continous stream of birth control (similair to the nuvaring but worn on the skin)

[Raqdoll]

I stopped taking the pill for good 3 weeks ago (switched to a copper IUD) after going on and off a few times because of the many side effects I was getting (depression, etc.). Lately I've noticed that my hair has been shedding more than usual. Its nothing alarming though, its definitely less than what I've read others have had. I'm wondering if perhaps the two are related; that I'm shedding more because I stopped the hormones.

Nonetheless my body is so much happier now without those hormones, I'll take a little bit of shed over depression any day.

I did that last summer (after using the 'pull and pray' model of birth control for a few years) it takes your body about 6 months to really adjust to an IUD - but now that I have, I love it!

I was also on Ortho Tri-Cyclen for years - I never realized that the biggest side effect to the pill was that I'd lose my sex drive :( and couple that with hair loss...good grief! Talk about adding insult to injury.

[archel]

Ahhhh - if I get a hysterectomy (a possibility in the next few years), it will put me into early menopause. Will I lose a lot of my hair? I never considered that!