Comments on: Just Noticed Hair Loss, Could It Be Nuva Ring Birth Control?

By: Rachel

Rachel — Sun, 18 Jul 2021 21:44:10 +0000

Hi all! I am recently 22 and I have been off of the NuvaRing for 2 full years this August (2021). I was on the ring from August 2017 to August 2019. I ALWAYS had extremely thick, luxurious wavy/curly hair and it was literally my prized trait. I was so blessed to have good hair genes…until about a month after stopping the ring. Ever since like September 2019 my hair has been literally falling out in MASSIVE amounts NON STOP. I have lost easily like half the amount of hair that I used to have. It is now so much thinner, it doesn’t hold a natural beautiful form anymore. The texture is different. Now it is frizzy because it’s so thin and dry and dull looking. I have literally bald spots on my head and every time I run my fingers through it, many strands from the root fall out. Literally the SAME EXACT experience as most of you! I know I am literally YEARS late to this post but I have gone to two different gynos and literally brought in baggies of my hair to PROVE to them that I have an issue and they literally ALL have denied that it was the ring! WTH!!! I’m so sick of these lying doctors! I have had blood testing done TWICE and my thyroid and everything else came back completely healthy and normal except that now I have literally next to no progesterone in my body. YET AGAIN the gynos denied that that’s because of the ring which it LITERALLY IS. Healthy levels for progesterone are like a minimum of 10 and mine are at 0.5. I am so tired of being told my doctors that I’m essentially crazy. It’s all a money making scheme. I’m so depressed. Bad depression and anxiety also started and have been issues in my life ever since stopping that absolute poison. I can’t explain how depressed I am to literally be going bald and basically maybe infertile at just 22!! I want a family so bad. I feel so bad for my boyfriend. God bless him and his patience with me because I am a crying mess all the time over these things. My gynos even told me that they refuse to help me with my low progesterone problems unless I want to have a baby like NOW. These doctors will literally give you a pharmaceutical without warning you of the dangerous side effects and then refuse to help you with the issues that arise from what they prescribed you. Not even help, literally straight up DENY. To top this all off, I had to use Duck Duck Go to find this amazing thread. Google just yields generic articles that give barely any info. My hair loss was at its worst last fall and has seemed to calm down a little bit the last couple months but by no means has it stopped. I noticed what I think is regrowth but like so many other ladies said, it has grown back extremely thinner. I am so devastated and worried my natural hair will never come back. I told my bf to prepare for when I’m bald because I seriously think this may not stop or I’m just gonna shave my head. Someone please if you see this PLEASE comment back if you can relate to any of this or if you have any advice for me on how to fix this awful issue!! I’m sooooo depressed 🙁 please please please

By: Brianna S Henry

Brianna S Henry — Thu, 01 Apr 2021 06:07:36 +0000

I am hoping someone will follow up if there hair started to grow back after stopping NuvaRing? It seems everyone said it got worse right after stopping but people said they would come back and report if it did in fact get better later on. Debating stopping but not if the damage is permanent anyways.

By: Nicole

Nicole — Sat, 09 Nov 2019 03:13:31 +0000

I have been using the Nuva ring for 3 months. I have thick hair and I am used to shedding. Since using the Nuva ring the amount of hair I lose in the shower has become alarming. I have not been shocked at the amount of hair loss from one shower before. I am 29 and have never experienced this before with the pill. Switched to the Nuva ring because I am sensitive to the symptoms of the pill. I am also noticing it thinking toward the front of my hairline.

By: Kathy

Kathy — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 21:23:40 +0000

My story is about my hair falling out since I’ve STOPPED NuvaRing.

I’d taken the pill in some form for 20 years. My hair has been thin the whole time, and my mom’s is too, so I figured it was hereditary. I switched to NuvaRing out of convenience maybe 7-8 years ago. I haven’t noticed my hair being thinner; actually, it has seemed a little thicker (I didn’t even attribute that to NuvaRing…I credited Nioxin that I’ve been using all this time).

BUT 2 months ago, I forgot to fill my prescription, and like an idiot, skipped the ring for 2 months. This week my hair is FALLING OUT. I couldn’t wait to go back on the ring after my next period next week so I can go back to normal (my “normal” thinnish-but-not-awful hair)…but after reading everyone’s posts, I’m now terrified!!

It sounds like getting back on won’t help and could make it worse or just prolong the problem. It sounds like this was going to happen to me whenever I’d stopped NuvaRing eventually, but I just found out early by accident. On top of not knowing whether to stay off or go back on, it sounds like the hair loss could be permanent now. So depressing.

Thank you to everyone sharing the bad and also the good/hopeful stories.

By: Robyn

Robyn — Wed, 16 May 2018 17:22:17 +0000

It’s now 2018 – over 10 years since ‘mls’ posted her first comment above. I wanted to add my own story in the hope that this conversation will continue, because hair loss from using Nuvaring is a persisting issue.
I keep my hair very short due to having fine, thin hair, so I rarely see my shed strands of hair lying around. I have a wash-n-go hairstyle that doesn’t require a brush or too much product. Last year I was planning a move to the Middle East, so my Gynecologists swapped me to the Nuvaring for my time away instead of being on the mini-pill in case I had trouble getting my script filled. I have never struggled with anxiety or depression, but suddenly I felt of of control , weepy, and down. At first I explained away my feelings because of the obvious big move that I had made, but I didn’t feel convinced. I decided to stop with the Nuvaring because I suspected that my hormones were messing with my mental health. Within days of removing the ring, I started to feel more like my light-hearted self. But not long after, I started to notice the stray hair everywhere. This alarmed me greatly since I’m not used to seeing my hair strands around. Again, I explained it away by blaming the desalinated water that I wasn’t used to in the Middle East. My hair is very fine, so I cannot afford to lose too many excess hairs, so I started being ultra careful about only using mineral water to wash my hair. I also put myself on a Vitamin B-Complex vitamin which has done wonders for my skin, nails and hair shine! But the problem of hair loss has persisted, losing hair straight from the root. I don’t have the luxury of brushing my hair differently to hide it, since I don’t have a ponytail. Out of desperation I did an Internet search for “Nuvaring and hair loss”, which has led me to these posts. I’m pretty convinced after reading your dozens of posts that my obvious balding is due to the Nuvaring. I’m finally going back home next month, looking like I’m sick. I’m embarrassed and sensitive about my sparse hair, and furious at my Gynae for not advising me better.

By: Christine

Christine — Fri, 11 Aug 2017 08:24:15 +0000

One year ago I noticed a lot more hair in the shower drain and on my hair brush than was normal for me. I was on Nuvaring for over 5 years before my 4th dermatologist came to the conclusion that the Nuvaring was the cause (I have beed diagnosed with androgenetic alopecia). I don’t have a family history of androgenetic alopecia or diffuse hair loss. And what I’ve recently discovered is that, of the many birth-control pills on the market, Nuvaring (etenogestrel) is one of the most androgenic available.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Fri, 04 Aug 2017 13:02:15 +0000

Oh my god! I am just finished reading this thread. Thank you all for sharing your experience. I’m so glad I found this site!! I have been on and off the Nuvaring for years! It makes perfect sense – on and off I’ve noticed my hair getting better/worse but I always put this down to colouring it and stress. I’ve never noticed it this much before though. I’m back on the Nuvaring 2 months. My crown and temples are visibly receding this time. I have growth but its baby hair and doesn’t fully cover my scalp. I am discontinuing use today (had my weeks break this week anyway so perfect timing). I will update you all whether it gets better or worse. Sending you all so much love! <3

By: Anjelica

Anjelica — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 23:32:41 +0000

I want to know if anyone has had success with regrowth after stopping the nuvaring?

By: Fingers crossed

Fingers crossed — Fri, 11 Dec 2015 04:15:19 +0000

So bummed, but hopeful by all of this news. I was on the nuvaring for 3 weeks and had to get off. I was horribly depressed and anxious. My hair has been falling out and like the rest of you, have gone through rounds of blood work, derm visits, allergist visits, etc. Despite normal blood work, I’ve been taking daily but, iron, vitamin D, Vit B12, biotin, adrenal health herbs, and seeing a acupuncturist. It’s been 5 months and the shedding has slowed down, but is still present. Appreciate the hope of others who said that their hair has grown back. I’m starting to see tiny baby hairs, but I am depending on my frizzy hair to cover the scalp (no more straightening iron).

I hope to report soon that my hair has grown back.

By: White magnolia

White magnolia — Mon, 23 Nov 2015 04:43:49 +0000

I Used nuvaring twice, first time after the birth of my second child and second time from last fall, approximately. First time I was happy with that method of BC – it made my skin glow, hair got thicker for a while but I was experiencing horrible migraines and my blood pressure went up, and one of the specialists I was seeing (the nephrologist) said it may be related to the BC and suggested I change it to something non-hormonal. I switched to non-hormonal IUD. It was ok, but during my period I was bleeding like crazy, I had to use those night pads for first 3 days to avoid leaking. My iron level got down significantly and a new family doctor suggested nuvaring again. The second time it was not that well: and now after reading the comments above I understand that I was not going crazy but in fact I got mood swings and hair loss and thinning hair, depression, anxiety.. – full assortment. But hair loss is dramatic. I even got a wig to myself; haven’t started using it but trying to wear it from time to time to get used to it.. It’s horrible that doctors don’t tell you the truth that hair loss can be associated with hormonal BC. My doctor also just denied it; I asked her if my hair loss and weight gain is related to BC and she said: no, it doesn’t cause it.. Even made me feel as if I am stupid asking this question.i finally decided to get off a nuvaring but so scared now that hair loss may get worse.. I am taking preg-vit supplements and fish oil, stopped colouring and highlighting hair completely, actually for 11 months already; hair grow soooo slowly.. It’s my first week off nuvaring. Noticed increased amount of hair in the drain after shower..but as some ladies mentioned above- I will try to stay strong and keep in mind that it should get better after it gets really bad. Wishing us all peace of mind and full hair back as soon as possible.