At the age of 20 years old, I decided to go on birth control, so my doctor prescribed me to “Symphasic”. About 3 or 4 months later, I realized that my hair was thinning, I left it for about 6 months.. and then I went to my doctor, and she switched me to a different birth control - Yasmin. I thought it would be the answer, and I would be cured… but I was FOR SURE wrong. The hair loss got worse. Every month I lost a little more. It wasn’t until this past June that I decided to give up birth control all together and hope for the best. My hair loss began to stop a little, until around the middle of September, and that is when it started shedding more, and it continues to October, which is now. I keep hearing that it takes up to 6 months or more for birth control to get out of your system, and I HOPE that I will then grow my hair back, but what these women on the this site have to say is no hope.Does this sound exactly what you women have gone through? I am starting to get scared. I have had blood tests- and apparently there is nothing wrong with me. Should I be hoping that going off birth control was the best thing, and I will grow my hair back? I am so stressed about it, and like other women say… it takes up about 98% of my thoughts every day! I am crazy self conscious and i cant stand it any longer. if you could please write any comments or suggestions, it would be greatly appreciated!Thanks so much
Sarah
*******
Hi Sarah,
I read your story and I instantly was taken back to 8 years ago since your hair loss began around the same age mine did. I have to point out that I’m not a doctor, but here is my opinion on your situation. Honestly Sarah, I think you have a really really good chance of recovering from this completely, I’ll tell you why. The duration of time you were on the pill wasn’t very long, and also Yasmin is suppose to be a low androgen index birth control pill so I don’t think the damage it would cause would be as severe as say the pill I took, which was Loestrin FE, the highest (or at least was the highest) androgen index pill. I’m not sure about the Synphasic birth control pill because I’ve never heard of it, I tried to Google it and didn’t find much on it, however, on the upside I didn’t find anything good or bad on Synphasic, which I think is a good sign. When you type in the pill name I took “Loestrin” and “androgen index” or “high androgen” you’ll find TONS of stuff that point to women having hair loss problems, a lot of sites explaining it is a high androgen pill etc etc. I don’t even know why they prescribe it to women and I certainly don’t know why they had prescribed it me at 20 years old. I didn’t find anything like that about Synphasic, that’s not to say that the pill wasn’t bad for you, obviously it was, you had hair loss from it, but at least there isn’t an overwhelming about of negative stuff on it. I think that’s a good sign.
Blood test’s being normal is pretty common for women experiencing hair shedding after coming off the pill, I don’t know why, but perhaps it is because there is a range of what is considered “normal,” and since we don’t usually test those things when we are fine, how would be know what our “normal” really was. I haven’t heard that it takes 6 months for the pill to get out of your system, but that would seem like a reasonable duration of time that it might take for your hormones to re-stabilize themselves, of course this is just speculation.
As far as the shedding, it usually takes 3-4 months to experience shedding after stopping the pill and it is not uncommon for the shedding to continue for another 4-6 months. You stopped in June, you started shedding in September, I’d say that is a pretty normal situation, similar not only to birth control hair loss, but postpartum hair loss as well. That doesn’t mean this is going to continue on forever. I think you did the right thing getting off the pill. I think you are giving yourself the best opportunity to recover from this, I wish I had made that choice years ago. I even wrote a post about that titled “regretting past decisions on my hair loss.” Sarah, if I could go back I would leave everything alone and ride it out. I was young, instead of jumping around with treatments and getting back on the pill I think the better option would have been to try and let my own body heal itself, and hopefully my hormones would have re-stabilized, or whatever, so that my hair loss caused by getting off the pill would have ceased on its own.
You probably have some months of shedding ahead of you, so hold on and know that you made the best decision at this time. Trust in yourself. Know that you have more hair now than you realize and the shedding while distressing to you, isn’t noticeable to others. Looking back now I realize even when I thought I was at my worst 8 years ago, 7 years ago, 4 years ago… I wasn’t. No one really noticed my hair loss. I did, and it made me hide and feel self conscious, but I realize now how much hair I had back then, even after suffering with hair loss for so many years. Today is a very different story for me, but our cases our very different. You are making the decision I should have 8 years ago.
You should realize something when you search for hair loss answers online and you find other women who may be suffering, and as you wrote “say there is not hope,” the women who have gotten all their hair back after birth control hair loss or postparum hair loss or whatever type of hair loss, are most likely not spending their time online in “hair loss support groups.” I wish they would be, so they could provide more hope to others, but how can I blame them for wanting to abandon the memory of it all together? There is hope, plenty of women recover from birth control pill hair loss, just because some don’t doesn’t mean you won’t. I met a women a long time ago while looking for a house (she was the real estate agent) and I cannot even remember how the conversation started, but she said she had hair loss from going on the pill, she eventually stopped it and after awhile all her hair grew back. Success stories are out there, but I guarantee this woman isn’t online talking about her experience because thankfully it no longer is a part of her life.
I don’t want to mislead you in anyway so I should point out that in some women the birth control pill can kick in androgenetic alopecia in women who were already genetically predisposed to it, but this isn’t true for everyone. There are treatments out there for women, and you have options if you find the hair loss continues, but I wouldn’t worry about that now.
Be patient and hold on, I think you have a really good chance of getting past this, don’t second guess yourself.
Technorati Tags: birth control pills, hair loss story, hair shedding, loestrin, synphasic, womens hair loss, yasmin
October 5th, 2007 at 12:42 am
Hi, thanks so much for the encouragement… my story is almost EXACTLY like Sarah’s. I got on the pill when i was 18 and noticed my hair thinning about 4 months later. that was orthotricylen-lo. after doing some research i switched to yasmin, hoping it would help. that was 3.5 years ago. i’m 21 now and my hair has continued to fall out diffusely and is scary-thin now. when i put my hair in a ponytail it’s about the width of a sharpie marker. i’m always worried my scalp is showing all over the place. worst of all, i’m in college and i sit in class EVERYDAY looking at all the other girls hair. i feel like i’m the only young girl suffering from this! i’m thinking about finally sucking it up and going off the pill– for good! i really want to do this but i’m really scared of the shed that everyone talks about afterwards. does anyone know what percentage of women get major TE after stopping the pill? i’m terrified… i can’t lose any more hair or i will never leave my house again!
sarah, what was the total amount of time that you were on the pill before you stopped? do you think it was worth it to get off the pill?
Thanks,
andrea
October 5th, 2007 at 9:23 am
Hi Andrea, Even though it feels you are the only one suffering with this, you most definitely are not. I know that feeling well also. I also spend a crazy amount of time staring at other women’s hair, in life and on tv. It has gotten to where I can’t really enjoy movies anymore because all I do is check out the thickness of hair and the tight parts of the women and men in the film.
Your concerns about getting off the pill due to the possible shed are very real and very valid. Anytime their is a hormonal shift, going on the pills, off the pill, having a baby etc. it is possible to go through a shed. Your story is sort of the reverse of mine, My hair loss kicked in after stopping the pill and didn’t experience any while actually on it. I don’t know if there is an actual percentage of women who do go through telogen effluvium after stopping pills, everyone is so different. Some women go on and off pills all the time and don’t experience shedding or hair loss from it, others such as myself end up kicking in androgenetic alopecia from taking the synthetic hormones. I did end up going back on the pill orthotricyclen at the advice of my doctor to help restablize my hormones and treat my hair loss. I wish I hadn’t but that decision was made 8 years ago.
I wish I had an absolute answer for you. The possibility does exist that getting off the pill could cause a shed, but it also could be the thing your body needs to stop the hair loss. If you plan on having children one day that day will come when you have to make that choice to get off the pill. For myself, I wish I made the choice to stay off the pill completely as now I feel trapped into taking it for life basically. Which is why I write a lot about wanting to shave my head, so that could stop the medication and not have to see my rapid hair decline. I work on ME, I work on trying to realize I am more than my hair so I can free myself from the prison of my medication.
I’m sure this isn’t very helpful for you. But I just thought I’d share my thoughts.
~Y
October 5th, 2007 at 12:39 pm
Hi girls,
I am so happy to have come across this site today because for the last week I have been frantically searching every website out there on the link between BCP and hair loss and a lot of forums are dated.
My situation is very similar to Andrea’s.. I am 22 years old and have been on the pill since I was 17. In high school I would obtain my pills through a local clinic. They didn’t always have the same brand, so I would take whatever they would give me (thinking that they were all pretty much the same). My body seemed pretty tolerant with all my switching so I wasn’t concerned. Throughout the years I have gone off the pill 3 times. The first two times were for only one month, and the third time (May 2006) was for two months. I had had these 1-2month gaps because I wasn’t able to obtain the pills and didn’t think it would affect my hair. In retrospect, I couldn’t have been more incorrect.
In May 2006 when I stopped taking Aviane aka Alesse, my hair was falling out at a much higher volume than normal. I didn’t know what it was from, so I started back on Aviane (bad decision) in August 2006. During August I was losing a lot of hair, and was growing more concerned. I went to my dermatologist to try and find some answers. He was the first one to inform me that hair loss was probably linked to the cessation of my pills. He explained that it was similar to post-pardum shedding and that it will shed for a few months but then all come back. From August 2006 to March 2007 I had very abnormal shedding. There were strands all over my bed linens when I woke up in the morning and on my clothes even when I didn’t touch or play with my hair. I tried to stay calm, and for the most part, I did. This was because I always had a lot of thick textured hair. But now, looking back on it, my hair was thick until mid-high school (when I started the pill) and progressively got thinner. My family pointed it out to me as well. However, I NEVER associated the change was caused from my pill.
So right now, it has been 16ish months since I stopped the pill. I have lost half the amount of hair that I began with. Andrea, my hair in a ponytail is a sharpie marker too! The shedding is now normal, and the hairs are starting to regrow BUT they are BABY fine and do not seem thick enough to compensate for such a dramtic loss over the last year. Because I am still on the pill I am afraid it is affecting the texture of my regrowth, and that being on it is making it fine and sparse, and all over thinning (because that is what it has done for me overall since I began them). I want to stop taking them, but I am afraid for the same reasons as Andrea. I don’t have the same amount of hair as I used to where I can afford 50% of it to shed. And now that it is not falling out excessively, I am tempted to just give it 6 more months to see if it gets better. But what if it gets severely worse? … I am not really sure what to do and am trying to joke around with my friends and bf that if I have to shave my hair and pull a Britney I will. And I will just be happy in my wig.. but really that is not really what I want.
Andrea: I just graduated college so I know how you feel. I am sure that some girls are going through the same thing too. I have one friend who is dealing with the same thing but not as severely as me, and I know of someone else who lost a majority of her hair too… It makes me so sad and mad that no one warns you of this possibility. I feel like we are both in a similar situation. We don’t have much hair to spare if we get off the pill, but if we stay on, it might get even worse. From all the research I have been doing, I think I am going to try and “prep” my body for the hormone change it will have to soon endure when I get off the pill. I am a vegetarian, so I am pretty sure my iron and protein levels are under par. I read that these nutrients are important to hair growth, as well as Vitamin B.
Sorry my entry is so long. I feel like I am more just rambling because I am 90% sure I will stop taking the pill and just deal with whatever happens after. *hope for the best, prepare for the worst* I am scared but I think its the best decision…
Andrea: keep me posted on your condition and what you may have decided in your situation.
-Angela
October 6th, 2007 at 4:11 am
Woww…. I am amazed by the response i have received to this problem, and all the others girls that are so quickly responding to the SAME problem as i am….I cant believe I never found this site early… i search like a crazy person almost a couple times a week for answers to this problem.. !!! First off, thank you SO much for responding to my problem, and making me feeling less alone! Although i know you are no doctor, It is good to here advice from someone that has experienced this..because doctors REALLY don’t seem to understand it! or care for that matter! THank you sooo much for your support and time, it really means so much.
Second of all, Andrea and Angela, I am now 21… and i am in college too… it is AMAZING to see that other people are going through the same thing as me… and your daily thoughts are SO much like my own!! i look at my hair everyday, trying to analyze and see if there are new hairs..and yes, my pony tail is as thin as a sharpie too! And looking at other girls thick head of hair everyday at school kills me almost everyday. To answer andrea’s question.. I started the pill Symphasic in April 2006, and switched to Yasmin in Janurary of 2007. Then, i recently quit yasmin in June 2007. So over all, i was on birth control for a year and 2 months.
SO do i think it was worth getting off the pill? At the moment, I am shedding quite a lot.. and yes, it sucks.. but over all, I am extremly happy that I am off the pill. First off, I am happy not to be having any more crazy horomones entering my body, and I am also happy that hope may still exist in my future. Right now the shedding really sucks.. and if it lasts longer than 6 months well maybe i will have a different opinion then, but i could tell almost a month after i had quit that new hairs were growing. although i am shedding now, i have faith that it might stop. I am also trying hard to beleive that all the my body is in the process of getting the pill out of my body. I say this because my periods are on a weird cycle, and also i am breaking out on my chest.. which NEVER has happened. SO i figure, it the rest of my body is dealing with the horomonal shift, then my hair is too.. so i am trying to just weight it out. Along side, I am also taking a multi vitamen specifically targetted for women, and also iron supplements.. whether these will help, who knows, but i thought i would give them a try anyways…
A couple questions… Angela, are you on the pill or off the pill now? in your response, it said something about “16 ish months of stopping the pill”?
To the administrator of this site.. ( once again, thank u sooo much!!) ..do those who usually expereience hair loss from birth control have androgenetic alopecia, or telogen effluvium?
Well girls please keep my updated on your thoughts, and what you are doing.. I will most definitly keep you updated on my process.. and HOPEFULLY there may be some positive results in the near future….
Once again thanks, and keep your head up. xx
October 6th, 2007 at 4:39 pm
hey girls! thanks for the responses… wow! i have pretty much made up my mind to go off the pill this december and just see what happens. i’m terrified!!! i wanted to get off of it asap BUT my boyfriend is studying in Paris this semester and i’m going to visit him over thanksgiving break. there’s NO WAY i wanna be stuck using condoms in the most romantic city in the world, lol. i’ve been taking prenatal vitamins because they’ve been recommended to me by several people. they are like regular vitamins, but more amped up (like instead of 100% daily value of something, they would have 150%). i’m also taking 1200mcg of biotin everyday. i’m really hoping i don’t go through a major shed when i get off the pill, but if i do i think i may invest in some Toppik, which helps cover up your scalp (google it… it’s really weird but i’ve heard it works). also, i’m planning on teaching english in Korea for a year starting august 2008, so if all else fails i get to escape the country for a while. if worse comes to worse, maybe that’s when ill start wearing a wig… i won’t know anyone there, so no one will know the difference! i will let you guys know how everything goes, and i would love for you to do the same. we all need some hope! have a wonderful day girls
October 8th, 2007 at 4:23 pm
Hi Andrea, honestly if I were going to another country I’d shave my head… right at the airport before I got on the plane
A new place where no one knows you is perfect to start a new look! I understand you sticking it out a little longer on the pill, might as well right, and get the benefit of freedom while spending time with your boyfriend in Paris, wow, lucky you!! Paris, never been there, hopefully I’ll make it there someday.
Let us know how everything goes with getting off the pill.
Sarah - to answer your question regarding which is experienced more by women getting off the pill, androgenetic alopecia or telogen effluvium… I’d say unfortunately thats very hard to answer. Many women only have the telogen effluvium (shedding) and return to normal, but there is also that large percentage of women that begin to have to deal with female pattern hair loss that was kicked in by getting on the pill or off, just the messing of the hormones. It’s such a tricky thing to try and understand. I read a story once from a woman who had a child and experienced post partum hair loss, then it all grew back. She had another child and the same thing happened.. hair shed and all grew back, then she had her 3rd child her hair shed and never grew back like the times before, subsequently she was diagnosed with androgenetic alopecia. Why the first 2 times she was fine and the third not?? who knows. Because of my situation and hindsight is always 20/20 I do think I would have waited longer to begin treatment like I mentioned previously. Did I jump the gun.. maybe. But I have to accept those decisions and try and move on from here. Losing your hair is so scary that sometimes I think women start to treat themselves too prematurely when perhaps a little time would have proved a favorable outcome. Treatment is always there, and while you don’t want to wait too long, as catching it early is important, I don’t think women who have only been shedding a few months should jump right on the treatment wagon either.
But back to the question you asked, I honestly don’t know what those numbers are. I am happy to read that you are happy with your decision to get off the pill. It’s important to stay positive and trust your decisions.
~Y
October 13th, 2007 at 11:39 pm
thanks for your responses, i really appreciate it!
sarah
I just had a couple questions, i was wondering if you knew any answers for them…
I was reading up on TE and it states that it occurs 2-4 months after the factor that caused it (eg. stopping birth control). it also says that the hairs that come out have little white bulbs on them. Is this the same as androgenic alopecia? do they both start out the same? or do u know if andro. alopecia starts right away? i am just curious to know if there is any early symptoms that i can tell whether or not it is TE or AA, or do i just have to kind of weight it out?
Thanks
October 16th, 2007 at 12:47 pm
Hey girls,
I went to my derm last week and he said to take 3,000 mcg of biotin for two months and then get off the pill and it should help the shedding by 50%.. I guess its worth a try?
Admin: you have been helping me more than you know. Simply by your very educated opinions/advice. Thanks so much!
Sarah: Sry my comment was a bit confusing. I am currently on the pill, but 16 months ago is when I stopped it for a period of three months and then got back on. So I am now on, trying to get off. Being off the pill for three months kicked in massive shedding but to give you some hope, it IS growing back. 16 months later I see hairs. At least for you, you are off of them and on your road to recovery; whereas, I got off and now am back on.. so I kind of screwed myself.. so I’m bracing myself for the coming months as I try to get off them once again.
-Angela
October 16th, 2007 at 10:11 pm
Hi Sarah -
I think what you read about telogen effluvium occurring between 2-4 months after the offending incident is pretty accurate. Like I mentioned in my answer to your story above, I stated it usually takes 3-4, but 2-4 seems right as well. It is different for everyone.
In my experience some of my hair that sheds has white bulbs, other times it doesn’t. I just showered and shed a lot of hair, but none of them had bulbs this time. I distinctly remember a couple months ago that all of them had white bulbs. So I’m not sure what causes the bulb to appear. I do have androgenetic alopecia and experience both, so I’m not sure it is an indication of one or the other (telogen of AGA).
I wasn’t sure what you meant by ” if ando starts right away” ? As far as determining if it is androgenetic alopecia or telogen effluvium… an experienced and knowledgeable physician who frequently treats hair loss can determine if your follicles are experiencing miniturization. Miniturization of the follicles is a sign of female pattern hair loss. I’ve heard that some women also have scalp biopsies to determine if they have androgenetic alopecia. I have no knowledge or experience with scalp biopsies because I never have had it done. Pehaps someone that has had one can shed more light one the subject.
Hi Angela -
Thats a good tip about the 3,000mcg of biotin, I’m going to look more into that. It definitely is worth a try, I’d do it if I ever get the courage to get off the pill.
It really makes me so happy to hear that my words have been of some help to you. So thank you for that!
~Y
October 22nd, 2007 at 4:08 pm
I think its great that you guys are helping eachother out. I have been batteling this same problem with my hair for 5 years now!
October 22nd, 2007 at 4:46 pm
My hair is really really thin now, and doctors just say that there is nothing wrong with me because all of my tests come back normal. Is anyone else experiencing extreme hair loss and also fatiuge? I have been to doctor after doctor after doctor and they all say,…. oh, its your thyroid im sure. then they do the blood work and it comes back normal and then they just say that I am fine. I have been on and off of birth control pills so many times. First put on them when I was 17 due to lack of periods. During my 20’s I got on and off of them, sometimes a couple times within the month, which probably what messed me up big time. I tell my doctors that and they say nope, BC doesn’t cause that. Well then how come I find so many people on the internet with the problem, and it says right in the package insert under side effects…. may cause hair loss?!?! I have been 7 months off of the pill now with still no real improvement. I also would like to know about the white bulbs on the end of the hairs that come out. Could someone describe what theirs look like? Are they supposed to be tiny and fall off if you touch them? When I scratch my head sometimes that is how they come out but it kind of just looks like part of my scalp. So I am just wondering if that white thing that I am considering a bulb is the same thing that everyone else is seeing.
October 22nd, 2007 at 6:29 pm
hi RJ
i see your doc as tested yur thyroid, but has he tested your iron levels or your prolactine levels, sometime when your prolactine levels are off , you wont get a period…are you on any other meds to help with your hair loss?
your not alone…take care.
gypsy
October 23rd, 2007 at 1:02 pm
Yes. They have done a complete work up on me. They say that my iron is on the low side but it is still normal. I took a high dosage of iron for about a year. No results from that either. I am not on any other sort of medication for it. I was even desperate enough to go to the hair club for a little while. HUGE waste of money. All they do for you is take your money and you have to buy extreamly expensive shampoos and go in for hair treatments. You have like 6 steps you have to do every day, and one of them is minoxidil, which is just rogaine which works on its own anyway but its a hassle and started making me have blurry vision because it enters your blood stream. So enough with that. Luckily I did get part of my money back. But I think they charged me 900 dollars for nothing. I could have bought the rogaine over the counter and saved hundreds. But I cant go that route. I am just on herbs right now and digestive enzymes to help out my thyroid and my stomach. I am seeing an alternitive care practitioner who seems to be very convinced she can help me and that it really is my thyroid, but I think it is from the on and off on and off with the birth control pills. Has anyone elses hair became extremly dry during, and going off of the pill?
October 24th, 2007 at 8:49 am
hey everyone,
I just wanted to share my “mini” success with you all…, it may not be much, but i do know that every single bit counts.
Today, ( I am in Australia right now, therefore it is night time right now) i was doing an essay, and i became really upset because I have still been having quite a bit of shedding. So as the true procastinator that I am ( haha) I decided to “examine” my hair. i don’t know about you, but i try not to do this very often …. well surpsingly, i was quite impressed. I looked at the top of my head, and the hairs that i had seen groiwing about a month ago ( they were extemml small, and i figured it was nothing) were alot longer. and there seems tto even be NEW small ones that are developing as well. Although i am still having some shedding, it is mostly aroud my ears- the place where I have never had shedding. This is the first time i have had regrowth since my whole experience with this hair loss thing.. so it is quite excitiing… so for all of you who are going off/ or are off birth control…. keep your heads up! because there is hope off that nasty birth control… hopefully its for real, but i will keep you all updated. !!
October 24th, 2007 at 3:49 pm
Hi Sarah - Thats wonderful News!!!! I’m so excited for you, small victories count big time. Thank you so much sharing that positive update. Like I mentioned in my initial response to your story, I think you have a really really good chance of getting past this. I’m so hopeful for you.
~Y
October 25th, 2007 at 1:05 pm
I know that you will all probalby think that I am crazy, but I have been desparate and looking for a solution to this hair problem. I have come across this weird idea a few times, and it was actually published in a book that I was looking through the other day too, so I thought that I would share. I am not sure if any of you have heard of nail buffing, but you take your fingernails and you buff them together. Some how that is supposed to send of some body signal to your hair follicles and make them grow… Yes I know… I think its crazy too!!! It says to do that 3 times a day for 5 minutes at a time. Its free and easy, so might as well give it a shot.
October 28th, 2007 at 9:19 am
Hi RJ - I don’t think anything that any woman wants to try to help themselves and their hair is crazy especially when it is something as innocuous as nail buffing. Like you said is free and easy so why not? I’ve tried quite a number of things myself to help with my hair loss, I’ll have to make a post about all of them sometime. Worst case scenario you’ll have shiny nails
October 31st, 2007 at 10:26 pm
hi. i feel your pain and frustration as i, too, have been experiencing hair loss—male pattern baldness for over two years. i’ve had several blood tests taken over the course of these two years, and until the most recent one (3 weeks ago), they all came back normal. i know my body very well, and knew that this hair loss was not hereditary, and i eliminated the possibility of medications that i had been taking. everyone, including specialists, told me that it must be stressed related despite me saying that i didn’t feel stressed. i sought several opinions from various obgyn and endocrinologists. finally, the most recent test results confirmed my beliefs all along—hormonal imbalance. the blood test revealed that i had elevated male hormone levels which clearly explained my “unexlplainable” hair loss, uncontrollable acne (even under the care of a dermatologist and professional facials), and excessive body hair. i’ve never experienced any of these problems previously, but when i first began to notice, they all seemed to manifest around the same time…thank GOD i used to have really thick hair on my head, because my hair loss has been happening at a fairly rapid speed.
So… my obgyn recently prescribed yasmin and spironolactone which, together, are supposed to be extremely effective in controlling/stablizing these issues by lowering androgens (male hormones) and increasing estrogren. my dermatologist and endrocronolist, as well as my obgyn, are confident that within 6 months, i should experience a noticable difference overall, and a drastic one as far as improvement with my skin.
i just started both therapies today, so way too soon to make any judgements… my suggestions to you are to identify a dermatologist that specializes in hair loss and have them take a scalp biopsy (sample of your scalp that is examined under a microscope) and communicate any and all meds you’re taking, take zinc and vitamin B complex, use only a wide tooth comb and start from the bottom to detangle and work your way up towards the roots, don’t blow dry, have blood test taken every 3 or 4 months as something new may show up that previous tests didn’t show before (i’m a witness to this), pray (it works if you’re sincere and believe), and do not stress (stress is the true enemy as it affects all bodily organs without you knowing). be sure to ask your dermatologist or primary doc about prescribing a birth control that is appropriate for you along with spironolactone.
i sincerely wish you all the best, and will let you know how my new therapy works out for me. my fingers are crossed as i’ve been praying hard for relief. there’s hope for us both, and we truly have to believe there’s an answer for us, and that stressing is NOT the answer.
November 2nd, 2007 at 11:04 am
Sheree-
I hope this treatment works for you. From personal experience, it did not for me. I have been battling hair loss for over 5 years now. I have tried every doctor around and have tried so many things. My derm also put me on the Yasmin/spiro combo. He also told me to load up on Biotin, which also did nothing. I took it for well over a year. Every body is completely different, so it might work for you, but also do your research. I took the spiro for quite a while before reserching it. I found something that said you can not take it if you are or could become pregnant because it causes birth defects in babies. It has something to do with their genitals not developing properly or something. That was enough to freak me out because if it can cause something that huge to happen to a baby, I didnt know what it was doing to MY body. So I stopped taking it, but I gave it a fair trial period. I am definitly not saying it wont work for you, but It did not for me. I think its nice to hear real people’s true experiences.
November 7th, 2007 at 6:47 pm
when i was about 18yrs old my friends started noticing my hair was getting thin but i just shook it off then time went on an i started seeing my hair fall out alot but i was in denial..now im 27 an everybody sees it..im so depressed because i also have other health issues an just ashamed that i dont see any of my friends or family if it wasnt that i needed to work i would just crawl into my own little world an never come out..
November 9th, 2007 at 5:46 pm
Liz-
I know exactly how you feel. you are definatly not alone here. They say that stress causes hair loss too. It might not have been the inital cause of the hair loss, but now that the hair loss is stressing you out it could be adding to it. I for sure know the feeling of wanting to crawl in a hole and never come out. Its like it starts to rule your whole world and you are so self conscious about it you dont ever want to do anything. I am the same way, but I am determined to figure something out. Whether it is stress or a missing enzyme in my body, I wont just sit back and let the doctors tell me that they dont know what is going on. I now have to take matters into my own hands. I will keep you updated on anything I find out.
Question for you though…. do you ever drink? I noticed that when I started drinking, my hair started coming out. Well, drinking and having a crazy lifestyle.
November 11th, 2007 at 12:05 pm
Hi Liz, Welcome to the site! Rj is right, you are not alone and I echo all of her same sentiments. Are you seeing any doctor for your hair loss or using any hair loss treatments currently? You mentioned you had other health issues as well, I’m not sure what they are but they could be playing a role in contributing to your hair loss.
For me the best thing to do is be as proactive as possible in treating my hair loss and seeing different doctors because I wanted to feel I was doing something to for myself. Something to gain back some control over what was happening to me. Like you, I’ve spent years hiding and staying home, but what I realize now is it is important do whatever you can to help yourself feel better and continue living your life. Hair loss is unbelievably depressing, but we get a vote in whether or not we let it take over us. As hard as it is, try and remain as positive as possible.
If you haven’t already seen a doctor about your hair loss it is important to do so. Hair loss is caused by a variety of different factors and it isn’t always female pattern hair loss. There may be something they will find out by doing some blood tests or a scalp biopsy if you opt for one. Female pattern hair loss in women is usually treated with either Rogaine, Spironolactone, sometimes low androgen birth control pills, and sometimes a combination of the above. And of course there is always the option to not treat your hair loss with medication but perhaps explore the option of adding hair to your own. There are lots of things that can be done so try not to lock yourself away. It’s important to see your family and friends and just live life. I realize it’s not so cut and dry but maybe consider wearing some cute hats when you go out to help hide the thinness. I’ve worn these large stretchy headbands that are pretty chunky so they hide a lot and they’re in fashion, so thats a bonus.
Don’t give up.
December 15th, 2007 at 8:29 pm
Hi all-
Thank you all for posting your stories, experiences, remedies, thoughts, and feelings. Reading these has helped me dramatically in terms of emotional stability and clear thinking.
I am a very healthy 24 year old. I was an athlete in college and have continued to eat well balanced meals and make exercise a priority. I work in a boarding school, teaching, coaching, and living in the dorm, and although this can be stressful, it has been getting easier.
I have always had long, beautiful, thick blond hair. Over the past 2 years, I have noticed gradually thinning hair. Over the past three weeks, my hair has become dramatically thinner. The rate of hair loss is increasing exponentially. I know have a balding spot (bigger than a quarter) on the crown of my head. I have gotten blood tests, and like many of you, all hormones, vitamins, etc. are in the normal range. The doctor said to give her a call if symptoms continue. (are you kidding me?? give her a call when I have no hair left??) As I am sure many of you have experience, this is extremely frustrating. I want to move some place far away and never go out into the real world. I know that I need to continue to live my life and recognize that hair is just hair, but at this point it is extremely difficult. It is hard for me to feel attractive when I am constantly worried that my scalp is showing. I too find myself looking at other women/girl’s hair with envy. (and I am surrounded by high school girls with a ridiculous amount of full beautiful hair).
I am scheduled to see a dermatologist and my gyno this next week, but I am not hopeful that I am going to get any real answers. I have read about how your hair loss is related to the birth control. I was on birth control (orthotricyclin then orthotricyclin lo) for most of my college career. After college (about two years ago) I went off of the birth control. Since then, I have had maybe 3 real periods. I have read that it takes a while for normal periods to return after going off of birth control, but 2 years is a little much. I am convinced that the hair loss and the lack of periods has to be related. Though I want my body to fix itself on its own, I am wondering if going back on birth control will jump start everything (and encourage hair growth!). I am at the point where I am desperate for answers and will try anything.
I love my hair, and have always thought of it as my safety blanket - if other things were going wrong, I always still had my thick beautiful hair. Without this safety blanket, I am feeling out of control and depressed. It is hard for me to concentrate on anything else, and I feel bad that I am not giving myself 100% to my teaching and coaching.
I have a 2 week break from school, and am worried that by the time I get back, my bald spot will have spread to the point where it is not easily covered up. I am considering shaving my head, wigs, and any other option I can think of. I don’t want to be too drastic, but I need to do something, and hats just aren’t going to cut it.
Thanks for any advice anyone has - and for all of the advice and support that you have already given me through your posts!
December 21st, 2007 at 6:43 pm
Hi everyone,
Thanks so much for all your posts, knowing that we are not alone…
I am 21 years old and just started Alesse for a month now, and I been missing the pill every couple days. I am also in college so it’s really stressing me out so much now that I started losing hair. I noticed a few days ago there my hair was falling out a lot. When i was shampooing my hair it just keeps coming out !!! It won’t stop. I was so freaked out. I’ve never seen so much hair not on my head before.. =*( But after reading all the posts I am relieved that there is something I can do about it. Thank you so much for sharing all your experiences
Anyone know if I have just started the pill for a month will my hair loss keep getting worse for 6 months even though its just a short period that I have began the pill?
I have also thought of taking Biosil while on the pill. Would that help my situation? Or should I just get off the pill?
And yes seriously, why didn’t our doctors or anyone else warn us about hair loss problems before putting us on the pill anyways -_- ?????
Thank you so much. And I hope you all good luck!
January 4th, 2008 at 1:37 am
I too hope this treatment works for you.
This is so hard -to take in and figure out how to cope. It is so stressful. I re-member people saying it was all in my head as it started with me. I have a gradual thinning going on and I just do not want to loose any more.
I am 33 and this is happening to me but not from birth control. I was just told to take Rogaine 5% and I was given a blood pressure med and Yesmin. I just saw my dermatologist last month. I bawled in her office. I think every one heard me in the waiting room - talk about discomfort. My story (I call my release) is at my blog feel free to read it and share your story with me as well.
This is such a great site for us to help one another cope and come up with ideas of what we can do next.
Blessings-
Shanlaree
January 7th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
Tina,
I’m currently on Alesse as well, and all I know is that I was taking it for awhile and noticed that my hair was thinning but didn’t think it was bc of the birth control. Then I stopped it for a few months and the shedding was horrible. Then I started it up again and the shedding was still bad and I’m not sure if it is bc you lose hair when you get off of it AND when you get on it (like it sounds like you are experiencing). I’m behind on reading posts, so I’m not sure of your story and if you have shared it, but if you don’t need to be on the birth control I would suggest you get off of it now bc it will only fall out like this again when you decide to in the future.
Take care,
Angela
January 22nd, 2008 at 9:09 am
I know its been a while, but i thought that i would give a quick update. It has now been about 7 months since i have gone off the pill. my hair is still shedding, but it has somewhat declined in the past month. I am having regrowth, but it seems to be very tiny vellous hairs that just seem to fall out eventually. Does anyone have this? The more and more i look at my hair, it seems like AA…
As the obsessor that I am, I have looked at it from the top with a mirror, and it just seems that the hair I have is getting thinner and thinner. Regrowth is there, but its just really thin hairs, like i said. Anyways just wanted to see if any other girls are having any success with getting off BC? I have recently began taking a complex multi B vitamin, and iron supplements. I am trying to use anything that is not natural as a last resort…. but eventually it may look like that i have to.
sarah
January 22nd, 2008 at 9:39 am
Hi Sarah, I am glad to hear that the shedding is starting to slow down, that is a really good sign. I think having any regrowth is good, those follicles are active and alive and in time may eventually mature into full terminal hairs. Hair growth is such a slow process. It’s seems it very unfair that it falls out so much quicker than it can grow back in.
I know a lot of the long time readers of this blog already know my own personal feelings about the benefit of getting off the pill when it is potentially the cause of your hair loss. I’m all for it. You took that big step and are seeing a decline in shedding. It is a difficult thing to do to try and weather the storm of shedding, but you seem to have gotten over the worst of it. I don’t know if you have androgenetic alopecia or not, but you should feel good about the decision you made to stop taking the pill.
Hair loss decisions are so tough and we always second guess ourselves. I think the best thing is to trust yourself. I hope some other women may be able to provide some more insight about their situation with success of getting off the pill.
Vellus hair is, still hair that can turn around to your regular normal terminal hair. After all a lot of babies are born with vellus hair on their head, in time it grows in stronger and thicker. Stay positive!
~Y
January 22nd, 2008 at 7:21 pm
Ladies,
I must admit that I am confused. I hear a lot of women complaining about the pill causing their hair loss, yet I am also seeing the pill as a possible solution to hair loss. Aren’t all contraceptive pills low androgenetic these days? I am 39 years old and began losing my hair years ago, but this was the year it became really noticable. It is genetic, it runs in the family for women so I pretty much feel screwed. I’ve tried rogaine but it did nothing but make the situation worse. Should I go on the pill and hope for a hormonal miracle, or should I stay far far away from it?
January 25th, 2008 at 5:50 am
Hi girls,
I’m so glad I found this website. I’m 22 years old, and my hair is getting thinner all the time. When I was younger I used to have really thick, wavy blonde hair - now its, fine and very thin.
I read somewhere that shedding 50 or so hairs a day is normal - I know I’m losing more than this. I usually see them on my clothes, or on the back of my chair, even when I haven’t touched my hair. I’m scared to brush my hair, because so much of it comes out in the brush - I also avoid washing it more than 3 times a week for the same reason.
The thinning I can see most is at the front - when I look at that part of my head, I can see my scalp and I never could before. I also used to have a very tight parting, but now it’s wider where the hair is starting to thin.
Looking at my hair and other peoples’ is becoming an obsession for me too. It takes up my thoughts constantly, and every time I find another hair on me, I just get this sinking feeling in my stomach. I’ve noticed the thinning for a couple of years now, but mostly in the last month or so.
The only thing that I imagine could be casuing it is stress - I’m on my own a fair bit at the moment as my partner works away a lot and I miss him all the time. Can stress cause this?! I’ve read what you’re all saying about the pill but I’m not sure it’s that for me - I’ve been on it since I was 16 constantly, and haven’t had any problems before. I also eat really healthily and do lots of exercise so dont think it’s diet related.
I’ve not seen a doctor about this yet but I have an appointment this afternoon so I’m going to ask what they think. The only thing I’ve done so far is started taking some vitamins specifically for hair/nails - who knows if these even work?!
Sorry this is so long, just needed to vent. I was on the train home this morning, and it was all I could think about - I was getting more and more upset and when I finally got back to my flat and shut the door I just collapsed on the floor in tears. I dont know what to do, I feel so self conscious, i think everyone is looking at me and I keep reaching up and touching my hair as if I can convince myself it isn’t happening. Does anyone have any suggestions?!
A
January 26th, 2008 at 12:00 am
First of all, let me just say I’m so happy to have found this site. Doctors have just brushed off my hairloss as genetic, even though my dad just started losing his hair in his forties.
I started birth control (Yasmin) when I was 18, I can’t really remember, but at that point, I think I noticed some hair loss. I had a lot of hair through high school and it never used to shed. I’m 19 and a half now, and my hair density has really deteriorated in the past year. I remember exactly a year ago, my swim coach put my swim cap on and said, “wow your ponytail is definitely the biggest out of all the girls on the team.” it’s no where near that anymore.
I never thought that my birth control could be causing my hair loss, my doctor always said it would help it. I don’t know whether or not to go off it, I don’t want to risk losing a lot of hair. My doctor suggested that PCOS might be an explanation for my hair loss last year, along with the change of my flow, but I guess that could also be caused by the pill itself?
I find my hairloss comes and goes in monthly cycles too. I feel great about it the first two weeks of my cycle then when my period starts looming in the future, I lose so much hair it just paralyzes me with fear. my part is a lot wider than it used to be, so I know that the hairloss is getting worse. I have no idea what to do.. there seem to be so many options and explanations, but I hate doctors and don’t know that they’ll suggest I do anything! I’d rather take action by myself, but the question is where do I go from here? I think I’ll try stopping my birth control as well as taking sugar out of my diet, upping my iron, flax, biotin, saw palmetto, holy crap that’s the longest new years resolution list I’ve made ever!
pleeease if you have any advice for me or if your story is similar, tell me what you’re doing/did. I can tell you one thing, I started shampooing with Nizoral, and I think it made it worse, but I’m really not sure.
March 6th, 2008 at 5:37 pm
Hi Ladies,
I too am very happy to have found this post. I am 28 years old and have been going through the same thing you all describe. I started bcp around 18 on triphasil, I was fine on this then moved to Massachusettes where they only prescribe the generic drug so I had to switch to tivora. Supposedly it’s the same but looking back, about a year or so after I switched, I noticed I was always picking hairs off my clothes, my pillow, my brushes etc. Little did I know what was going on. This goes back about 5 years now, my mom finally mentioned something had to be wrong and she though it might be the pill… of course as usual, I didn’t want to listen to my mother so I stayed on it. Then I became aware of the issue myself, I had a lot of blood tests done and everything came back normal except my testosterone levels were low. My dr. prescribed Yasmin because it is non-androgenic and is supposed to help w/ hairloss. I have given it a good run, a year now and have seen my hair progressivly get worse =( I too notice like someone mentioned above, the last two weeks of my cycle i’m shedding like crazy. My hair hardly even stays in a pony tail now and forget about a side part or the cute side-swept bangs I used to love! I have finally decided to go off the pill all together. Who knows what will happen since I had to go on it for irregular periods. Hopefully now that i’m old it’s balanced out a bit. I don’t know what will happen with my hair but the only thing I am certain of is if I stay on Yasmin, I will continue to lose more hair and I don’t have any to spare to begin with. So I was wondering, Sarah, now that it has been quite a while since you stopped taking the pill, how are you doing? I read you were seeing some vellus hairs, have you sprouted more? Any other ladies have a status after stopping the pill? I wish you all luck and hope soon we all are over this dreadful problem… p.s I too find myself obsession about other women’s tiny parts hehe… it’s awful!
March 18th, 2008 at 7:09 pm
well, its beeen about two months or so since i last posted. TO be honest, sometimes i feel my hair getting better, and then when i look at it closer i want to cry. the shedding is very minimal.. however, somehow it still seems to be getting thinner, and it looks as though the hairs that i have are miniaturizing. whether this is true, im not sure. But i do not that if they are minaturzig - it is a large symptom of AGA
:(. so that is where I am at right now. its been about 9 months off birth control. I have an appointment with my doctor so she can refer me to a derm, and hopefully I will get some more solid answers.? its consuming my life its horrible. anyways… this probably isnt the most uplifting post, but u did still some how have faith that it could still possibly grow back.
March 18th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
Hi Sarah,
Minimal shedding is a really REALLY good sign. For me that is the first step. I’m happy if I lose no more than 50 hairs in a comb through after a shower. It is still reasonable to me, I’ve lost 500 before.
You said you feel your hair loss is geting better… try and focus on that, believe me I know how hard that is. I mentioned this before, but you made a choice that I often wish I had done myself. I always wonder if I would have been better off just staying off the pill and never starting again.
Be confident in your decision. The truth is the treatments will always be there, whether it is taking Spironolactone and a low dose birth control or Rogaine. Right now you are giving your body the chance to try and straighten itself out, and I think that is a good thing. It is definitely a good idea to consult with a dermatologist who uses a densitometer or something equivalent to determine if miniturization is present. Miniturization is indicative of female pattern hair loss, but I think at the point you are now it would be pretty hard to determine just by looking at your hair through naked eyes. I can tell now by looking at my hair once its fallen out of my scalp. But early on all the hairs looked pretty sturdy
Keep me posted. I’m sending you lots of strength and hope and a big hug from beyond the internet.
~Y
April 11th, 2008 at 3:32 am
Hi everyone!! im 20 years old and had taken the pill since i was 18! i took a pill containing Ethynodiol Diacetate! i didnt take it for contraceptive reasons but for hormonal problems. for the first few months i was very regular in taking the pill but after about 4 months i sometimes forgot to take them for a few days! i was very irregular in the consumption of them but none the less took them when i rememberd! i stopped taking them last september! as i was gaining a lot of weight and started to notice that my hair was thinning! i didnt realise it until people started to point it out to me! my hair used to be very thick and wavy and i used to love styling it!. . . at first i put the hair thinning down to colouring and straightning and cane rowing my hair too often and my mother agreed so i stopped the pill alongside messing around chemically with my hair! i started to put oil in it before i went to sleep and washing it out the next morning aswell as drying it with cold air rather than hot because hot air causes the roots to weaken! and i came across a herbal hair solution website which charged for an ancient indian recipe to stop hair loss so i thought why not try it! i found out that if cut up pieces of ginger rosmery and lavender and boil it in a pot of water 4 20 minutes then let the water cool and strain it! put the water into a spray bottle n spray the solution onto your hair twice a day! i have been doing this for 2 months now and have seen lots of little baby hairs growing! my hair seems a little thicker than when i was on the last month of taking the pill! it has been around 7 months since ive stopped! i havent seen a dramatic change but am hoping that it will grow back! im very upset that my doctor didn’t inform me that i could possibly lose my hair!
i am very self concious and want to know if i could possibly hav andro alopecia what are some of the symptoms? what foods contain eastrogen? i have noticed a bit of facial hair growing which i never used to have this was in conjunction with the hair loss and i have had severe acne! i know the doctors will just try and put me on another pill if i go to them with these problems but is there any other solution to these problems?
btw girls try using castor oil on your hair a lot of people say it works ive been using it it my hair does seem a lot healthier and stronger! it doesnt fall out half as much as it used to! but i just want the thickness back!
thanks!
mwah! x
April 12th, 2008 at 1:17 pm
I have been losing my hair for about 9-12 months now. It wasn’t very noticable at first. Just a few more hairs in the shower here and there. Then I began pulling handfuls of it out in the shower and noticing that my drain would look like a small rat had drowned in it every few weeks. At first I shrugged all of this off thinking it was a result of high stress levels from a recent move to a new state, new job, etc. Then yesterday I went to get my hair done and my hairdresser made a comment about how noticably thinner and less dence my hair seemed than just a few months ago. So since last night I have been freaking out! Now I know I am not the only one noticing this problem. I began researching and miraculously made the link between birth control and hair loss. Which I never ever ever would have thought of in a million years. About a year ago a switched to the low does hormone pill Loestrin 24. I went to my doctor with concerns about low sex drive and that is what he suggested. If i could go back in time I would have gone off the pill all together because not only has my sex drive decreased more but I have lost 40% of my hair. After reading all of your posts I am terrified on what the correct decision is to make for me. Stop the pill, switch pills? I cannot beleive this nightmare! It is great to know that so many women share the same problem though?
Appreciate any thoughts/comments!
April 13th, 2008 at 7:14 pm
First of ,Y, I would just like to thank you for giving such amazing support! you truly are are very helpful, and help me concentrate on the positive things. I thought i would just give a bit of an update.. i have currently been off the pill for almost 10 months. I had a large dred shed, but it has calmed down since december, and little hairs have been appearing since then. its been frustrating, because I end up shedding alot of these small hairs as wel, and they are also EXTEMLY thin as i had stated before…but i still have hope!..Jessica, personally, i think going off the pill was the best thing i did. I think that my hair would have gotten worse. Although, my hair is not that great now, I hae read past experieences of those who have quit birth control and they have stated that it took them a full year to start going new hair. I found this old hair loss forum which is full of older posts about women who had gone off birth control and still had hair loss. it was great to read them, because they would update on there recovery. Alot of them quit the pill, road out it out and have their hair back to normal. I am hoping the same happens for me,
Just a question, for any one that has answers… does hair loss of small little hairs signify AGA? I read somewhere that it is the follicles getting used to working again, but then i also hear that it is a what happens when u have AGA? any thoughts?
anyways… hope everyone is doing well, and congrats Y on your little success there as well! take care everyone.
April 15th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
Hi Everyone! My name is Meg and I have been experiencing a substantial amount of hair loss. I am going my family physician tomorrow morning and hopefully get some tests done with him- I already went to the dermatologist but I really don’t think he took me very serious. No one would be able to tell that I am losing hair since except for me but at the rate it’s coming out people will be able to tell pretty soon. I started birth control for the first time about a year and a half ago- I was first put on Loestrin(horrible!)I didn’t notice any hair thinning maybe because I was probably too busy looking at the 30 extra pounds my butt accumulated. Anyway, I then switched to Avaine- which I loved! I lost all my weight, and my boobs got bigger… my world was great! Well, I stopped taking it in September ‘07 then I started taking it again in December. I really didn’t notice any changes until about 2 months ago when my doctor started prescribing me Adderall for ADHD (it’s an amphetamine with mixed salts) that’s when my hair started falling out- hair loss is not a side effect of Adderall or so my pharmacist says… she said birth control would be the culprit but honestly I really don’t know. I stopped taking Avaine this month and I still take the Adderall occasionally (for school or studying) Maybe it is the Adderall or birth control or both? Has anyone heard of anything similar to my story at all. I’m getting really freaked out and it doesn’t help that I’m a hypochondriac. I just want my long luscious locks back
April 15th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
Hi Sarah,
Thanks for checking back in and keeping us updated. I’m really proud that you made your decision and are sticking to it and that your shedding has slowed down. I really think you made the right decision to get off the pill. As far as the little hairs shedding, it means those hairs are having a shorter hair life cycle, but I don’t necessarily think that is indicative of androgenetic alopecia. In my opinion I think it could mean the hair cycle is trying to regulate itself and in time they will stick around longer
Take heart in knowing you can always begin any treatment or pill, but right now you are giving yourself a fair shot at letting your body and hormones get back to normal and self regulate. That is the one thing I wish I had done for myself.
Thanks for much for checking back. It is really good for other women to hear updates.
~Y
April 15th, 2008 at 6:26 pm
Hi Meg,
I did some googling and found that Adderall and Ritalin can both produce hair loss. So that is definitely a possibility. If it is the cause then stopping the med could quite possibility help. Also looking at your timeline of birth control pills, in my opinion your last stopping and starting of the pill from sept to dec could definitely also be the shedding culprit.
Maybe this is a silly question but how necessary is the Adderall for you? You should talk to a doctor about it, but I’m thinking of the two that it would be the safer hairwise to go off of to try and see if it would resolve your hair loss. I am not a doctor, this is just my opinion and I really don’t have much knowledge about adderall I just did some digging online.
How did your appointment with your doc go today?
~Y
April 17th, 2008 at 5:28 pm
Hi Ladies,
Thought I would check in and post a quick update. Nothing too exciting, I’ve been off Yasmin now for about 6 weeks… Luckily I got my period after just 5 weeks of being off the pill, i’ve heard so many horror stories of it taking months sometimes and I’m affraid that could mess w/ hormones even more! My body seems to be adjusting fine but I am shedding a ton! Has anyone else who has gone off the pill noticed a big shed soon after stopping? I have read it’s usually after 3 months so I’m affraid I haven’t even hit the begining. I was really frustrated b/c a lot of the baby hair I had growing in around my hairline were falling out, but I think it is actually filling back in. I could be imagining things, but I really hope that’s what it is =) I also hope it’s happening all over my head and I just can’t see it! we’ll see…
N, it’s funny you mention the ancient indian recipe. I think I saw the same advertisement and was interested but I figured since they were charging, it had to be a scam. Do you put the treatment on wet or dry hair & just on your roots or all over? I might try to make a batch this weekend =) Good luck ladies and I hope we all get over this soon!
April 18th, 2008 at 4:25 am
Hi. I just wanted to chime in as I have tried almost all these “remedies” on these website regarding hair loss and nothing has worked. I was on the pill for about 3-4 years never noticing the hair loss I was having since my hair was so thick when I started I could never find scrunchies or clips that would even stay in my hair when I was younger. Through the time I was on birth control I started straightening my hair with a straigtening iron and I was actually happy when I saw my hair was like other girls because I used to not even be able to get it straight because I had so much hair. Anyways, I broke up with my boyfriend of 6 years and had no reason to stay on the pill. After I got off it I would say I lost about 60-70% more of my hair. I would walk around my house and just see hair everywhere where I would be walking. All over my pillows, shirts, friends if I hugged them. It was really bad. I did the same thing as everyone else does, go to the derm, and the reg doc. No one had any advice except count the number of hairs. Meanwhile we all know our hair and know when there is a problem. So I stopped going to the doctor. I had an IUD put in for birthcontrol that has no hormones. My hair no longer sheds anywhere near what it did. I probably have average hair shedding now. But my hair did not grow back at all!! All the hair I lost is gone. It has been over 3 years, so as much as I hoped and prayed I am pretty sure it is gone. You know it is bad when your hair dresser that used to say you should model your hair for a living says “oh you have fine thin hair like me”. It is awful and embrassing. I even had my best friend, family, neighbors all ask me what happened to my hair. Like someone else had said. I never really had much to brag about as far as my appearance but I had my hair! Nowadays I dread going out and having to do my hair. I usually keep it back in a bun in clips not a ponytail holder because I am afraid I will lose more hair. I am only 25 years old at this point not married. I don’t have shedding anymore so there is really nothing the doctors can say or do. I have cut my hair short so many times in hopes when it gets longer it will be thick again to no avail. I was contemplating extensions but they are expensive and can cause hair loss. So there seems like there is no winning in this situation. I can’t imagine myself at a club trying to meet someone with a wig on at 25 years old. All because of birthcontrol pills, I wish I had saved myself until I was married…..seriously!!
April 18th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
Maria,
My story is very very similar to yours. I used to have thick hair but have been on and off the birth control pill for 6-7 years and it has really done some damage. I, too, have lost 60% and it is slowly starting to get thinner by the day. My shedding has stabalized from the stoppage of the pill two years ago, but i am currently on the pill because when I stopped it I didnt know starting it up again would be an issue. So now I feel trapped…holding onto the hair that is still there and afraid to get off the pill even though I no longer “need” it for its function. I worry about what my hair will look like when I finally abandon the pill, and I also worry about what my hair will look like after I have children and my hormones fluctuate yet again…
Honestly, your post made me quite pessimistic about my situation bc it sounds VERY similar to yours and I was always hoping that if I ever got the courage to give up the BC the hair would eventually grow back. I see that you’ve said its been three years and no luck… I’m sorry.
I am 23 and I don’t want to be wearing a wig either! Although if it gets to that point then I have no choice and will have to deal.
Take care,
Angela
April 18th, 2008 at 5:20 pm
Hi Angela, Thanks for your resonse! It is a very difficult situation especially being as young as we are! I am planning on a starting a new diet tomorrow. I typically try new things every couple of months when I still notice no re-growth. The newest stuff I have read is basically to increase water intake and take flaxseed oil. I have tried every sort of hair vitamin supplement created with no results. If this works I will post my results. I am also going to start trimming my hair every month. Luckily knock on wood I have never had any balding spots but I am basically dealing with just a significant decrease in the amount of hair and texture. I have heard of people who have lost more hair being pregnant but I also have heard of a massive increase in hair growth. I am not worried about that right now, since I have no plans to have children for now. I just miss my old hair and also find myself like others comparing myself to the women on TV. I can actually name those actresses who have thin hair ex. teri hatcher from desparate housewives. It has consumed me over the years it is awful. I will keep everyone posted if I see any results.
May 7th, 2008 at 5:23 am
Hi cristina!!
i usually spray it on twice a day! once in the morning once in the evening! it can be on either wet or dry hair aslong as you make sure that it has been properly massaged into your scalp! it seems to be working more and more each day! i see new baby hairs and they seem to be growing longer! i am also taking a vitamin for hair skin and nails aswell as saw palmetto! but before i started taking those two i was applying the formula and it was working! have a go of it! see what you think and let me know! i think its wrong for the websites to charge for it! i payed for it because i thought it was worth a try! atleast i can pass the info on for free now!
good luck with it! let me know how you go!
x