Birth control and hair loss?

[amylynn79]

My hair has been falling out at a rapid rate for the past several months. It took me several months before I realized my hair loss began around the same time I stopped taking the pill. Has anyone gone back on the pill in hopes their hair will grow back thicker and stronger? If so, did it work? Also, I don't currently have health insurance. Has anyone had trouble getting tests covered to determine why their hair is falling out? Apparently, the school plan available to me does not cover any treatment related to hair loss as it is considered cosmetic. Also, they won't run a battery of tests to determine if the hair loss is a symptom of something else. I would have to pay. So basically, I need to figure out the cause and the treatment at a low price. I don't know where to begin. Suggestions?

[VeronicaS]

There's probably a 95% chance that the hair loss was caused by the hormone change of getting off the pill. It's probably telogen effluvium if the hair loss is diffuse (generally all over your head, but could be more noticeable to you in the front). The hormone change offset a disruption in your hair's normal growth, but it should be a temporary shedding, though it can last a few months. After some time though, you go back to shedding a normal amount of hair every day.

Whatever you do, don't go back on the pill, that can prolong the shedding period for you. Right now the #1 thing you can do is wait it out while taking supplements and being gentle with your hair, maybe using hair oils.

[Kellie246]

Hi amylynn79,

I've been a reader of this site for a little while, but never posted. Your story reminds me of my own so I thought I'd share my experiences thus far.

I graduated from college in May 2008, and stopped taking birth control shortly after (I was no longer carried on my parents' insurance and didn't really need it anyway). Around August I started to notice more hair coming out in the shower, but just attributed it to the stress of being unemployed and looking. This continued until February, when I finally decided to take some action. I went back on a low androgen birth control because I knew I didn't have TE, and thought it might restore some balance to my body.

After not seeing any results, I saw a derm who ran all the standard tests. She prescribed me spironolactone and rogaine 5% which i started at the end of April. Since then my hair has been shedding pretty badly (about twice as much as I was before). So far I can't conclusively tell you if it's working or not--I'm still going through a dread shed, but I'll let you know if I start seeing positive changes. Many women on the forum will probably tell you that being on the pill or using rogaine is not the way to go. It's really a personal choice. For me, my hair has been shedding at such a high rate that I really couldn't wait around to see what would happen.

It's very possible and quite likely that stopping the birth control was the catalyst for your hair loss. In my opinion (and I'm no doctor), you should wait to see if it really is TE, as Veronica suggests. But if it continues past five or six months, you may be in the same boat as me. If that is the case, talk to your parents and figure out a way to see someone who will give you some answers or peace of mind.

Hopefully I'll be able to update everyone with some good news in the next few months. Only time will tell. Until then, it's important for me (and you) to keep a positive attitude and have hope that something will work. Letting yourself be completely consumed by fear and saddness can be a slippery slope, and I'm doing my best to stay away from that :)