Calling all Birth Control users :)

[Naters]

Hello everyone! I have currently been taking birth control for about 9 months now, and have noticed my hair getting finer, less curly, and thinner towards the ends..a part of me really wants to stop the bc, but being sexually active without taking the pill really freaks me out..have any of you experienced the same thing, and have still kept taking the pill?

[Yame]

I haven't noticed any changes in my hair since I started takin bc.

[Chetanlaiho]

This is actually the reason I'm afraid of starting the pill =( well that and the weight gain that some people mentioned, and the mood swings, bitchiness, moodiness and much more xD (I should have never read the thread for people who are quitting it ^^;)

But the reduced cramping would be heaven, and the, you know, birth control part would be nice xD

[hototogisu]

I've been using Implanon for more than ten years straight. Over that time I've noticed a hormonal pattern of hair thinning - around my crown and temples. My part is definitely a little 'scalpy.' This very much bothers me. Doctors have generally been quite dismissive, but hair loss is a known possible side effect of any hormonal BC.

I'm currently trying to work up the courage to get an IUD, but I'm really scared of the insertion and of the chance it might increase my risk of miscarriage (kids are on the distant, but definitely approaching, horizon). I wish I could give you better advice! Aside from the very gradual hair loss, Implanon has been a godsend for me, and I would still recommend it. Few women have been using it for as long as I have.

[CornishMaid]

I am very aware of my cycle, use natural fertility tracking methods, like temperature etc. When necessary, on fertile days i use a cap. Its great, no fake hormones messing up my system. It does however need you to be absolutely diligent every day with regards to temp taking etc. So isnt the easiest option.

I stopped taking the pill in my twenties, caused all sorts of havoc for me.

[dementedkitten]

I've recently come off the pill after taking it for nearly 10 years .. I started taking it because my periods were heavy and very painful .. years down the line they still were really bad but I felt that they would be worse had I not been taking the pill.. turns out that was all psychological because since stopping it, my periods only last a few days and are totally managable.

Also, coming off the pill has worked wonders for EVERYTHING else too .. It took about 2 weeks for everything to settle down, i.e. emotions, skin flareups, greasey hair, emotions, bitchiness, emotions and more bitchiness .. and now I feel great. A lot of things now make sense since I stopped taking it too, and I can say there's no way I'd take it again.

I believe I've seen a difference in my hair.. I think it's growing faster and I believe I can stretch my washes further - but that's just me .. I haven't heard anyone else mention hair side effects..

I really believe the pill messed with my body/hormones far more than I realised it did, but it certainly served it's purpose.. I just get the feeling things are far more 'natural' now.

[amantha]

I've been using birth control off and on for about 8 years. A few years ago I was diagnosed with PCOS and had to be put on a super high estrogen pill to balance out my hormones. I've been on this pill for about 9 months as well. However in May I noticed I started getting a TON of splits ends and TON of hair loss in the shower/combing and it's getting progressively worse to the point where I can notice a difference in the thickness of my hair, especially around the temples and crown of my head. My hair has always been very healthy with very few, if any, split ends and only occasional, brief periods of shedding. This has been constant though since May so I'm quite worried that it's my birth control causing it. It may be something else too though so I'm not sure. I'm on Demulen 1/50 if that helps. Most birth controls have lower estrogen levels than that. When I was on those I didn't notice anything really bad going on with my hair, and some of them really lessened the amount of daily shedding I had.

Sorry you're going through this too. :(

[BlazingHeart]

I got a temporary stall in growth when I started on birth control, and any time I have to re-start (grr), but other than that, my hair seems about the same and my scalp is happier - less oily. (I also get vastly LESS moodiness/moodswings, painful cramps, lighter bleeding, better GI regularity, and it affects my connective tissue disorder)

For me, it works out a big net positive, I just have to put up with about 2 months of very little growth at the start. Then everything is back to normal.

~Kali

Edited to add: worth noting: I use ortho cyclin (same dose every day you take the pill), NOT ortho tri-cyclin (different doses each week). My emotions were utterly out of control and irrational and...generally unpleasant...on tri-cyclin.

[celebriangel]

No change in my hair while on the implanon, but I had and am still having the most horrible "post-partum" shed. I hope it stops soon...

[HairFaerie]

I took B/C pills most of my younger life. A year and a half ago, I got an IUD. I did notice a shed after about two months, but while I was taking the pill, I did not notice any thinning or anything. After that initial shed after switching, it just sheds normally now.

[Buddaphlyy]

Unless you were bald when you started the BC, it would not have an effect on the ENDS of your hair. Maybe the BC is making your new hair grow in thicker, coarser and curlier so maybe that why the ends seem thinner. If you stop the BC, your new hair will probably start to shed some and the newer hair will be similar to the ends.

I've been on the pill for a little over 2 years and my hair hasn't changed much.

[PixxieStix]

I'm currently trying to work up the courage to get an IUD, but I'm really scared of the insertion and of the chance it might increase my risk of miscarriage (kids are on the distant, but definitely approaching, horizon). I wish I could give you better advice! Aside from the very gradual hair loss, Implanon has been a godsend for me, and I would still recommend it. Few women have been using it for as long as I have.

You know, I have had my IUD for seven years now (the non-hormonal kind), it has done its job perfectly (never pregnant!) , and the insertion was not bad at all. If you can get your PAP smear done, you can get the IUD inserted. The only part that freaked me out was seeing the length of the needle they used to inject some local anesthetic into the cervix. The entire procedure took less than 10 minutes. The first six months or so I did not notice a darn thing, but after that my periods got much more bearable, went from a full 7 days to four, with much lighter bleeding (sorry about the TMI).

I am unsure where you got the information about the IUD increasing your risk of a miscarriage (I'd love the link if you have it!), but the research I have done and what the doctor who put it in told me about the difference between the pill and the IUD has led me to understand that you may have an increased risk of an ectopic pregnancy, but once the IUD is removed there are no after effects, and you can theoretically get pregnant on your next cycle right after removal. None of my friends who had the IUD and decided to remove it later had any problems with getting pregnant, or any issues with miscarriage, but a few friends who were on the pill for years has a much harder time getting pregnant when they got off it. :S

Regardless, I hope you find what is right for you!

As to the OP, I am sorry I can't say anything about how the pill affected my hair, I was only on it once for two months when I was 17 and it made me all sorts of crazy, so I dropped that like a hot potato!

[aspartame gram]

I'm currently on Loestrin 24 and I am really pleased with it. I haven't noticed any hair loss, but perhaps you are on a pill that has a higher dose of estrogen? It might be wise to consult with your gynecologist. Also, if you feel like your doctor is not listening to you, or you are embarrassed to voice your opinion, change doctors! I did, and it was, quite literally, the best thing I could have done. :D

[ibleedlipstick]

Since I've gone on birth control, my hair has grown faster, is thicker, and I feel amazing. Plus, I'm not pregnant. A very good thing for me.

As always, ymmv. I always dislike reading posts like these because 503424234 people who have had poor experiences with bc come out of the woodwork. Hair loss/thinning has many different sources, and blaming it on birth control isn't always a wise thing.

[Jeni]

Never noticed a difference between my hair on BCPs and off. My hair is super fine, thinner side of average and straight, doesn't matter what I do/am on. I will say I think my scalp (and face) were a tad less oily on the BCPs.

[Naters]

Thanks for all the advice and comments everyone!! It means a lot to me, knowing that I'm not the only one going through this...ugh decisions decisions..I've been on the pill a few years back and once getting off the shed was horrible..a part of me doesnt want to get off it just for that reason alone...

[Honeylove]

Hello everyone! I have currently been taking birth control for about 9 months now, and have noticed my hair getting finer, less curly, and thinner towards the ends..a part of me really wants to stop the bc, but being sexually active without taking the pill really freaks me out..have any of you experienced the same thing, and have still kept taking the pill?
Yes, I have. I have been taking the pill for about 1 year in 2003/2004. After about 7 or 8 months I noticed my hair getting thinner. However, I kept taking the pill for another 4 months or so.

After that I experienced unusual shedding. I took nutritional supplements to help my hair growing back and the shedding finally stopped. But I'm pretty sure that I have not regained my former hair thickness to this day. :cry:

I will definitely never take the pill again. Nor any other kind of hormonal contraception. There are other birth control options which do not intefere with one's hormonal balance.

[terpentyna]

I remember my hair being in better condition when I was on a BCP.

[Audhumla]

My dermatologist put me on Yasmin for my skin (and it has worked absolute wonders) I've been on it for about 3 or 4 years now. I haven't experienced any balding or increased shed. My hair isn't curly so it couldn't exactly get less curly but I definitely don't think it's gotten finer.

[InTheCity]

I grew my hair all of 2009 and 2010, and even though I was at BSL, my hair was ugly, thin, ratty, etc. As of Dec 2010 (see pic below) I had been on BC for 7.5 years without stopping.

I stopped in January and opted for non-hormonal IUD and I could swear my hair is more curly and it's DEFINITELY less dry. I couldn't stand the fairytale ends so in June of this year I went for a cut... and got more than I bargained for. But I'm very curious to see what my hair can look like this time around, no hormones.

Beware though, if/when you do stop, some people experience a shed. I sure did.

[luthein]

I don't think I've had BC-related sheds. Looking at old photos, I do think that my non-BC hair is thicker than my BC hair. I have a feeling that if I did thin out a bit, it's due to a combination of factors.

However, the other positives of birth control (regular/lighter periods, clearer skin, stops hirsutism, no pregnancy) trumps hair thickness for me.

[invisiblebabe]

I have been taking various hormonal bc pills for 7 years or so.... started taking them for irregular periods and acne, then got married later and had an added bonus reason for them :p

I have not noticed any hair related side effects - I also dye my hair, and the most shedding/damage/thinning I have ever noticed was from when I was 15 and got a full head of platinum highlights.

[GabrielleRose]

I have been on the pill for about 3 years now, and I have noticed that my individual strands have gotten finer and my hair has gotten dryer, no change in my acne, periods are lighter but still I cramp like crazy, and I think it is really effecting my eye sight. :(

I can't really say I have any positives from the pill so I may inquire about a hormonal free IUD.

But now I'm scared of some crazy shedding if I do get off of the pill. shudder:

[luxepiggy]

I didn't notice any changes to my hair when I'm on BC - I've taken both Ortho Cyclen and Ortho Tri-Cyclen.

[Palla]

I've had the opposite problem -- I'm currently off BC while I'm fighting about it with my insurance company, and coming off it has caused a severe shedding increase in my life. :( Overall, I didn't notice any real change to my hair while getting on it (Loestrin 24).

[Shany]

My hair was thicker and curlier before taking BC pills, but I'm not sure if it's because of BC. Right now, I'm on Loestrin 30, 60 days in a row and then 1 week off... since march 2011. I've been on the pill for 7 years.

[Ligeia_13]

I've noticed no difference at all cause of the pill. I don't shed when I take a break or when I start again. I have noticed that my period pains are gradually coming back though : /

[woolyleprechaun]

Im not a fan of hormonal contreceptives. They screwed me up no end, and yes, my hair went rubbish.....

[TrudieCat]

There could be other reasons for what you're describing. If your hair has gotten longer, that would make it appear less curly and would tend to make the ends feel thinner. And people's hair texture changes throughout life, and with different haircare methods. Also, changes in products (s&c, etc) can affect how thick the individual strands feel. From my experience, changes in my body due to the pill were pretty obvious from the first month I began it, and I've been on four different pills.

A friend lost a lot of hair on the BC patch, but it was quite obvious - chunks of it were coming out whenever she ran her hands through her hair - and by chunks, I mean like handfuls. I'd say if you're not noticing a big shed then there might be other factors at work besides the BC.

[roundforest]

I've been on the mini-pill on and off for 19 years and never noticed any effect on my hair. I only tried the traditional pill for 3 months, as it gave me awful nausea, but I don't remember noticing any other effects from that one either.

[celebriangel]

It's possible that your body just dislikes this particular formulation; you could request a different one and try that.

Has anything else happened that might have caused shed? It can be up to 3 months after a stressful event/period or a poor diet that these things will start to show in your hair.

[Naters]

@ celebriangel- I think you just might be right about this one. I did notice my hair changing before I even started taking the birth control pills, so maybe it's just me..I also think it could be due to the fact that i haven't cut my hair in forever and growing out from a pixie cut and not trimming gives you major fairy tale ends..

[elfgirl]

I've been taking birth control for around eight years (I started in my early teens for medical purposes.) I was on the pill up until last October, when I switched to Implanon. I've actually seemed to have less hair issues/thinness with Implanon then with the pill. I'm not really sure why, but am happy nonetheless.

[alyanna]

The Pill does not agree with me at all.

I was on it twice for an extended period of time, and during those times my hair was at its thinnest. For me, the Pill caused shedding and even worse than that, miniaturization of the hair.

The only thing that *kind of* fixed my hair was getting pregnant years later. It seems to have reset my hormones and my hair growth cycle. I've been adamant about not going back on the Pill in order to preserve the hair that did grow during my two pregnancies.