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.

Thanks so much for this website!
I couldn’t figure out why my hair was falling so much… now I know, I just stopped taking Yasmin (3 months ago), which I’ve been taking for 14 years (I am now 28).
Thanks guys, I’ll set up a visit with the endocrinologyst.
Thanks so much, now I know which direction to go.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.

I wanted to update everyone. Again, I went off Yaz in October 2009. The shedding seemed like it was decreasing 2-3 months ago, but for the last month the shed has increased significantly and it feels like I’m back to square one! My scalp has been itching for a while now, so I went to have it checked out by the dermatoligist today. He did a pull test and was pretty surprised that it showed postive for telegon effluvium considering I’ve been off the pill now for almost a year. He checked my scalp and I have seborrheic dermatitis which he said could be why the telegon effluvium hasn’t gone away. He gave me a prescription for Loprox Shampoo and said to use it every other day. I will give another update soon.

Ann:

Your story sounds almost like mine!

I stopped taking Yaz in September 2009 (only took it for 2 months) and 2 months later I was shedding HUGE amounts of hair. The shedding slowly decreased and around May-June 2010 I was shedding 50-80 hairs per day. Then all of a sudden my scalp started itching, tingling and would sometimes feel a little sore. I ignored this since I’ve read a few articles and posts that talked about scalp discomfort and TE. Well around July my shed increased! I started shedding an average of 80-130 hairs a day. I also noticed my scalp was getting greasier and sometimes I would get a musky smell coming from scalp even though I washed my hair every day (gross….sorry). At the end of August I started using Nizoral (an over the counter SD shampoo) twice a week and I noticed that my scalp was feeling better and little by little the shed was decreasing. Finally last month I decided to see a Derm and she thinks I also have seborrheic dermatitis - a mild case. She saw some inflammation on the top of my scalp and some dandruff scales. She said since it was so mild, she wanted me to continue using the over the counter shampoo. The itching slowly went away but just recently it has came back again. Last week I dyed my hair and I think it might have irritated my scalp. I know with SD, our scalps tend to be a little more sensitive. How is your scalp doing? Has your shedding started to decrease yet? I’m now shedding 50-80 hairs a day and even though I’m seeing some re growth, it’s not enough to fill in the thin spots. It’s been a year that I’ve been off this pill and 10 months since TE sent in and even though things are A LOT better than they were a few months back, everything is not back to normal yet.

Hope you’re doing well!

Pilar

Hi there,

After reading the posts I have decided to share my story. Hairloss can be a devastating, emotional, self esteem draining journey. I express it this way as I feel so let down by the doctors who prescribed the BCP with no regard. Nobody tells you that being on these hormones can have these life changing consequences. At 16 I was prescribes the pill by my doctor and soon after I noticed a marked difference in my hairs appearance (thinner) but put this down to possibly bad hair products. However, people started to comment and ask ‘what have you done to your lovely hair ?’ nothing I would reply.

I then decided to question the BCP and went back to my doctors at 17 she listened to my concerns but said it was impossible. I nevertheless asked for a different brand which she duly prescribed. Hairloss continued and I decided to come of the pill when I was 20. I asked the doctor for a referral to a dermertologist - fat good that was, he said as we get older your hair changes and all he could do was prescribe Minioxil. I declined and pointed out that I was only 20 !!! I continued trying all sorts of potions and lotions - I went to Philip Kingsley - tricologist and had hair steam treatments, Harley Street doctor who prescribed traquilisers, Dr Rushton also in London whom took blood test and said hair loss was due to low ferretin levels- took vitamins that he suggested but to no avail. So after exasperating all known avenues I still felt deflated as my GP could only assure me it as not due to thyroid problems.

However, a miracle happened in 1994 when I became pregnant and my hair blossomed , not back to its original glory but thick enough to hold my head up high. My hair was fantastic but after three months my hair began to fall again, so I bought myself a hair steamer and continued on the Pregaday Iron and Folic acid tablets which were prescribes to me whilst pregnant. This regime seemed to do my hair wonders steaming once a week with Jojoba oil and supplementing with Pregaday. Then I became pregnant again in 1996 and again my hair blossomed once again. After this pregnancy my doctor suggested the ‘Mirena’ coil stating that it is a localised hormone which does not enter the blood stream and how naive I was - my hair never really re-covered but I stayed on the ‘Mirena’ until 2008. (The hair steam and pregaday now had little results)

Fast forward to now - finally persuaded GP to refer me to an endocrine whom did a host of blood test at different times of the month, he is however, unsure if I have male pattern baldness, female pattern baldness or a mild case of PCOS. He has however, suggested that I go on Finstride and Femodene (BCP) for six moths to improve the volume of my hair which is so thin now I can only pull it back into a miniature pony tail - oh how I could cry. This is also trail and error as the blood test results were inconclusive.

The bottom line to my story is that there should be a test made available for people who possibly have a predisposition to hair loss as it is clearly apparent that synthetic hormones upset the natural equilibrium of the bodies hormone system with this being non re-versable in many cases.

Further to this GP’s just don’t seem to understand the impact it has and view it as cosmetic. But it has caused be me be depressed and has shattered by self esteem. Hairloss may not be life threatening but it should still be seen as a worth while medical complaint.

On the note of Finistride and Femodene I have not had the courage to pick up the prescription as synthetic hormones scare me - truly they do. The only consolation is that they created the problem and there is a possible chance that they may be able to fix it - who knows.

I shall post again if and when I decided to take them.

LOL XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hi Natasha,

I went through the same thing. I was on Yaz for only 2 months and 2 months after stopping my hair was falling out in ropes (TE began at the end of November 2009)! In the beginning I was losing over 300 hairs a day, and yes I was counting (actually I still do). For the first 2-3 months I was losing close to 300 hairs a day and then SLOOOOOOOWLY it began to decrease. I’ve had fluctuations here and there, especially during the summer, but the it really started stabalizing at beginning of last month. So I basically had abnormal shedding for 9-10 months. I started seeing re growth as early as January but also noticed that I was losing a lot of the new hairs. Since this began I’ve seen my GP, 2 Ob/Gyn, 1 Endo and 2 Derms and had more than 10 blood tests - everything comes back normal. All of them have told me this is TE and eventually all of my hair will grow back. Even though the abonormal shedding has stopped and I do see a lot of re growth all over my scalp, my hair still looks thin. I think I’ve lost about 40% of hair and luckily I started out with A LOT of hair so most of the people I know haven’t noticed.

Now, for some advice…all I can tell you is that eventually it will stop. The most frustrating part is that there is really nothing you can so to make the shedding stop or slow down. Once Telogen Effluvium starts, you have to let it run it’s course. I remember the first few months I avoided washing my hair thinking that I would lose less…I was so wrong. Telogen hairs are going to fall out no matter what. Just know that little by little it will start to slow down and then you’ll notice that you’re back to shedding normal amounts of hair.

My derm has told me that in most cases, all her TE patients recovered all of their hair. Some only recovered a fraction of it. I’m still very hopeful that I will once again get my beautiful, thick hair back.

Have you seen a derm?

Natasha, I know EXCATLY how hard this is, to see your hair just fall off. But hang in there and know that things do get better.

Pilar

Hi Jill:

I’m SO sorry that your daughter has to go through this at such a young age. My hair was fallingout in ropes AFTER stopping the pill last year. The abnormal shedding lasted for almost 10 months and finally stabalized last month. I’ve lost about 40-50% of my hair and it’s been devastating. But I’m also so grateful that the shedding has returned to normal and I’m seeing re growth all over my scalp.

When this began I also had my thyroid and hormones tested and everything came back normal. My doctor also tested for Lupus and anemia. How long has she been off the pill? Sometimes it can take up to 6 months (or longer) for your hromones to balance themselves out after stopping the pill, so most doctors recommend testing your hormones at least 3 months after stopping the pill.

I think it’s a great idea to take your daughter to both an Endo and Derm. I also saw both and both doctors diagnosed me with Telogen Effluvium.

Please tell your daughter to hang in there and that this DOES eventually stop.

Hugs,

Pilar

Hi. Just wanted to know if anyone could give me any feedback. I went on BC at 19 and have never been off it (Ortho Tri-Cyclen). I started thinning (but not shedding) within a year, but didn’t make the connection until Fall ‘09. I went on Tri-Cyclen Lo in January ‘10 and the bad shedding began almost immediately. I switched back to regular the next month, but the shedding doesn’t seem to have even slowed. I have read that it takes up to 12 months for your hormones to balance themselves, but it’s been 10 months. Any thoughts?

Hi JL:

I was on OTC for 2-3 years and then switched to OTL Lo with no problems at all. I then went off OTC Lo and again no hair loss. Then I was pill free for 2 years and decided to try Yaz. I used that for 2 months and 2 months after stopping is when my hair was pouring off my head.

I think for you, the drop in estrogen from OTC to OTC Lo triggered Telogen Effluvium and that’s causing the heavy shedding. Also, switching back to the OTC could have made TE last a longer since you had 2 changes in hormone levels in such a short period of time.

Some doctors will say that it takes anywhere between 3-6 months for your hormone levels to balance themselves, but I think in some cases it can last A LOT longer.

How much hair do you think you lose per day? And how much hair do you think you’ve lost so far?

Pilar

Hi everyone,
I am really glad I found this website. I have been suffering from hair loss since I was about 17, and I am now 21 and a senior in college.
I am posting for some advice. My hair loss initially was due to insulin resistance (I am thin and have a fairly healthy diet, so it took me by surprise!) I have been on medication for that a few years and I think my hair has improved a little bit since then. Regardless, I have about half the amount of hair I started out with when I was in high school. I have read stories on this website, but I really need some advice about birth control. I haven’t started any of the pills yet, but my reading on this website made me already aware of the potential consequences for my hair. This is what terrifies me.
What is a young woman to do? Birth control is so important and necessary to effectively prevent pregnancy, yet the price is to lose more hair? I don’t know if there is a specific type that won’t cause me to lose hair, but I’m scared because I have already lost a LOT the past few years, and I know I am predisposed to thin hair (both my parents have thin hair).
Is there a solution to this? How can we be on birth control and keep our hair/emotional well being?
-Nina

Hi Natalie:

I know exactly how nerve wracking this can be. I lost hair AFTER stopping Yaz. I was only on it for 2 months and 2 months later my hair was falling out in clumps. Before Yaz I was pill free for 2 years with no problems whatsoever. Just like you, I had been on other pills and had no problems going off of them. I know both Yaz and Natazia are newer pills and I keep wondering whether these newer versions are causing more problems.

I know that some ladies that experienced hair shedding while on the pill and the stopped the pill didn’t experience the dread shed. So maybe (and I’m crossing my fingers for you) in a few months you’ll notice the shedding stop and more re growth coming in, instead of the shedding increasing.

You are absolutely right in saying that you can’t trust doctors. Now I research everything before moving forward with it.

Please keep us posted.

Pilar

Since my last post I have noticed my body has gone to a normal cycle. My face is not as greasy anymore. I had really bad acne on my forehead after stopping the pill, and now my forehead and my face is clear except a few break outs before my period. I am back on a regular menstrual cycle and my mood is great. As far as my hair loss I think it has stopped, I certainly do have normal hair loss but not in clumps anymore. My hair is thinner than is has ever been but I definitely see new hair growth. I am taking a multivitamin and an iron pill everyday and I think that has helped. Ladies the only thing I can say is wait it out, it can take 6 months to a year for your body to get back to normal after being on the pill for so long. I will never take another birth control pill and would not recommend it to anyone else. I was on yasmin and after stopping the pill I saw how it really messed with my body. Good luck to you ladies and there is light at the end of the tunnel. Patience is the key!

Hi Louise:

Going on or off the pill can definitely cause TE. Once you have started a bout of TE, you will need to ride it out and it will stop on it’s own. It seems like going off for that one month started the dreaded shed. You say you were off for one month and then after a month on the pill, the shed began. That’s how long it took for mine to start. I was on Yaz for ONLY 2 months and 2 months after stopping the pill, the awful dread shed set in. I was losing over 350 hairs a day for the first 2 months and then it slooooooowly started to decrease. I saw saw many doctors and 2 of them recommended jumping back on the pill. I decided against it since I knew that the day that I decided to stop the pill, I would have to deal with the same thing all over again. It’s been a year since TE sent and I’ve been back to losing normal amounts of hair for the last 2-3 months and seeing a lot of re growth.

For me TE lasted around 9 months but for some it’s a lot shorter. So hang in there and the shedding should eventually slow down and go back to normal. But please be aware that once you decide to stop in the future, there is a big chance that you might have to go through this again.

Are you still experiencing depression from the pill? If you are, that’s enough of a reason to go off of them.

Hugs,

Pilar

Hi Sandra:

I too, noticed a lot of shedding 2 months after I stopped the pill. I was only Yaz for 2 months and prior to going on that I had been pill free with no problems. Before that I had been on OTC and OTC Lo for a total of 9 years with no problems at all. Even when I stopped those after 9 years, nothing happened to my hair. I remember I asked her how come Yaz caused TE after stopping them when OTC Lo didn’t (and I was on that for 5 years!). She said they’re 2 different types of pills with different hormone levels…but she also said that even if I had tried OTC Lo again…it could have had the same effect even if it was the same pill I had been on for 5 years with no hair problems whatsoever. Our endocrine system is so delicate and now I’m so scared to every take anything again.

I remember when TE first started, I saw and Endo and even though she mentioned going back on the pill as one of my options, she also said that going back on the pill cuold possibly cause another bout of TE. So I decided to stay off the pill and just ride it out.

I know some ladies also shed a lot of hair while on the pill and once the stop the shed decreases. Have you considered going off the pill?

Pilar

Hi! My name is Nicole I am 16 years old and I was on orthotricyclen lo for approximately 2 months and 10 days. I stopped around 12/7/10 because I wasn’t active with my boyfriend anymore. It has been over a month and I have been losing alot of hair every day. I usually count 30-50 each day in the shower. I read that it takes 1-3 months to get all traces of b.c. out of your system and for everything to get back to normal with your body. Since I am young, I was wondering when my hair loss is going to stop and when will I start growing back my natural thick brown hair I used to have if I do at all? If anyone has similar experiences and can answer me I would appreciate it. Thanks.
-Nicole

Hi ladies,
Thanks for sharing - I too am thinning and it’s really worrying me. I have 1/4 less hair than I did quite a few years ago. - But really noticed the thinning this last year past. I’m 30 years old. However I’m different to all of you, as I’ve never been on the pill?!!? I have had 2 children and at this stage are not planning to have any more. i went to a hair specialist “Ashleigh and Martin” and they have suggested as part of my treatment along with other things to GO ON THE PILL. - I’m confused because I was told this could level my hormones out at help stop the hair loss??? But yet all of you are stating the opposite… It is clear that my hair loss isn’t getting better and it is not the cause of stopping the pill, so will goiong on it help?

Getting freaked out reading all these posts.

Hi Christine,

Your shed might be from stopping the OTC Lo and switching to the new pill or it might be solely from the new pill. Hormones are such a tricky thing.

I was on OTC and OTC Lo for 9 years and when I stopped those, nothing bad happened. My skin actually improved. I was pill free for 2 years and stupid me decided to try Yaz. After 2 months on that I decided to stop them because of the awful and scary heart palps…then 2 months after stopping Yaz is when my hair was falling out in ropes. It’s so scary because I never thought this would happen to me considering I was on other pills, switched, went off of them completely and nothing bad happened.

Also, if you get a blood test now, your hormones are going to show that they’re off because you just recently stopped taking the pill. While on the pill, your own hormone production is halted, so when you’re tested, they all will show low. Most doctors will tell you to wait 2-3 months after stopping the pill to test your levels.

When TE first hit, I also avoided brushing, washing or even touching my hair. But once your hair is in the telogen phase, all of those hairs will fall out no matter what. I know it’s hard to see all those hairs just fall out, but it does stop.

During the months that I had super heavy shedding I also found out I was severely anemic and my doctor thought that might also be a reason as to why I was shedding so much. I took iron supplements and now my levels are good. But I wouldn’t take iron unless you’ve been tested and are indeed low. Make sure to have your ferritin levels tested and not just your CBC.

Just thought I would stop by and give an update and my support to everyone who has posted here. I don’t admit to have read each and every comment but I have read my fair share and am still shocked at how so many doctors are oblivious to the effects of Birth Control.

It has been about 5 months since I last posted, completely stressed out and nearly crying every time I thought about brushing my hair. Lately I have noticed more fly away hairs around my temples and edge of my hair. I consider this a remarkable and exciting thing. Who knew that having messy hair would be something to celebrate, right? But is it.

So far my thin little ponytail has not shown a trace of thickening but I am not shedding nearly as much as I was before. I don’t have to scrape all the hair out of the shower drain anymore. That is one constant reminder that I am not going to miss. With that I am hoping that this is the start of something better. That I will actually get my hair back someday, and lose the widow’s peak birth control gave me last year.

I just want to say to everyone to be strong and informed. I really agree with the ‘be your own advocate’ comment someone had down earlier and to avoid extra medications that you may not even need.. It’s in your best interest to be informed of any new medication BEFORE you start taking it.

People may never think that losing your hair is a big deal, until it happens to them. I think it’s especially hard for a woman because hair is considered a symbol of womanhood. It’s just heart wrenching to start to lose that and question yourself and your identity as a woman. I feel for you all and wish I could give you all the encouragement and support you need.

Will I ever get all my hair back? I really don’t know. Right now not shedding every second of the day is enough for me. I hope you all can at least get to that step and more!

And I lastly want to specially thank Pilar for her constant presence here and her encouragement and dedication to us all. Her words helped me more than she may ever know.

J.A.,

That’s great news!!!!!! For me I started noticing a decrease in shedding and also seeing a lot more fly aways around the same time. You’re definitely on the road to recovery. It’s really a bummer that the shedding occurs so quickly, yet the re growth seems to take a lifetime! LOL But all we can do is be patient and hope for the best.

What you wrote in your last paragraph make me cry (tears of joy of course). It makes me so happy that I was able to help you. I know when TE first hit, I was scared, frantic and I felt like my world was crumbling around me. Finding this board helped me tremendously and whenever I found a post that showed a glimpse of hope or success…it made me feel a million times better. THANK YOU for coming back and doing the same!

Super hugs to you,

Pilar

Hi Pilar,

When I saw that you had written back I felt such a surge of happiness so thank you very much for taking the time to write to me.

You were right, that after my blood tests my hormone levels were off. My hormone levels were low while my testosterone was high. (For a refresher, I was on OTCL for five years and lo ogestrel 28 for two months). My iron levels also came back low, (iron saturation 20% and ferritin 12 ng/mL).

My GP wanted me to stay on BC and prescribed me desogen (lower androgen). She looked at me like a deer in headlights when I told her my bcp was causing hairloss.

Granted I am only one week into the desogen (generic), I am wondering how long I should stick it out to see if the shedding decreases? Is it possible that there is an adjustment period needed and that the shedding will eventually cease?

Last question, I promise. In your experience, is it likely that stopping bcp all together will stop the shedding or do I most likely fall into the bucket of the dread shed since I am having hair loss on bcp? Still second guessing the decision to start a new pill.

Pilar, are you off bcp all together now??

Thank you in advance for any help you can give me. I feel so pathetic checking this blog everyday but it is my only outlet to this personal hell I have found myself in.

I am trying to remind myself of how much worse it could be, it is just hard when there is a mirror at every turn.

Hang in there girls, all of my love.

Christine

Hi Christine,

When I went off Yaz (only on it for 2 months) ALL of my hormones came back super low, even my testosterone. I’m guessing your T came back a little high because lo ogestrel is a higher androgen pill? Within months my hormones balanced themselves out. Even though my testosteron did go up a litte, it still remains low and around the same number as before going on Yaz.

When TE first kicked in for me, the doctor that prescribed the pill completely denied that the pill had something to do with. ALL other doctors I saw agreed that the pill was most likely the culprit. It still makes me so mad to think that doctors don’t know or don’t want to admit this side effect.

My ferritin was also low (<5) and I had to take prescription strength iron supplements for months. I saw 2 hematologists and they both wanted my ferriting between 70-100. The last time I tested was in October and I had reached 108. I’m now on over the counter iron supplements that I take during my period and a week after (per doctor’s orders).

It’s hard to say when the shedding will decrease. I know that when TE is triggered, you just have to let it run its course. The hairs you’re shedding now, went into the telogen phase 2-4 months ago. When I saw an Endo, she recommended going back on the pill, but was also scared that it might start another bout of TE and thought it would be better for me to let my hormones try and balance themselves out. But I have read stories of women re-starting the pill, slowing the shed and re growing their hair.

It’s really hard to say whether stopping the pill will cause a dred shed or not. I was on OTC Lo and OTC and when I stopped those and switched, nothing happened at all. Nothing while on them or after stopping. It’s all so tricky and personal. I’ve read of women thinning while on the pill and when they stop it tapers off and they re grow their hair. Then I’ve read of women thinning while on the pill and STILL go through the dred shed.

I am not on the pill and don’t plan on touching it ever again. I had been on OTC and OTC Lo for 9 years. Then I went off the pill completely and felt SOOOOO much better. My skin cleared up, depression went away and sex drive came back!!!! I was completely off the pill for 2 years and somehow I was talked into trying Yaz. I was only on it for 2 months and had horrible side effects. 2 months after going off is when all hell broke lose. I have been off the pill for 1 1/2 years and even though things are improving, they’re happening very slowly.

Christine, please don’t feel “pathetic” (such a harsh word :() for checking this site. This site helped me so much in the beginning when I didn’t know what to do and wanted REAL answers…or wanted more than what doctors had to offer.

I know we should be grateful (and I am) that things in our lives could possibly be worse, but I also know jsut how hard and horrible it is to experience this. Please know that we’re all here for support and I try to check this as often as I can. I want you to know that even though things have greatly improved for me, my hair is still thin and it has a long ways to go. But I am very optimistic that in a year or 2, things will be back to normal.

Please hang in there and I’m sending you a BIG virtual hug!

Pilar

Hi everyone,

I’m hoping someone can please help me with a few questions. I am feeling overwhelmed by this and while I know I am not alone, I feel alone in my sadness over what is happening to my hair.

I’m 32 years old (33 in September). I was on Loestrin for 14 months. Because I had such thick, curly hair that I cut into a layered, above-the-shoulder style, I didn’t notice that my hair was thinning. I also didn’t connect a few other side affects to the pill (night sweats, low sex drive, etc). I finally realized what was happening to my hair when I tried to grow it out. I connected the pill to the thinning and got off at the end of November 2010.

It has now been approximately 5 months since I’ve been off the pill. Sometimes I think it feels better, slightly fuller even, sometimes it feels so thin I’m afraid my scalp might be showing. It’s very stressful to count strands, but I’ve noted that I shed anywhere from 12 to 80 strands a day, depending on the time of the month. I started counting a few weeks ago so I don’t know if this is more or less than earlier this year.

My testosterone level was at 49 when I tested it 2 weeks ago (the lab I where I got tested indicates a 50 maximum for women). I was tested the day before my menstrual cycle so I can’t say I’m surprised (though still very upset) that it came back that high- I shed more right before my period. I’m going to get a new test later this week to see if my T level drops when I’m not close to my cycle. My iron and estrogen levels came back ok.

The doctor I saw recently suggested I try birth control and spiro. The challenge for me is that Loestrin was the second pill that affected me negatively. I tried Yaz in 2008 but had to get off quickly because my mood became very dark and depressed while I was on it. I’m afraid of trying a third pill because it seems that my body just does not agree with it. As for spiro, I am willing to try it but the doctor warned me that I may have trouble on it because my blood pressure naturally runs low.

I’ve decided that the best course of action for me right now is to give my body more time. I am praying that my body resets itself somehow to the hormone levels it was at before all of this began. I take fish oil, biotin and prenatal vitamins. My dad was bald (as is my brother); I don’t know my mother or anyone on my maternal side to know if baldness runs in that side of the family.

My question to anyone that will kindly take the time to answer is have you or anyone you know experienced a drop in T levels naturally after stopping birth control, without the aid of medication? If so, how long before this happened?

Thank you all for listening and thank you in advance for anyone that answers.

God bless,

Hope

I was on Minerva 35 for just over a year. I decided to go off about 3 months ago and my hair has been falling out for the last month. I saw a bald spot for the first time today and I can’t stop crying. I can’t believe this is happening to me. I had my Iron and Thyroid testes and it came out normal. I would like to know if I go back on Minerva, after how long will the hair loss stop if I start today? I am 23 years old, just got married and I’m a mess. I never wear my hair down anymore, because it keeps on falling out. My blonde hair is now fading and the regrow is so bad I am embarrassed to go outside, even for a run. I need help, I don’t even want to go to the store, because my hair is so thin. This is the worst thing that has ever happened to me.

I had been taking Northo Ovum 777 for 13 years. A year ago my new gyno suggests that I take Loestrin because she said that I should try lower estrogen because of how petite and skinny I am. I tried it for 2 months and I didnt like it. I asked to switch me back and for the past year I my hair has been shedding like crazy. I have alot of thinning on the sides of my head and behind my bangs. I went to a derm and she just blew it off and said it was stress. I have had blood work for hormone levels iron and thyroid etc. and everything is normal. I just wish it would stop. I am afraid to stop taking 777 because now I think it will shed more if I do. I have never had a problem before. I wish I had never switched pills. My gyno says that after a few months of being back on it my hair should of went back to normal. I don t know what to do. I am afraid that eventually I will lose it all.

Hello Nikole:

Any change in hormone levels has the possibility of starting a bout of Telogen Effluvium and unfortunately you just have to let it run its course.

I was only on Yaz for 2 months and 3 months after I stopped that pill, my hair began falling out in ropes! The abnormal shedding lasted for 11 months and through out that time I considered going back on the pill to make it stopped, but I knew once I decided to go off of it the next time, I would probably go through the same thing all over again.

If you NEED to be on bcp, then stick to the one your body likes. I think switching pills and especially switching to one that is highly androgenic, set off TE. How long have you been shedding?

Pilar

Most of the comments I have read on this blog are from younger women, I am in my 50’s.. I started menopause at the age of 42. My Gynocologist immediatley put me on birth control to supplement the loss of estrogen. I started noticing excessive hair loss 2 -3 years ago. I started on Rogaine. Going to 4 dermatologists, 2 endrocrinologists and sticking with the same gyno. Its amazing how uneducated physicians are in this area .
Recently I found a dermatologist that perscribed either Propecia or 50mg Spironolactone. It was my choice. Thanks, but still confused. After reading these blog comments I noticed that most think the birth control is the culprit. Would this apply to someone older, myself? Dont I have to suplement my estrogen? What about bioidenticals?Thanks

Jenny, I read over your story and wanted to mention something to you - you said you have irregular periods and often don’t get periods without being on the pill. It’s possible you have some form of PCOS or ovarian dysfunction which needs worked up. After stopping the pill you would be expected to have TE for several months; however, if your hair keeps on shedding and you don’t get regular periods back you need to go see your GYN to be worked up for amenorrhea (absence of periods). Often the treatment is to go back on low androgenic birth control pills to control the excess androgens and stop hair loss, acne, etc. Don’t wait past 6 months - if you don’t have a regular period back by then make your GYN work up your hormones. I’m a doc who is also experiencing hormonal hair loss so I have a unique perspective. Best of luck and take care!

Hi Ann:

I also noticed a lot of fluctuations in my shedding during TE, but it slowly started tapering off towards the end of 2010. And I ALSO experienced scalp irritation that was diagnosed as Seb Derm. My Derm told me that during TE, so many follicles have been shocked into the resting phase and this in turn can cause irritation/inflammation. I was prescribed a topical lotion and the irritaion dissapeared within a week. I remember my shed increasing during the time that my scalp wasn’t feeling so well. When I first saw my Derm, she told me that getting a biopsy was always an option, but she wanted to give it a few more months. We waited and the shedding stopped and re growth started making it’s way through. She didn’t think it was necessary since during TE or TE recovery, sometimes biopsies can come back showing AGA when in all reality it’s just TE. This happened to 2 ladies on this board (one of them, Bonnie who posted an update). They did biopsies and it came back as AGA but they both re grew their hair. I saw my Derm 2 months ago and I asked about Spiro. I wasn’t sure I wanted to take it, but I thought I was ask her what she thought. She said it was a great treatment for AGA, acne and hirsutism but she didn’t think I needed it. She said she saw healthy re growth and Spiro ALSO has the chance of starting another bout of TE…so she didn’t think I should take that chance - and I AGREED! I know it’s hard to sit around and wait as our precious hair just pours off out heads, but I would give it a little more time. I think going back on the pill 2 months after going off might have started another bout of TE or prolonged it. And remember that I was still shedding while seeing re growth…and mine also started at the hair line.

Pilar

Pilar: a few more questions for you.
-how long did you shed before it stopped?
-how much of your hair overall did you lose before it stopped?
-when the shedding stopped was it sudden or more of a gradual process?
-what city are you in- doubtful we are in the same city…but thought I’d ask as maybe you might have a doctor to recommend. I’m in Atlanta. If you want to email me directly, I am at: annk@mindspring.com.

Ann

Hello Ann,

I started experiencing scalp irritation 5-6 months into TE. I also experienced the soreness and burning with some itching and prickling. Right before the scalp discomfort began, my shedding had started to decrease little by little but picked up when the scalp issues started. Four months into the scalp discomfort I finally decided to see a derm and I was diagnosed with Seb Derm. I HAD NEVER had scalp issues in my life and this was a HUGE surprise. I also didn’t have any flaking or visible signs of Seb Derm…but after a close look from my Derm, she said I had SD. She prescribed a lotion and I began using Nizoral twice a week. The lotion got rid of the irriation and pain but I still had some itching here and there. For the last few months I’m happy to day that it’s all cleared up and my scalp feels completely normal.

Here’s the answers to your questions:
-how long did you shed before it stopped?
A: I shed abnormally for almost a year. November 2009 - October/November 2010. During this time I saw tons of fluctuations and it went up a lot during the time I was having scalp issues.
-how much of your hair overall did you lose before it stopped?
A: I was lucky that I started out with a lot of thick hair so most people didn’t notice. Some close friends did comment on my hair looking thinner and asked if I had my fiance thin it out. My fiance is a hair stylist and would sometimes thin out my hair since it was so thick. But I would say I lost 40-45% of my hair. My fiance thinks it’s more like 25-30%.
-when the shedding stopped was it sudden or more of a gradual process?
A: It was totally gradual. I counted my hairs every day and unfortunately I still do. I don’t think I would have noticed the tapering off if I wasn’t actually counting every single hair - it was that gradual. But now for the last 6 months I’ve been shedding an average of 40-50 hairs per day.
-what city are you in- doubtful we are in the same city…but thought I’d ask as maybe you might have a doctor to recommend. I’m in Atlanta.
A: I’m in NYC. And I have a wonderful Derm Sherry Shieh.

Yes, I started seeing re growth 3 months into TE, but a lot of it fell out. I’ve also noticed that re growth seems to come in waves. Just a few months ago I had ALL these little hairs that are now 2 inches long and for a while I didn’t see any shorter ones. Now I’m seeing a lot of little hairs that are 1/2 inch long.

Honestly, I wouldn’t lose hope just yet. I think it’s good that you’re prepared and have researched all possible options, but please know that even at the 11 month mark…my hair was still thin, my part was HUGE and I thought it would never get better. And even though things aren’t completely back to normal, they are getting better every single day!

Hang in there!
Pilar

Pillar
I have been shedding for a year now and it is just horrible. It is affecting the sides of my head the most. I hate putting it back in a ponytail because it shows. wonder if switching to another pill will work. I would rather just get off of them all together. I just wish I knew for sure
the reason why its happening in the first place.

Ann,

The decrease in shedding is a GREAT sign!!!! During the end of last year when I started seeing a decrease, that’s excatly how I would see it. But just in case it does happen, if for some reason it goes up again, DO NOT get discrouraged - it happened to me too. I would shed high for a few days, then it would go down. Then shoot back up. But what I noticed was that when it would shoot up, it wouldn’t be as high as previous sheds and it wouldn’t last as long. Then little by little I noticed that those high shed days were further and further apart and lower and lower.

Is the thickness of your individual hairs on the thicker or thinner side? Since mine are a little thicker, when they’re growing in, they stick straight up - so they’re easy to see. Have you had anyone look for re growth? What I do is part my hair in different directions and hold my hair down firmly, then I brush my hand against the laid down hair in the opposite direction and this tends to lift up all the little hairs that are growing in (sorry if that’s totally confusig and doesn’t make sense).

I did use Toppik and honestly I don’t know what I would have done without it! I got it last May when I was 6 moths into TE. I would sprinkle it on the top and along my part where it was super duepr thin. Now I still use it once or twice a month just because I’m so used to using it, but I don’t find it necessary. I would recommend it!!!!

Pilar

PS I sent you an email but but I got a reply saying that you don’t accept emails from people you don’t know. I clicked on the link and filled out the request.

Has anyone used the supplement called Vivascal? I am thinking about trying it . It is supposed to help.

Pilar:

You still Out there? I got diagnosed w AA this week from a scalp biopsy done in two places. I had a feeling that is what the test would say. I am still shedding about 25-30 hairs in the shower each day. Doctor put me on 5 mg of Proscar (propecia generic) per day. I do continue the 5% minoxidil topically as well. I am losing hope to grow any of my hair and feel this shedding will never end!! It is almost one yr!!! The dr seemed annoyed by my questions. She said just take your medicine and come back in three or four months. Can you email me again? Could use a friend to talk to his about. annk@mindspring.com.

Ann: I wanted to shared this with you . I am so sorry for your pain. It is on pubmed.gov and discussed many scenarios but it is somewhat encouraging…..”The diagnosis of AGA can usually be confirmed by medical history and physical examination alone. A trichogram can be useful to assess the progression of the hair loss. A scalp biospy is diagnostic but usually not required. In women with signs of hyperandrogenism, investigation for ovarian (polycystic ovarian disease) or adrenal (late-onset congenital adrenal hyperplasia) disorders is required. Mild to moderate AGA in men can be treated with oral finasteride or topical minoxidil. Oral finasteride at the dosage of 1 mg/day produced clinical improvement in up to 66% of patients treated for 2 years. The drug is effective for both frontal and vertex hair thinning. Medical treatment with finasteride or minoxidil should be continued indefinitely since interruption of therapy leads to hair loss with return to pretreatment status. Mild to moderate AGA in women can be treated with oral antiandrogens (cyproterone acetate, spironolactone) and/or topical minoxidil with good results in many cases. Hair systems and surgery may be considered for selected cases of severe AGA both in men and in women.
CONCLUSIONS:
Patients with AGA should be informed about the pathogenesis of the condition. If used correctly, available medical treatments arrest progression of the disease and reverse miniaturization in most patients with mild to moderate AGA.”
This is really good information. And I know that Kathryn may have seemed impatient but she has AGA as well. Almost everyone in Dr.Griffin’s office does but they manage it with medication. I have been using the 2% rogaine only at night and it has helped my hair. I just told myself I’m going to do this for a year and go from there. There is an amazing hair replacement studio in Alpharetta called New Horizons. I have been in touch with them in preparation. My hair still looks okay with most not knowing. I wear a few hair extension (micro link, no chemicals) they are uncomfortable at first but then I adjusted, it has been 6 weeks and I need to have them tightened up. But believe me they have helped my confidence. And I have all the pain and burning issues that you have and they have been okay. The first week I thought I was going to go insane, but I would just take advil at night and sleep on a soft pillow. I don’t even feel them now other than when I brush them. Is it like have your own hair, no, but does it make my appearance better yes and it does make me feel better. I did the extensions knowing that I may have to do them for the rest of my life but I had to do something. The strain this has put on me and my family has just been too much and I wanted to get better mentally for them. Ann I wish you the absolute best.

Oh, and I wanted to say also that my scalp is still sensitive (definitely) but the burning sensation I felt one month ago is gone. It lasted about 2 weeks and eased up, thank goodness. I definitely think that the burning indicates irritation of the scalp and a greater shed will be the result until the burning stops. If you have these symptoms, there is a reason for your scalp irritation. Get to the bottom of it…be good to your scalp and your hair and hopefully the irritation will subside.

i’m so greatful for this site! its been really eye opening reading everyone comments. im 27 and have always had very thick curly hair. i moved to india 2 years ago and i went off the pill (orthro tricyclin lo) once i got here. at first i attributed the hair loss to the hard water and stress of moving but after 6 months my hair was half of what it was. its also very long…i have been let it grow out a lot. i am taking vitimans, zinc, a daily multivitimin and vitimin A. do you think the hair loss is because i went off the pill? what can i do to get my hair back? i always used to get compliments and now im so self conscience and looking at how thick everyone else’s hair is. i am buying a water filter so we’ll see if that helps. otherwise what can i do?! any other vitimans or hormoneies i should take?

Pliar and K:

How are you all doing? K? How are you since your post a few weeks ago about how down you have been feeling? I hope you are doing better.
My shedding has gotten so much worse on the last 2 weeks. I don’t know why. Derm said “you may just be a shedder!”. I have been under extreme stress, so maybe that is why? Who knows. I am going to start on Spiro this weekend. I was resisting it bit hey, I will try anything now to keep the hair from all falling out.

K:

So glad to hear from you! I think Pilar is doing better and her hair is regrowing, so she may just not be coming here as much. I’m really glad to hear you are not shedding very much! That’s wonderful! I am going through a huge shed, as I said…strangely, I am also losing many of my eyelashes as well, this time. That is new for me!
I think I mentioned that I started taking Proscar about six weeks ago and I wonder if the shedding has something to do with that? I’ve read on the men’s hair loss boards that many of them notice this side effect after being on Propecia/Proscar after a month or 6 weeks. I think I will stick it out another couple of weeks and see what happens but it is really freaking me out and the eyelashes too! That’s so weird.

I’m getting the Spiro tomorrow at Costco (price is much better there and I get the Proscar there as well). They are starting me on 50 mg to see how I tolerate it and then if I do OK, they will bump me up to 100 mg. I’m just going to be popping pills left and right, if you consider all the vitamins I am taking etc.!

K, tell me about the hair replacement. When you refer to that, are you talking about a transplant or a bonded hair system? Or something else? I’m just not sure! I know it would certainly be amazing not to have to worry about this all the time. Goodness knows that my self-esteem has taken a nose dive and I am in a highly visable position in sales. I meet with customers and I just feel like people are probably wondering what’s going on with my yucky (formerly pretty and super thick) HAIR!!! K, you have regrowth don’t you?

Thank GOODNESS for this site and the wonderful Admin (whoever she may be) and all you FABULOUS women.

Thanks, K! I can’t get on to the network. I have requested to be sent the email to get set up several times but strangely, the email never arrives so I can’t get out there!

I know what you mean about work meetings. We are expected to look presentable and attractive! Such pressure. I have already been getting an upset tummy on the spiro so I do not know if I will be able to tolerate it. I’m disappointed!!

I would love to chat w you some time on the phone. If you are interested let me know and I can email you my phone number! Annk@mindspring.com.

Best to you!

Thanks, K. I will try to find that. I am glad to read any success story! I am so depressed which is ironic as I was giving you a hard pep-talk any feeling this way a few weeks back. Now, here I am feeling so hopeless, desperate and like I’m falling down the rabbit hole. I can’t help but feel like life is about half as joyous as it used to be before all this began. I am shedding like crazy. My hair is falling-out all over the place, all day long! It is just awful.

I am gassy and my overall digestive system is way off. I am on a low dose…only 50 mg! I can’t imagine being on 200mg, which is what I hear is the “aggressive dose”. Thank you for your compassion when you are in the middle of going through your own difficult time w your hair. It means so much to me.

Have you seen a trichologist yet? Do you know of any? I can’t find one in Atlanta on the Internet.

Ann, I found Bonnie’s story and she has several comments that were added on down the page. I think her story is under Spiro, just click on it and go down the page. But she definitely had success but suffered with shedding for 9 months and the side affects for 2 months…….

Bonnie 02.20.09 at 10:40 pm

I read this post and was happy to hear about this success story as I had much the same story and I wish I could read more of them. When I went off of my pill at 37, almost 9 years ago I suffered a massive hair loss. At first I thought it was just telogen effluvium (TE) and it would resolve in a few months….it did not. It went on for over a year and I had lost 50-60% of my hair and it was still falling out ..plus the new hairs were growing in very fine, but my hairloss was diffuse like TE so I went to a dermatologist and had a biopsy and the diagnosis was AGA or female pattern hairloss .

As upset as I was to hear that I new I had to act fast so I seeked out help from an endocrinologist. Since it was a hormonal thing that started the loss I knew it would take something hormonally related to stop it or control it. Anyway to make a long story short - 200mg spironolactone, Dianne 35 and 5% rogaine (2X a day) and guess what? 95-100% regrowth and at 46 I have the nicest hair I have ever had. Long and thick like it was in my 20s I never dream that this would have been possible. This is what I have learned form my experience:
1. Treat your condition early on and be very aggressive as AGA is a very aggressive condition.
2. If you have been losing hair for over 6 months likely you have AGA and not TE.
3.The treatments work if you stick with them but they take time, it took me 2 years to fully recover.
4. Everything has side effects my were very minor but most of the stuff just had an adjustment period no side effects after 2 months.
5. Be prepared for a lot of shedding the first 2-3 months. It is a good thing as it means your hair is going in a rapid growth phase and all the resting hairs will fall out faster to make room for the new thicker hairs.

I hope this helps and even if you haven’t been aggressive to date you may still get some good recovery with these treatments or some of these treatments, if you can take them… just stick with it!!!!

K:

Also, I have not noticed any side effects from the Proscar yet. Just the increased hair shed…which hopefully is a good sign and not a bad one! Dr. Griffin said “I’ve never heard of Proscar doing that before”. Well, hello! It’s all over the internet on the men’s hair loss forums! I mean ALL over them! They said it is a positive indication it is working there.

Dear Everybody, I just had to share that I really laughed today like deep down laughed got tickled and hair loss wasn’t on my mind at that moment at least consciously anyway. I have craved to laugh like that for 2 years now. It was a wonderful moment. Boy do I miss who I was before all this happened. And yes I am different saying that I am not is denial. Losing your hair is life altering.

Ann you are so sweet to say “until”…. I am not seeing that happen but love your encouragement. I Haven’t yet, but had a consult and had to cancel Alpharetta is really far from me and I keep think am I gonna feel like driving there, etc….my schedule is so unpredictable! And yes he is flaky you are right and he does reach. Kathryn asked him if they should start me on propecia and he said, no…but I bet a million if I went back to him today he would do it without a moments notice. I bet I went to him 6 times before he was convinced I really had another problem besides the TE. I mean I can’t tell you how I had to hound him. He thought since I had so much regrowth I didn’t have problem, but what he wasn’t hearing was that the regrowth was falling out, I repeatedly had to show him. And what he didn’t see was that they were intermediate hairs, meaning they were on their way to miniaturization. He was my fifth doctor is why I guess I’ve given up and I’ve had every test possible run on me and all come out “normal”. I remember the last time I was there I saw a beautiful sophisticated graceful older lady very shy walking into their treatment room to get whatever kind of camouflage stuff they sale and it was so unprofessional in that room it was unbelievable; I was going in there to look at their laser combs which I didn’t purchase because I could stand how unprofessional the twerp behind the desk was.

hi jess. thank you so much for sharing your story, i don’t feel like im going crazy anymore!! i have been on and off the pill since i was 18 (microgynon, then dianette, then yasmin) and have come off last year to try for a baby. my skin went mental and my hair is so thin at the front when if anything i used to have too much thick hair even before the pill! anyway, i look in the mirror some days and think im so ugly, ive got acne and thinning hair just round the front and i dont even recognise myself. my skin as well as being disgustingly spotting seems thinner and not as much moisture. i hate it. but i like you so want a baby that im keeping on and ive got my hair extensions! you are so right when you say the doctors should inform girls of the side effects before they start taking it..it certainly would have made me think twice. the pill is pretty evil in every way and i will never go back there esp after being happily married. good luck jess with your hair battle, im so happy for you and your little family i hope you have many more thanks for sharing xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hi Ann, How are you? Never received an email from ya. How are your treatments going? I hope you are doing well! Did you get on the network? I love it and am totally addicted to it. I am doing good. No major hair regrowth or anything just dealing ok.

Did they seem hopeful with upping your dosage to 10%? I’m really nervous about moving up from even 2%. I use it almost every night. I am okay but my shedding seems to have increased in the last 2 weeks. Weird. Yeah, I know what you mean about over it! I got his 5% on my last appt in March, even the 2% makes my right breast hurt but when I used the 5% it felt like my right breast was going to explode! My system is so sensitive to everything. Yes I still can style my hair where it is okay and no can tell, but it is not easy. I only received one email from you and sent you two more. How are you otherwise? Emotionally? Was Dr. Griffin attentive? How do they do the hair count. I know mine for sure is diffused. All over thinned out.

I was diagnosed through scalp biopsy with a condition “consistent with alopecia.” That’s all it said - didn’t say whether it was AGA or alopecia areata…and my dermatologist didn’t elaborate. He just started throwing around terms like Aldactone and Rogaine. My hormone levels have all come back normal but I do suffer from occasional hot flashes (odd because I’m in my 30s). I wonder if sometimes my estrogen level just fluctuates low but I don’t know why it wouldn’t show up on a blood test. Anyway, I was told to try oral contraceptives. The problem with this is I believe this whole hair shedding process started when I came off the pill in 2008. And it’s n ever stopped, although it was manageable until this year. Now my hair is completely ruined. It looks fried, it’s thinning bad in certain spots, most noticeably at the temples and in my part at the back of my head. The BCP I was prescribed was Beyaz because it’s an anti-androgen. I was told to avoid any pill that had androgens, despite the fact that my male hormone levels were not elevated or out of balance with my female hormones. I’m really unsure what to do. I’m scared to take the Beyaz because of the negative responses regarding health safety (blood clots, etc) but I have to do something to try keeping my hair on my head. OTOH, if it does stop the hair loss, it’s just going to fall out again when I come off the pill. I don’t want to take the pill for the rest of my life. This is the reason why I don’t want to use Rogaine. It’s expensive and once you stop using it, all the hair that might have regrown will just fall out again. That’s a waste of money. I really don’t know what to do. I’m confused and concerned. If my hormone levels came back normal on a blood test, why do I have alopecia? I don’t understand why the dread shed after coming off the pill three years ago is still going on. Will it EVER stop? It doesn’t look like it any time soon.

Hi everyone! I’ve been experiencing hair loss since stopping yasmin at the beginning of June. After 3 months is when I noticed my hair was coming out at a higher rate than usual. Around that time I also broke out in really bad acne, and exploded with muscle mass like the hulk. I’m wondering if anyone experienced these issues as well? I’ve also only had one cycle since then, which I know is pretty bad. I found this article a couple days ago and thought I’d share:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/35663.php
I personally believe TE kick starts the shed, but high levels of DHT prolong it. I also think DHT is responsible for acne, muscle gain, and weight gain/formation of cellulite that can accompany stopping synthetic hormones. I’m just hoping my body can regulate itself again soon. I will NEVER take birth control ever again, and I’ve been telling all my friends to stop. I’m 21 and infuriated that I should be dealing with these problems at my young age. Anyway, it’s the forums and personal anecdotes posted on the internet that keep me sane right now. I really appreciate that you all have the courage to share. I’m going to see an endocrinologist on the 15th and hopefully get some answers then.

Stay positive! It’s likely only temporary!

i am 35 years old, and have a 7 month old daughter. something is going on with my body and i’m not sure what to think. i have always had fine thin curly hair. but it’s always been enough to get by. i know after pregnancy you lose hair. i have a 5 year old son and lost hair after his birth and had my thyroid and hormones tested but it all came back fine. my hair never really got thicker but seemed to stay at that level of thin-ness. well the last month to two months, i’m losing hair like crazy. i counted how many came out in the shower yesterday. almost 300. who knows how many more after i fixed my hair for the day. today, a whole ringlet fell out in the shower. it made me sick. i have put on a little bit of weight, and my libido is low and i can just feel something isn’t right. i’ve always thought i had a slight hormone imbalance. since about age 22 i had 2 or 3 chin hairs. now i suddenly have like 30. i had my tubes tied 7 months ago. has anyone else experienced this and did you find anything to help? i go to the doctor thursday. i’m so worried they will say labs are fine. if anywone has any suggestions to ask the doctor or has been thru this and has any suggestions that helped them i would really appreciate it. i will post whatever i find out.

Hi Jessica,

That’s great news. My dermatologist said something similar back in July. I don’t remember when exactly I dropped the pill but it was likely about 12 months ago. My hair has not thickened to where it was prior to stopping the pill but it did stop shedding quite a bit. However, I just found out I’m pregnant (amazing!) and it has sorta led to another shed, annoyingly.

I hear that it will get thick again during pregnancy, which I’m obviously looking forward to, but then it will fall out again postpartum.

Did your derm happen to tell you if the hair you had while on the pill was really just thicker BECAUSE of the pill? I am worried that because the pill tricked my body into thinking I’m pregnant, I’ve had more hair all these years than I was really meant to have (which really freaks me out). I too have been on the pill since I was about 21, and am now 33.

Let me know if your derm gave you any insight on that. 35% loss definitely seems accurate (to me it sometimes felt like 40-45) but I just wonder if it will all ever come back, or if that was just basically “pregnant hair.”

Thanks all!

Nicole…

Thank you for your note.. I read all the horror stories and think it will be me! I have a combo of stuff causing my shedding, at first I thought it was stress related like in years past, but then I knew something was off so I stopped taking Yaz and got all my bloodwork redone. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto Hypothryoid so now I am not sure if it can all be contributed to that or a combo of all 3 , since my labs were not terribly off , I am relating it more to a combo. I have lost quite a bit of hair, thankfully I had a lot, but now it thin!! but I also see the new hairs regrowing. So I am staying positive and know this is a moment in time… though I do have occasional pity parties!