Can PCOS Cause Hair Loss?

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal condition that affects about 5 million women in the United States alone. There are a ton of symptoms of PCOS caused by hormonal imbalances, like fatigue, acne, irregular periods, weight gain, and mood swings. But, one symptom women with PCOS might be surprised to experience are changes in hair growth.

Often at the same time a Cyster experiences hirsutism (where your body produces an excessive amount of facial and body hair), they also experience male pattern baldness and hair loss. This can be devastating for any woman, because it can lower your self-esteem and your sense of femininity, even when it shouldn’t. Luckily, there are plenty of ways you can treat your hair loss and other PCOS-related hair problems. 

So, today I am going to break down how you can use lifestyle changes and the support of supplements and hair products to reverse your hair loss and feel like yourself again. Let’s get started:  

Can PCOS Cause Hair Loss?

The main cause of hair loss due to PCOS is high androgen levels AKA “male hormones.” The main hormones that cause hair loss in women are testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT). When the body has increased androgen levels, like testosterone, the hair on our scalp can fall out and making the rest look thin. It usually starts at the back and top of the head in a male pattern rather than a female pattern of hair loss that’s more like a widening of the hairlines over time. So, if you’re wondering if your balding head is due to age and genetics or PCOS, look for the male-pattern baldness over the female-pattern baldness! 

So, how does this happen? Imbalanced DHT hormone levels could affect the hair follicles (the tiny pockets where hair grows from) and make them shrink and become weak. This means they produce finer hair. Eventually, hair follicles could stop producing hair altogether. Hair loss from high androgen levels is also known as androgenic alopecia. 

These same androgen hormonal imbalances can cause hirsutism or excessive facial and body hair growth. 

What PCOS Hair Loss Looks Like

On average, a woman may lose 50 to 100 hairs a day. In comparison, women with PCOS can lose 100 to 150 hairs per day. PCOS hair loss happens gradually, where you might notice hair thinning at the top or certain parts of the scalp. Don’t worry, you won’t lose all of your hair! Instead, you may see a difference in your hairline and spots where your scalp is more visible. Most hair loss happens while brushing or washing it, but once you get your hormones balanced you’ll likely see it coming back!

Is PCOS Hair Loss Reversible?

Just like other symptoms of PCOS, hair loss is reversible! You don’t have to experience male pattern hair loss forever. When you make the right lifestyle changes that finally lower those androgen levels it is totally possible to treat and reverse PCOS hair loss. Keep in mind that this does take at least 3 months, so its important to be patient, stay consistent, and trust the process.

PCOS Hair Loss Remedies

There are many remedies to treat hair loss caused by PCOS. I’m sharing my preferred supplements and treatment options that I’ve found effective and helpful in my hair regrowth journey with PCOS. 

Best Lifestyle Changes for PCOS Hair Loss

Testosterone Relief Tea

If you want to lower testosterone, look no further than my daily Testosterone Relief Tea! It’s a blend of lots of natural herbal teas with proven hormone-balancing benefits. It’s one of the best ways to give your body support and start lowering those androgens! I recommend drinking it 2-3x a day for the most benefits.

Gluten- and Dairy-Free Anti-Inflammatory Diet

Keeping inflammation and insulin resistance under control is essential for hormone balance. So, having an intentional, balanced diet can help you see improvements in ALL symptoms, including your hair loss. Here’s my guide for a PCOS-friendly diet! If transitioning to this diet sounds like a lot, start with one meal at a time and gradually move up to all three. I recommend taking the recipes of meals you love and swapping out the ingredients with gluten and dairy with PCOS-friendly alternatives. For a library of PCOS-friendly recipes, check out The Cysterhood app!

Slow-Weighted Workouts

For any woman, daily exercise is important. However, not all workouts are designed with hormonal imbalances in mind. I recommend Cysters do slow-weighted workouts that can reduce insulin resistance, lower cortisol levels, and lower body fat, which is all helpful for getting those androgen numbers down. 

Good Quality Sleep

Sleep is essential for hormonal balance. Our body goes through important hormone-balancing processes while we sleep, but if we’re not getting good quality sleep, these functions are interrupted. Therefore, you wake up with wild hormone levels like cortisol, testosterone, and more! So, prioritize improving your sleep hygiene to help your body get back to normal. 

Best Supplements for PCOS Hair Loss

Omega-3

Omega-3 is one of the best supplements to take when you have PCOS. The fatty acids can improve insulin resistance and reduce inflammation, which means it helps your body balance hormones including androgen levels. Along with balancing your hormones, omega-3 has also proven to support hair growth. You can get a high-quality omega-3 supplement perfect for women with PCOS in the Metabolism Plus bundle!

Collagen

You’ve probably heard the hype around collagen and how great it is for your skin, hair, and nails. While everyone can benefit from adding collagen to their daily routines, women with PCOS can especially find it useful when it comes to hair loss. While collagen doesn’t necessarily address the underlying problem of hormone imbalance, it can help ensure new hair growth is strong and healthy! 

Ovasitol

Ovasitol is my all-time favorite supplement for PCOS, especially for women experiencing hair loss. Ovasitol’s 40:1 ratio of myo-inositol and d-chiro-inositol can directly reduce androgen levels and relieve tons of PCOS symptoms, including direct cause of hair loss in PCOS. Plus, studies show that this natural supplement could be more effective than prescription medicine a super win for Cysters! You can grab my easy-to-use Ovasitol powder here! 

Vitamin D

While most of the population has a vitamin D deficiency, it is even more common in women with PCOS. Vitamin D can be difficult to get naturally. Since it comes from direct sunlight this isn’t always realistic for women who live in areas with cloudy weather, office jobs, or just crazy busy lives! So, a daily vitamin D supplement can be super effective in improving PCOS symptoms. It has been proven to reduce inflammation, which helps lower high androgen levels. Plus, it can also help with hair follicle cycling, meaning you could soon have luscious, healthy hair again!

Zinc

Getting to the root of the problem (no pun intended!), zinc directly addresses the imbalance of androgen hormones like testosterone. It has been shown to increase or lower testosterone levels as the body needs in the case of PCOS, we will need to lower it. So, balancing those male hormones will directly improve PCOS hair loss. Pretty cool, right? You can find zinc and vitamin D3 in my MetaMulti vitamin in the Metabolism Plus bundle! 

Best Hair Products for PCOS Hair Loss

Sulfate-Free Shampoo

Using sulfate-free shampoo can also help prevent hair loss. Sulfates are chemicals that cause your shampoo to foam and bubble when lathered into your hair and scalp. But sometimes, these chemicals can be too harsh on your scalp and hair follicles. While sulfate-free shampoo does not directly address the cause behind PCOS hair loss, it can promote a healthier scalp for stronger and more hair growth. 

Minoxidil

Minoxidil is another method to treat hair loss from PCOS. It’s an over-the-counter treatment that stimulates hair growth by widening the scalp’s blood vessels, increases hair follicles, and slows down hair thinning by reactivating hair follicles that hormone imbalances have weakened. Women with PCOS should use minoxidil once or twice a day for three to six months before they notice results. It’s important to be aware of side effects like irritated or dry scalp and unwanted facial hair growth, so don’t hesitate to talk to your dermatologist before trying it. 

DHT-Blocking Shampoos

For women experiencing hair loss due to PCOS, adding a DHT-blocking shampoo to their routine could help prevent further hair loss. Since DHT is one of the hormones that causes hair follicles to weaken, blocking the hormone levels on the scalp could slow down hair thinning. Look for shampoos with ingredients like ketoconazole, green tea extract, and saw palmetto. 

Unlock the key to balancing your hormones and see your hair growth journey begin!

To treat PCOS symptoms, it all comes down to targeting the root cause. Figuring out which imbalanced hormones cause which symptoms is the most important step in managing and healing your PCOS. Good thing you found the Ovafit blog! 

You’ll find lots of ways to naturally heal your PCOS and reverse your symptoms. For all the support, resources, recipes, and routines you need to grow back your hair and feel your best, download The Cysterhood app. And with my Metabolism Plus bundle and Ovasitol powder, you can get off to a great start! Give your body the nutrients it needs to heal and thrive with Ovafit!