What Is The Link Between Birth Control Use And Hair Loss Treatment?

Hair Loss Treatment

Ever since the creation of effective birth control methods, statistics show that nearly all sexually active women between the ages of 15 and 44 in the western world are using or have used at least one form of contraceptive. Among the most popular is the birth control pill, which over 25% of women choose to use as their preferred method. But what is the link between birth control use and hair loss treatment?

As with any medication, the birth control pill can cause side effects to varying degrees among individuals. These include but are not limited to hair loss, breast tenderness, headaches, lower sex drive, moodiness, nausea, spotting, and weight fluctuations. When using the pill, we can experience such effects and must recognize that we need to adapt new healthcare routines that properly care for our body. For example, some women will experience thinning hair or hair loss while on the pill. Others may end up losing their hair when they stop the contraceptive regimen. To understand the link between birth control use and hair loss, we should first learn about birth control and how it works.

What Is The Link Between Birth Control Use And Hair Loss Treatment

Birth Control Effect

Birth control pills are effective to prevent pregnancies in a few different ways. Most pills consist of synthetic forms of estrogen and progesterone, which are female hormones that normally cause ovulation and the menstrual cycle in women. A surge of estrogen results in the release of an egg from the ovaries into the thickened uterus poised for fertilization. Birth control pills contain estrogen to stop this sudden surge of hormones, resulting in the absence of an egg and changes in the uterine lining. Though the traditional form of the birth control pill is the pill, the concept of it is applied to various other forms of contraceptives, including patches, implants, injections, and IUDs.

In Toronto, hair restoration treatment is frequently sought by women who have experienced hair loss related to birth control medication. Women who are more likely to experience hair loss from the birth control pill are especially sensitive to the hormones within the pills or have a family history of hormone-related hair loss.

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What Is The Link Between Birth Control Use And Hair Loss Treatment

Birth Control Pills

The hormonal changes induced by the birth control pills cause the hair to shift its life cycle phases. A typical hair follicle has 3 stages in its cycle: anagen, catagen, and telogen. Anagen is the active hair growing phase. Catagen is the transition phase into telogen, the resting phase in which hair growth is arrested. The levels of estrogen and progesterone from the birth control causes the hair follicles to leave the anagen phase too soon. The follicles reach telogen, and hair growth is arrested prematurely. This gives rise to a hair loss condition known as telogen effluvium, where significant amounts of hair can fall out. If a woman has a genetic predisposition to thin hair or baldness, the birth control pills can speed up the process.

Aside from the common birth control pill, there are other hormonal contraceptive methods that can cause or worsen hair loss. A woman may also experience an extensive amount of hair loss when switching from one pill to another.

Hair Loss Treatment

So if you are part of the population on the birth control pill and want to avoid potential side effects like hair loss, do not worry. The hair loss is typically temporary and should stop within a few months after your body adapts to the pill. If the thinning of hair does not stop and there is not new hair growth, contact us about hair loss treatment and restoration at the Toronto Hair Transplant Clinic. Together we can discuss your condition, the types of treatments available, and which treatment is best for you.

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