Women’s Hair Loss Project

You must have had a temporary hormonal imbalance that you were able to straighten out, and thus re-grow your hair - that is awesome! However, you probably weren’t dealing with Androgenetic Alopecia - I hate to sound negative, but if you are experiencing hair loss due to female pattern baldness, you probably will never be able to re-grow your hair - there are things you can do to help slow down the process of loosing your hair - but if it’s in your DNA, it’s a loosing battle. On the flip side, it makes me sad to hear about so many vulnerable women spending so much money on scams and false promises in the effort of trying to get back their hair. There is no cure for hair loss (female pattern baldness) otherwise none of us would be on this site. There are other reasons besides FPB that women loose their hair, you are one of the fortunate ones because your shed was not due to a sensitivity to DHT, and consequently minitiarizing of your hair. Thyroid issues, temporary imbalances due to childbirth, bcp, surgery…. those issues can be resolved if it doesn’t trigger Androgenetic Alopecia in their systems…. I do think there is something to be said for getting off the pill in order to let your body go back to it’s own natural hormonal fluctuations. I am not trying to be negative, just realistic. I am certainly jealous of you - and happy for you too!

Hi LDK….. I do believe that I have AGA to some degree. Back in 2004 when I started going to dermatologists to figure out what this was, they took a scalp biopsy and said that it was AGA due to miniaturization. Also, when I’m going through a shed, I shed those horrible AGA hairs - the clear wiry looking kind that are real wispy. When I was given my scalp biopsy results, I didn’t want to believe them because my experience with doctors & hair loss had been so disappointing. Doctors didn’t seem to know anything more than i did, especially dermatologists. I think that it’s possible to have more than one issue going on at the same time. It’s not just that you have AGA or just Telogen Effluvium, it can be both. Like I said, I don’t have tons of hair, it is by no means thick, and I’ve got thin spots that I will probably always have. I have just learned to live with less hair and do the most with it. There were times when I was in the thick of massive shedding that my hair was not wearable. I had to have extensions or constantly wear a ponytail. Now, I can wear it down or up and it looks fine…. not thick, but absolutely normal and fine. For me, that is enough and it gives me hope that maybe some of my healthier hair will keep growing….:) Being able to not feel embarassed is good enough for me at this point!

I am 21 and I have two children a 2 year old and a 1 year old. I have been experiencing sever hair loss since I had my second child. I was on Mirena but after 6 months of loosing my hair I decided to have it removed. I am now on the pill and still loosing handfuls of hair at a time. I can now look in the mirror and see my scalp on the crown of my head easily. I am stopping my birth control. I’m so depressed about loosing my hair. I go to the doctor wednesday hopefully they will figure something out. I’m very glad that your hair is coming back. Hair loss was the very last thing on my mind at age 21 but for me now it’s reality!

Wow!
Your story is amazing, but I gotta ask…
I’ve been using Nioxin for just over two weeks and am getting really scared with the number of hairs I find in the drain EVERY shower. I stopped using it just a few days ago because I can’t take how much I’ve lost in just two weeks (I’ve gone from NOT noticeably thinning to obviously balding - again, in two weeks). Can you detail you experience with this product?
please?
thanks,
Annie

Hi Ladies! My name is Holly and I came across this site a few days ago. I wanted to let all of you know that after reading your comments and stories, I feel better. I am no longer embarassed about what am going through and in fact decided to take some action and see what options I have. I have not been formally diagnosed with any particular deficiency, hormonal imbalance, auto immune disorder or anything, but am siffering greatly from hairloss. In the past few months I have lost more hair than I thought I even had. I have some interesting info for those of you also begining to have hair loss or thinning. While doing some research into rogaine and provillus and products like it, I came across a girl who recommended a natural shampoo. Well after doing more research I decided to go with Jasons thin to thick biotin shampoo and conditioner. I have also been taking several different vitamins and watching my nutrition. I am EXTATIC to report that my hair has stopped coming out by the handfuls!! I dont know if anyone here has actually counted the strands they’ve lost but I have. Today in the shower, for the first time in monhts I did not lose clumps of hair, in fact I only counted 30. I was amazed, I kept running my fingers throuhg and waiting to be disapointed and have a handful of hair fall off, but it didnt. I just kept saying 30… only 30 holy cow… I lose more than that just by playing with my hair or running my hands through it. I would not say my hair is “thicker” but it is not as patchy when wet, it definatly has a little more volume to help cover the spots where the scalp is really noticable. I hope that I continue to have progress. I am tracking the results weekly with pictures and if I do have any significant change I will definately let everyone here know! Just reading your stories has given me alot of hope and courage not to be afraid of what may come. I thank eacha nd everyone of you who have been brave enough to take part in this website

Thank you
Holly

3 months ago I stopped taking my BC Ortho Tricyclene. Little did I know 3 months later I would experiece hair loss in clumps. It has been a month, and I am now back on it. Will it grow back? Or just stop for that matter?????

I forgot to mention I’m 24, not 16. But was on the pill for about 6 years.

I am so glad I found this site. I have had Hashimotos Disease (thyroid/ autoimmune disease) for about 15 years…yet the disease NEVER affected my hair…it has always been thick and shiny. I do have a progesterone deficiency and so I took bio identical hormones for that and hair was still fine. For 2 months now I have been on Femcon (first time EVER taking birth control) and my hair is falling out BIG time…should I stop taking the pill? All my doctors ( I have 3 of them, 2 doctors for the Hashimotos and my Gyno) say its not the pill but my thyroid disease…but it just seems like too much of a coincidence that I have had the thyroid problem for so long and never had hair problems….now all of a sudden I go on BC and im getting noticeably thinner. I guess I can just go off them now before its too late…but what can I use for BC besides condoms? Im so torn, I dont want to get pregnant…but I dont want to lose my hair!!!

Hello, My name is Traci I’m 26 and suffering from hair loss. I don’t no what caused my hair loss. I got married 2 months ago sooo maybe stress. I stopped taking birth control about a year ago. I’m always cold skin is dry my Low Thyriod? My hair has always been thin, so Genetics Im sure, but it seems to be getting thinner. I’m so fed up with my hair. I just want to look sexy and feminine! Does anybody got any suggestions?

I’ve read through everyone’s comments and my situation is a little different. I’ve always had very oily skin and hair (genetics) and have some excess hair growth on my chin/neck. I recently had bloodwork done which showed high DHEAS levels (androgens). Back in 2006, I was on birth control for a 6 month period but didn’t notice any changes. In the past year or so, I’ve noticed my hair getting thinner and patchy spots in the crown. I feel like I’m using a large amount of hair and my doctor told me to try going back on birth control but not sure if I should. I’m worried that I’ll lose more hair or disturb my hormone levels even more. Could being on he pill back in 2006 be causing my hair loss now? Or am I maybe just going through some weird hormonal cycle? Any advice would be great. I’m also thinking of maybe taking some vitamins to try and see if that will help and I recently started adding flaxseed to my diet.

Hi, I’m Celeste and I’m 34 years old. My hair loss began a little over a year ago. I have always had thick hair that I always got compliments on. I have never been on any BCP because they always made me sick. Anyway, it just started coming out in wads. I went to a derm who said that my ferritin was low(29), so I took Repliva for 3 weeks and just like that , it went back to normal. I blew it off as some freak thing and went on with my life. Six months later, it starts coming out again, so I start on Repliva again. It gets not better. I go back to the derm and my ferritin is at 48, after being on Repliva for 3 months. She sends me to a hemotologist. All he does is monitor my ferritin level. This past week he checked and my ferritin had jumped to 92, but I am seeing NO improvement in my hair loss. My hair dresser seems to think it’s somehow hormonal related. All my hormone test have come back fine and I’m considering going on Yaz, to see if it will help. I am desperate and it is really affecting my entire life. Not looking forward to the holidays, but trying to paint a smile on for my two beautiful children. I’m also taking Replive, with lysine and orange juice, a daily multi-vitamin, biotin, fish oil, b12, and Zinc.

Any suggestions?

hey, i am 22 years old and was on yasmine for 7 months 4 months in i developed AA and suffered from 8 bald spots on my scalp one large hard to hide and the rest small and spread out. i stopped taking the pill as soon as i put 2 and 2 together and now my 8 spots have trickled down to 2 . i think personally its mother natures way of telling us not to mess with our bodies! worst part of all is that im a hair stylist and it was very difficult to go to work everyday and deal with women who have long thick beautiful hair ! i cried every night and wore extentions , people would ask me if i had cancer and that would make me feel even worse and even more vain.im still very insecure about my hair… and when people crack jokes in lude of comic relif i laugh along with them but when im alone i stare in the mirror and cry>

Tara~
I feel for you! I am almost 30yrs old and my boyfriend just pointed out last night how extremely thin my hair is getting. I myself am a hairstylist as well. I have always had very fine hair, but used to have alot more of it. I’m trying to figure out when my hair started getting so thin and I feel like its been the past couple of years. It is so thin now that I wear clip-in extensions, and in some spots you can see my scalp. The hair on the sides of my head are especially thin. I eat a very healthy diet and take vitamins, I dont smoke and I work out. I cannot begin to understand why this is happening to me! I’ve been in tears over it because I’m afraid something could be very wrong with my body. All of the women in my family have TONS of hair. After reading alot of these postings, I am wondering if my hair loss could also be connected to the pill. My boyfriend finds my hairs all over the place, and being a hairstylist, I take extremely good care of my hair. At first I thought maybe my hair was just breaking off from the chemicals, but I have not had any bleach in my hair for over a year now and my hair is still getting thinner. I have been on birth control since I was 20 (almost 10yrs now) but was on ortho-tri-cyclen and switched to yaz for a year and now have been on yasmin for the last year. I dont know how strong of a connection it could be, but it has been 2yrs that i’ve been on yas/yasmin and about the same amount of time that my hair has been getting thinner. If anyone has any more information about the connection between hairloss and birth control…especially yaz/yasmin, please let me know! Some of the posts say it helped their hair, others say it made hair loss worse! My ob/gyn seems to think there is no connection and that its safe but the more I read the more concerned I get!

Hi Everyone!
I have suffered with hairloss after taking Yasmin for the past 4-5 years. I did stop for a few months in 2007 which seemed to trigger my hairloss. I initially didn’t notice this and when I did back in 2008 didn’t associate it with Yasmin. Well it’s January 2010 and I stopped Yasmin in October 2009. At the moment I’m sure I’m enetering the dread shed! The only thing getting me through it is that a lot of the research I have come across seems to suggest that my hair will get better eventually! I’m currently keeping notes of everthing so I can look back and help others! I’ve also been taking photographs which I hope will show improvement in the not so distant future. I’ll come back when I have more information and hopefully more hair! x

About 2 years ago I went on birth control for the first time -Yaz. My hair has always been super thick and about 6-8 months in - I noticed my hair not feeling the same. It would feel greasy and not right even after a shower. Over a year in, I noticed my hair had thinned significantly along with the texture (same greasy feeling). I never realized that the pill had anything to do with this, but now I’m convinced that Yaz had caused the thinning. I’m wondering why this happened to me since I’ve read that Yaz is very “hair friendly.” Anyway, I went off the pill on October 18th 2009 and am experiencing the dread shed now just like you Cassie. I’m wondering how long before the shedding will stop? I have read this is a waiting game and it will eventually grow back - I just hope it is sooner than later because my hair is already very noticeably thin. Hopefully I can get my hair back to where it was 2 years ago before starting Yaz.

I searched and searched the internet to try to find up-to-date stories about my losing my hair after I stopped the birth control pill, loestrin (which they had put me on because of my low bone density). I was getting very depressed because all of the stories about hair loss after birth control were old… even stories back as far as 2004. I wanted to hear some of today’s stories, so thank you for posting this update.

I’m 33 years old; I went off the pill in September 2009 and have been losing my hair for the past two months. Like many, my hair dresser alerted me to the seriousness (something I was choosing to ignore). I have then hair anyway and was searching the internet to try to get an idea of HOW LONG this hair loss happens. It seems to vary for different people, but if anyone has encouraging stories, please let me know. I’d love to hear stories like “It only lasted a few months, and then my hair grew back fuller and healthier than ever!” Anyone??

Ann/Robin
I’ve researched this quite a lot and from what I have found out it seems the dread shred starts approximately 3-6 months after stopping the pill and can last for 6-12 months apparently. I’m not sure how accurate this is as you don’t seem to find any stories from women after their hair has grown back. I’m just hoping that this time next year I have my hair back! I think we’ve all got our fingers crossed for this!

Is anyone else suffering with terrible painful spots that just won’t shift?

I have been on this website many times over the last 6 months and have found so much reassurance just from knowing that there are so many other people out there who are having a tough time of it with hair shedding.
My shedding started about 6 months ago and as I have had several triggers during that time, it just keeps on going! The most recent of which was stopping taking Yasmin around 3.5 months ago.
I have consulted just about everybody about why this is happening and whether there is anything that I can do to try and stop it and have learnt so much about hair during that time!
If it had just been the hair shedding I think I would have coped a bit better but with it I have had the awful burning scalp syndrome, hair which was painful to touch and terrible dandruff!
I was recently referred to a dermatologist who specialises in the scalp and hair issues who was so understanding and incredibly helpful. I had a whole raft of blood tests done including iron, ferritin, hormones etc etc and absolutely everything came back as being good. The hair biopsy showed that I have more hairs than usual in the telogen stage - which obviously explains the shedding. It doesn’t appear to have triggered AGA though, fingers crossed anyway.
The dermatologist was brilliant and reassured me that this will stop but that it will just take a bit of time. His advice was to make sure I have a balanced diet which is high in protein given that this is essentially what hair is as this will help with the regrowth.
I am 6 months into this and at times I have felt utterly depressed about the whole thing. My husband and family have been brilliant, so supportive, but no one really understands just how having big chunks of hair come out actually makes you feel. It’s not that I’m vain but I just like to always look well presented and when you’re constantly picking hair off your shoulders, it makes you feel a mess.
I do believe that one day this will stop and until then I’m trying my hardest to focus on all the other things that life has going for it. The dermatologist recommended that I should go and speak to someone about this who might be able to help me deal with it a little better and after much denying that I needed help, I think I do. That starts next week.
I’m trying to be positive and although some days it is easier than others, I do believe that this is just a temporary thing. I’m trying my hardest not to sit and count hairs or get upset when I find them all over the house as I know that that won’t help the recovery. I do think that the shedding might be showing some signs of improving although I’m not getting my hopes up just yet.
I have been warned that as telogen effluvium has struck once, it might well be my achilles heel but hopefully next time it strikes, I’ll be stronger and able to deal with it a bit better.
Anyway, that’s my story. For those of you going through this, a few tips. Try and find a sympathetic dermatologist, make sure you eat well and take care of your body - any neglect will only impact upon your regrowth, and try and stay calm - I started reflexology which helped so much with my relaxation. Just know you’re not alone and that there are so many others out there going through the same thing.
If this does eventually let up, I’ll let you all know.
Sorry for the long post!

Hey guys. As the rest of you, I am also very greatfull to have come across this website and comments. I have been on the pill for 6 years now. I am now turning 24. In the last 4 years more or less I have notices extreme hairloss. I had very thick hair before I started using the pill (Janette). So I also started to do some research and realised that the pill is the only thing that could be the cause of my hairloss, as I have never been ill or had to use any other pills. Anyway, I have started using “amla oil” and it seems it really stops the hairloss. I am using it about 2weeks now and have also stopped using the pill, and my hear feels great. I don’t really see new hair yet, but I hope to see a difference within the next 6 months. The only thing that scares me, is that, in alot of the previous comments the ladies are losing more hare after stopping the pill. My hair is nearly 1/4 than it was 6 years ago, so I really do not want to lose any more hair!!! The amla oil stops the hairloss, but it has a terrible smell! lol. I am also planning to buy prozana pills which helped me in the past to grow my hair longer… anyway, I just also wanted to share my story and want to say good luck to all of you! I really hope we can all beat this terrible situation we are in. I get so jelous of all the girls having full and thick hair that it makes me angry, but I try to keep it to myself lol. Anyway, I will also keep you up to date with my problem and progress!

Amy,
I am sorry this is happening to you, the first few months of realization are the hardest. Hopefully your hair loss is not permanent and take assurance in the fact that it is so recent - there is a full chance that you can regain your hair.

I have so many questions, all of which stem from “I went off Yasmin 3 months ago”.
- How long were you on Yasmin? Have you battled acne since you hit puberty, or has it been a more recent thing?
- The acne came back with a vengeance immediately after quitting the pill? Or a few months after? What about the hair loss?
- Have you ever tested for PCOS at the gynecologist (i.e. a transvaginal ultrasound which checks for cysts on your ovaries)? I came off the pill about a year ago, also an anti-androgenic one like Yasmin. It had masked all my symptoms of PCOS for so many years, which is why once I came off it, the cysts began forming. Of course, the first few months of acne and hair loss I wrote off as “me just getting adjusted to being off the pill”. But it kept persisting so I was told to do get my hormonal panel tested. It came back with extremely elevated testosterone, which led me to my gynocologist. She did a scan of my ovaries and found cysts, which in turn produce testosterone, which in turn causes hair loss/acne. Often when I hear about girls who suffer both at the same time, I am inclined to say that there is a hormonal basis for the hair loss, rather than it being just a genetic thing. This is relatively good news, because there are a few more options for treatment than the usual Minoxidil.

I think you would immensely benefit from a hormonal check up. By this I mean a blood test which measures: testosterone, free testosterone, androgens, DHEA, and SHBG, estrogen, LH and FSH. If any of these come up elevated, especially the testosterone/androgen levels, both an endocrinologist and a gynecologist could together give you insight on what can be done.

If these all turn out fine, one of the following could be an explanation:
1) Your body is reeling from the shock of having to do the work itself i.e. control your estrogen-androgen balance. This is causing a huge but temporary shed - just shock loss. It’s called Telogen Effluvium and is triggered by a variety of things, from stressful events to bodily shocks, like coming off the pill.
2 ) If it goes on for more than 4-5 months without any regrowth, it is deeper than telogen effluvium. It might be the case that the Yasmin has triggered Androgenic Alopecia. I’ve read this for a lot of women on the website - please go to the “birth control pill” hyperlink and you will read a lot of experiences relating to yours. Do you have any genetic tendencies towards thinning? If so, at what age did these relatives begin their hair loss?

Amy, when I went off the pill last May, I did not know what I was in for. So many times was I tempted to hop back on it and erase away my pains, but I am glad I did not. Simply because it allowed me to get to the root of my problems. By this I mean that all the tests you run, blood work, ovarian ultrasounds etc, will be entirely futile if you are on the pill. Your results will be skewed and you will be stuck on the pill forever, out of fear of what would happen if you were to quit it.

It might just be, that after all your tests come back, the doctors suggest that continuing the pill might be the best option for you. For me, they found out that a mild case of insulin-resistance (prediabetes) was causing the cysts, which was causing the hair loss. Mind you, I am perfectly normal weight and have no other health issues - I would have never suspected this was the root of all my troubles. So anyways, they have put me on diabetes medication (which isn’t nearly as hardcore as it sounds), which has the unintended effect of reducing acne and hair loss-causing testosterone. I am hopeful and slightly relieved that I did not have to succumb to a lifelong dependency on birth control.

Good luck with it and please stay strong. It is devastating, but if you fight this early on, you will be thankful.
Ask me any questions you might have.

Amy, you have suffered acne for a very long time now. It is not normal for it to run into your twenties without an underlying cause.

I am very sorry to hear that they found some pre-cancerous cells - where where they? And how did they find them - on accident?

I strongly urge you to get your hormones tested - and the ultrasound you did, was that of your stomach or your ovaries? I am specifically referring to a transvaginal ultrasound at the gynecologist’s office. I am almost certain your gyno and an endocrinologist could give you insight as to what’s going on with your body after coming off the pill. Please look up PCOS and see if you have any more symptoms. It is a “syndrome”, not a disease as such. For example, the most telling sign that one has PCOS is irregular periods (maybe 3 times a month) and acne.

I have almost no acne any more, and have never missed a period in my life. Yet my ovarian scans show little cysts, which produce testosterone, which is killing my hair. So there is really no one set mould for someone who has PCOS - it is just a bunch of symptoms that are caused by too much testosterone being produced in the body.

I do believe Yasmin has triggered, or unmasked a bunch of negative things - like the hair loss, which would not have happened till a bit later, if ever. Some women’s endocrine systems do not ever go back to their pre-pill state and this is the unspoken side effect of the pill that our GP’s fail to tell us.

In my personal opinion, I believe you should stay off the pill in the short run. Every doctor will tell you that you need to be off for at least 3 months for your blood tests to show your “true colors” - obviously everything will come up peachy if you are on a hormonal supplement which is doing all the work for you.
Same goes for the ovarian scans. Our ovaries are absolutely gorgeous when on the pill. Not a single cyst in sight.

Once these tests are done and you get a clear verdict, you can go back on it or follow other courses of action. So yes, please get two referrals: firstly to a gynecologist to check for cysts; then get your bloodwork done (all the male hormones, female hormones, and fasting insulin); then see an endocrinologist with this bloodwork handy.

I promise you will have answers within weeks. Jumping back on the pill is only a temporary band-aid, if even that.

Stay strong. And don’t hesitate to ask any more questions - I have just spent the last 2 months figuring out what is wrong with me post-pill era and don’t want anyone else to around in circles!

Hi Everyone!
I’m back again and quite optimistic. My hair looks like it is improving but it is still quite thin just not as noticeable I suppose. My eyebrows are also growing more which is great! I have faith it will grow back as it was prior to all this but I am sure it will take a while as it is still shedding and had been shedding for 3 years prior to coming off Yasmin in October 2009. Hope you’re all seeing improvements too! x

Hi everyone - this is Jessica - the original author of this thread “I will Beat This!” On a whim, I checked back here only to see the comments still going and my heart sank as I realize - this is a problem that the medical community has GOT to take seriously. Look how many of us have had birth control pill related hairloss for one reason or another! And then how many of us go on and off these hormones trying to salvage our hair while throwing our bodies into complete chaos?

I want to give you an update: My daughter is now 1 year old. I went through the terrible shed at 3 months, lost a ton of hair, just like going off the pill, except - this time - it has grown back in a bit thicker. Don’t think that I do not look in the mirror every day and thank God for it. I remember the days of staring in the mirror crying that if I could just have a little hair to work with, I would give up anything. I’d give it all. Anything, to stop the balding girl I saw before me. I’ll never forget the night it first started falling out in fistfuls (at least it was the first time I recognized it). I remember trying to do my hair to go out but it felt so thin. I put it in a ponytail but even then it looked terrible, so I thought. I remember what I wore out that night. That night changed my life. It was then that this journey started, and shortly after that I realized it was connected to the pill, which then sent me back on the pill on and off 4 times. In total, I had been on bcp for 12 years.

Here I am, the girl that the dermatologists told (AFTER SCALP BIOPSIES!!!!) had diffuse thinning and shrinkage of the hair follices. Basically that I could use Rogaine or continue to lose my hair. And here I sit - with a normal head of hair. Definitely not thick, but then again it never was. But it’s normal. No thin spots. No weird wiry vellus hairs, just healthy hair. I have been off bcp since 3 months before I got pregnant and haven’t gotten back on since….. 1 year after my daughter’s birth I have hair like I did when I was 25. I know it’s because my body has finally gotten rid of the hormones that I was unnecessarily feeding it. I am 100% sure of it.

I spent so much of my life obsessing, crying, driving my parents crazy, my husband, everyone….. so much money on extensions to make my hair look normal, so much time on the internet reading and commisserating. Here I am, normal hair.

I know that each person is different. Just because going off the pill permanently was what I needed to do doesn’t mean it is everyone’s solution.

I just feel like I have to share. I remember always posting on boards and blogs… please share positive stories. It seemed like the girls who had success and stopped their shedding or their loss disappeared. And I don’t blame them! They probably started living life again!But I have an obligation to give back because I spent years of my life looking for help. I would have paid a million dollars.

Thank God I wanted to have a child otherwise I would have stayed on the viscious pill cycle forever. It led me to my answer.

I set up a separate email and would be happy to answer any questions about my experience - please feel free to write me.
EMAIL me at:
jessica.hairhelp@gmail.com

I’ll be honest and candid and I’ll let you know exactly what happened with my hair and how long shedding lasted - etc….. I went through 5 cycles of shedding, and one big shed during post partum. I also was diagnosed with alopecia by several doctors. I had extensions, I have done research, I’ve been through years of going through doctors and websites…

Whatever I can do to help I promise I will!

Take Care and stay POSITIVE.

Hi Jessica,

I’m writing in hopes of encouragement, I guess. Here’s a summary of my story:

I had my son a little over 2 years ago and feel like my hormones have been crazy since then. I went on the pill after I had him to regulate my periods, and then started noticing my hair was getting lot thinner late last year. I’ve been on Spironolactone, iron supplements, biotin, all the good stuff, for about 8 months. I was still taking birth control pills (Seasonique) until last week. I’ve never done well on the pill, and I usually just feel sick all the time when I’m taking it. So I decided to quit. This has been my first week without taking it, and my shedding is somewhat stable for now. I guess I’m wondering when I should feel the big hit, and how long does it take for your hair to stop shedding from stopping the pill.

Thank you so much for your help!

Hi I am experiencing alot of hair shedding in the last 6 months, I dont know what is causing it, I have seen a doctor and all of my vitamin and iron levels are within the normal range, I am 20 and have been on the same pill for the last 3 years, and have never changed, apparently it is quite a strong one because i used it originally to get rid of acne. what should i do? stop taking the pill? I have heard that this may lead to an increase in shedding, or should i change to a lower dose pill?
I really want it to stop, its all i can thing about lately.
any advice would be much appreciated
thanks

LIKE:

Did your shedding start shortly after you started the pill? How soon after your had your son did you begin taking Seasonique?

Usually post pardum hair loss occurs 2-4 months after. I’m thinking the hair loss you have been experiencing is a combo of post pardum hair loss and hair loss from the pill. I’ve lost a lot of hair from going OFF the pill (even though I only took it for 1.5 months), but I’ve read of a lot of women experiencing hair loss from going on the pill, usually a few months after they start. For some it seems to slow down once they stop the pill and for others (like me) will experience the dread shed a few months after stopping the pill.

During this time have you also noticed re-growth?

ANNA:

I think you really have to go with what your gut is telling you. I suffered from severe hair loss from going OFF the pill after only taking it for 1.5 months. I remember when I decided to go on the pill, there was something inside of me telling me not to do it. But I decided to not pay attention to my 6th sense and go ahead with it. BIG MISTAKE!

It’s really weird that you would start shedding the last 6 months even though you’ve been on the same pill for the last 3 years. Usually hair loss due to bcp will either occur a few months afer starting the pill or after stopping the pill. But then again, it wouldn’t surprise me if indeed it was the cause of your hair loss.

What pill are you currently taking?

I’m really sorry that you have to go through this (or any of us for that matter), but know that you’re not alone. Just like you, I want this to stop. Let’s stay positive, take care of ourselves and hope for the best! That’s really all we can do.

Pilar

Hi Pilar,

Thank you for your reply. To answer your questions, I went back on Brenda which is the equivelent of Diane (after having about a 5 month break) at the very end of May this year and within 10 days had masses of hair loss, continued on the pill wondering if it would level out, it didnt so went off it only after about a month of being on it. my hair loss hasnt decreased as yet… i am getting really scared now. its getting really bad. i would say half my head if not more.

when it happened in the past i think i was on Diane. I hadn’t made any changes, it just started happening. I didn’t stop the pill thought i kept going and eventually it levelled out but i never got all my hair back. i used to have very think heavy hair and now it is so thin it is scary.

Did you have any other tests (thyroid?) or anything?

Thanks for you help!!

Mani

Hi Pilar!

I came off Yasmin in October 2009 and I am still suffering with the dread shed! I thought it had improved a few months back but now I’m back to square one. It’s so frustrating! I think I have regrowth around my temples but the full front of my scalp is very thin and very noticable and I’m also suffering with an uncomfortable scalp! Sometimes it’s so sensitive I can’t touch it and other days it itches but I’m telling myself this because it’s growing back (hopefully it is).

Have you read anywhere how long it takes to get your hair back to normal? The majority I have read have been vague, the dread shed seems to starts around 3-6 months after stopping the pill and then this can last 6-12 months. So hopefully by this time next year we should have a lot more hair! I really hope so!

Cassie

Hi Pilar,

My hair first started thinning back in 2007 when I had a break from Yasmin which I had been on for around 3 years. After going back on to Yasmin the thinning continued but I was unaware that it was Yasmin causing this until last year when I found all the forums online. I had been to my GP on numerous occasions and he had done the usual blood tests and everything was fine apart from my B12 being very low for which I now have 10 weekly injections. So we all put the hair loss down to this as it is a form of anaemia. After a year on this my hair had still not improved even with daily supplements and that’s when I looked into Yasmin. Since stopping in October last year I think it has improved although I’m not sure! :-/ I have new hair growing around the temple area and my parting is certainly not as apparent as it was but it is still very thin across the front of my scalp with no apparent new growth which would be easy to see as I dye my hair every couple of months. Apparently they say it’s the telogen phase that is disrupted with Yasmin, the hair rest too long and that’s why the thinning starts. I’ve read a lot of information that says Omega 3 is good for hair growth as a number of sites I have been on have said to have Flaxeed which is omega 3. I have just recently started taking this so if I notice a change I will let you know. My hair has been shedding a lot for the past month or so and it’s beginning to get very difficult to style but I’m not sure why.

My scalp itches all over and it drives me mad it’s that bad some days! Sometimes my scalp can be very sensitive too. I can’t say I have lost any new hair but I’m not sure I have any really, usually the hair that falls are quite long strands as my hair is shoulder length.

I really do hope this only lasts a year too! I want normal hair so bad! I find myself looking at other peoples hair and getting increasingly jealous which isn’t good.

I agree! I think positive all the time, I don’t think there’s any other way to get through this.

Cassie

I wish I could say the cause of my hair thinning was from Birth Control but I haven’t tried any for almost 10 years and I only tried them very briefly. I’ve got other problems too that makes me think something is wrong with my hormones or that I’m too sensitive to them..

The thing that makes me sad is how little the doctors seem to care, I’ve had some blood tests but not all, and I’ve read that some have to be taken at a certain time of the day/month. They don’t know what to do and they are reluctant to refer me on. I feel completely alone.

I know it’s normal to have some hair thinning but I had such thick hair - it was difficult to do anything with it, even keep it in a ponytail. Now, when I run my fingers through my hair it feels like there is barely anything there. I can see parts of my scalp.. I noticed that in the past couple years it has thinned out but, in the last 6 months, especially the last 3 it has escalated. It happened so quickly - noticed that I could touch my hair at any time and there would always be hair ready to fall out. In the last 3 months I have had burning and tingling on my scalp which makes my hair fall out even more. It goes with other problems I’ve had lately - bad periods, etc..

I feel like I’m supposed to just live with it… I wish I knew what the problem was..

Hi Pilar,

I can’t think of anything I changed around that time although I did start a high strength fish oil which I had to cut down to taking just once a week as it was causing me to get terrible spots. Oh, I also tried Arnica for a days too! I’d read that this could help but this was stopped immediately after I started getting break outs. Apart from this nothing. Maybe it’s just the cycle of our hair, If yours started in May and mine started in June/July then it could be as you stopped Yasmin in September and I stopped in October. Either way it’s still frustrating. I’m loosing so much hair right now, it’s ridiculous! I can’t keep count of them, I’m loosing a lot in the shower and the bedroom carpet (which is cream) is terrible with my shed hair! I have to vacuum 3-4 times a week!

I’m keeping mine crossed too! ?

Cassie

Hi Sia:

I’m sorry you’re experiencing hair loss and I know first hand how hard and depressing this can be.

If you period has changed during these last few months and you’re also epxeriencing more hair loss, it can definitely be hormonal. You’re right when you say that certain hormones need to be tested during different times of your cycle. If it isn’t done on the right day it can show an imbalance that isn’t there or it can mask one. Most hormones need to be tested on cycle day 3 and Progesterone on cycle day 21 (or 7 days after ovulation).

Here’s a link where it shows what hormones you should have tested and what REALLY is normal.

http://www.fertilityplus.org/faq/hormonelevels.html#female

Up until April I was taking another brand of Fish Oil and had started to only shed between 30-60 hairs a day. Then in the beginning of May I switched to another brand, an ULTRA kind. I’m thinking maybe this was too much omega for me or maybe this brand wasn’t as good. I know that vitamin supplements aren’t regulated by the FDA and sometimes can do more harm than good. So for right now, I’ve just stopped taking any omega supplements.

What brand of omega 3’s do you take?

Hi Cassie: (again)

Have you checked out the Yasmin/Yaz Survivors forum? It appears that hair loss is very common with Yasmin and Yaz. There are a few women on those boards that have experienced hair loss while on the pill and after stopping the pill.

Pilar

Hi Pilar,

It does look like our symptoms and course are very similar!

I’ve looked back in my little book and found that I started taking Fish Oils on 18 June 2010 and stopped after 1-2 weeks due to increased spots and sensitive scalp. I also had the most terrible PMT which I have never experienced before at the end of June followed by my period being 2 weeks late. I’m not sure if this was associated with the Fish Oils though. I also increased my Zinc intake and started taking Flaxseen Oil on 17 July 2010.

I’ve only noticed growth around my temples but I’m whilling for the rest to start growing! It’s looking very thin at the moment at the front of my head but I manage to cover this with my fringe and occasional coloured dry shampoo if I’m having a bad day. It’s so frustrating isn’t it when you just think it’s improving you jumps back again so you can bever be sure how it’s doing.

I wash my hair every other day as I read that washing everyday can increase the oil poduction on your scalp which can also cause hairloss. I haven’t counted my shed hairs for a while now. I think the whole hairloss thing makes us very obssessive but that isn’t a bad thing, we’re doing it for all the right reasons.

I have Pilar! The thread I was viewing was deleted after a while though. It was a huge help to begin with as I had no idea that Yasmin was causing my hairloss. I just thought I’d see if I could find anything on the internet regarding Yasmin and hairloss as a last ditch attempt to find out why it was happening. I was so shocked when I found out as even my GP and Nurse did not know about this.

That’s so weird! I was going to leave you my email address too! It’s:

cassie_harrison@hotmail.com

Cassie

Hi there, I noticed that some people were mentionning spots when they came off the pill. I tried coming off the pill a few years ago and went a bit nuts…very depressed…horrible hard pea like boils popping up everywhere and hair loss. I was diagnosed with PCOS years ago and prescribed ‘Dianette’…which I was taken off because it was ‘Dangerous’ Anyway I have been on Microval for 10 years now and I would like to come off it. I am dreading it however as I am 47 and not so sure that my hair would grow back this time…neither is the spots nor the depression very appealing. I am convinced that because I was prescribed the pill in my late teens that I developed PCOS. I had no problems prior to being prescribed the pill. I am sure that this is a side effect of the pill that they keep quiet about.

Good luck to you all.