Hair Loss & Hormones

[HopefulWM]

I had had a bout of back luck these days...I stopped the b/c pill in Jan. 07' to be pregnant in May (miscarriage) to become pregnant again in June (ectopic-that took 6 weeks to dissolve-it didn't end until the very end of August). I had to have one shot of methotrexate to help guide it along.

I have also been under significant amount of personal life stress and have been experiencing a lot of hair loss (continuiously for about 3 months now). Thyroid normal, no evidence of pcos, otherwise healthy 29-year-old.

Since all of the pregnancy mishaps, I have gone back on the pill (lo estrin 1/20).

My dermatologist said that with all the fluctuation of hormones and stress, hair loss is normal and can go on for months. I'm really scared I'm going to lose all my hair.

I have three questions:
1) is the pill I'm on a good one for keeping my hair? I have endo, so I think that is why the doc recommended a low dose estrogen pill
2) Is there anything I can do to stop it and does the hair loss sound normal based on my history?
3) When will this end?

Thank you in advance for your time.

[Forum-M.D.-SP]

Hi there -

Neither hair loss, nor improved hair growth, are affected by the choice of birth control pill. Most of the time, hair loss stops by itself after a few months, but not always. It is good that your thyroid and other endocrine testing was reassuring. Chances are the hair loss will stop.

Once you are ready to try again, I hope you are able to get pregnant with an ongoing pregnancy!

[BG-MN]

I had a mysterious hair loss problem a few years ago, and I finally went to a dermatologist who specialized only in hair loss.  (If you are in or near a large city, you can probably find such a specialist at a major research university/clinic.)  I know at the time this specialist told me which birth control pills to avoid; I wasn't on the pill, so at the time, I didn't pay much attention.  But I know some types of pills cause hair loss, and regular dermatologists aren't that helpful.  You might also ask your regular doctor to run ferritin and prolactin blood tests.  Usually doctors only check thyroid and iron levels for hair loss.  Ferritin is kind of like a back up iron supply, and you need normal levels for good hair growth.  Mine was very low, and I solved the problem with an iron supplement.  My other problem was that I was very allergic to common shampoo ingredients.  If you have changed hair care products or treatments, you might look into that.  Sudden hair loss is usually totally reversible once you find the cause.  (It's the hereditary hair loss that is hard to treat, but that would come on slowly, over time.)  Best wishes to you!

[BG-MN]

Also, just to add:  my hair started to fall out rapidly after my miscarriage last June.  Now it has been growing back in.  So you may also want to just give yourself more time to rebalance hormononally after your ectopic.

[babywant]

I had a great amount of hair loss last December and I know how you must be feeling.  It's so distressing waking up and finding your pillow full of hair!  I wasn't on the pill so I cannot help you there but my problem was that my iron levels were low.  You should definitely take a Ferritin blood test - I think you have to fast for about 12 hours before.  As soon as I took some iron vitamins, that very week my hair stopped falling.  My dermatologist also gave me a spray that I would spray on my thinning and "bald" spot and new hairs started growing immediatly.  You can ask your dermatologist if you need to take such a solution (don't know how serious the hair loss is). It's called 60 Magistrale.  It's a solution that a pharmacist has to prepare.  I was also very stressed at the time so I believe that that didn't help either.  I'm sure your hair will grow back very soon!

[HopefulWM]

thank you all so much for the reassuring words and tips. they helped immensly. I wish you love, light and infinite blessings

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[nai7]

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