As with any medication, hormonal birth control pills have side effects. Although it is not extremely common, some women find that their hair thins or falls out while taking the pill, and other women may experience hair loss after they stop taking it.
How The Pill Can Cause Hair Loss
Birth control pills can cause hair loss in women who are especially sensitive to the hormones in the pill or who have a family history of hormone-related hair loss.
Hair normally grows in cycles. Anagen is the active phase. During this phase, your hair grows from its follicle. This period can last for 2 to 7 years. Catagen is the transitional stage when your hair growth stops. It lasts for about 10 to 20 days. Telogen is the resting phase. During this phase, your hair doesn’t grow. Between 25 and 100 hairs are shed daily in this phase, lasting for up to 100 days.
Birth control pills can cause the hair to move from the growing phase to the resting phase too soon and for too long. This form of hair loss is called telogen effluvium. Large amounts of hair can fall out during this process.
Risk Factors for Hair Loss
Women who have a family history of hormone-related hair loss may lose hair while on the pill or just after they discontinue it. Some women lose a little bit of hair, and some women lose large clumps of hair or experience a lot of thinning. Switching to a different form of hormonal birth control can also trigger hair loss.
Hair Loss Treatment
Hair loss caused by birth control pills is usually temporary. It should stop within a few months after your body gets used to the pill. Hair loss should also stop after you’ve been off the pill for a while.
If hair loss runs in your family, look for pills that contain more estrogen than progestin. These pills are low on the androgen index, and they can stimulate hair growth by keeping your hair in the anagen phase longer.
If you are struggling with hair loss from birth control, NM Hair Replacement Studio can help. We understand the stress and devastation that comes with losing your hair. That is why we offer a free, private consultation to discuss non-surgical options for hair loss and answer all the questions you have.
Give us a call today at (718)267-2516 to learn more about your options!
Leave a Reply