Stopped birth control pill after 5 years...losing hair...link?

[david'sgirl]

I recently stopped taking birth control and for the past few weeks have noticed an increase in my hair falling out. I have naturally thin hair and thinning spots due to genes, but I am getting worried that too much hair is falling out. Does this have to do with my stopping the pill and if so, is this going to be a permanent problem?
Anything will help, Thanks!

[33Now]

Icegal, I was on Estelle for 2 years for my skin. I was 30 and still breaking out. When I stopped, I had hair falling out in clumps in the shower, shedding on my pillow, on clothes. I REGRET ever having gone on Estelle - I was so tempted to sue my dermatologist for never making me aware of the hair loss side-effect. If you read the PDF on Estelle online, it does mention hair fall as a side effect some might experience.

I am now 33 and my hair is not half of what I donned before. If only all of us here were aware of this correlation between hair loss and coming off the pill. If only we could rewind time! I somehow expected the thickness to restore slightly as time passed, but it hasn't. I now warn my friends and others against taking the pill. I can't swallow the fact that some Dermatologists / Doctors aren't aware of this and are so careless with prescribing BC pills. My skin has gone back to breaking out again and I went to the best Dermatologist here in Melbourne, Australia and he recommended I go on the pill without flinching. When i mentioned my episode, he said, some BC pills like Yasmin don't cause hair loss. This was a statement he made after I mentioned my experience!! Even the best ones these days can be so careless - it's a pity.

[veronica2011]

Hi my name is Veronica and I'm 31 years old.

I started losing my hair dramatically after to switching birth control from Yaz to Yasmin.  I didn't realize that birth control was the reason I was losing my hair!  Thank you guys for posting comments here.  It has been helpful to me during my research but I'm sadden that there are so many people out there with this same awful experience!  

I decided to stop using birth control 6 months ago.  I wanted my body to function on it's own and increase my estrogen hormone levels naturally.  It was tough watching my hair fall out in the shower (which I am still experiencing) but at least my bald spot on my temples wasn't getting worse.  

Since then my hair is finally filling in on my bald spots.  I still have a ways to go but I do see improvement on my hair texture.  Take vitamins during this process!!  I will check in and let you know my progress!

[Babynatebear]

I can appreciate your post.  Your situation is nearly identical to mine except I have been dealing with this for THREE years now!  I torment myself every month on whether or not to restart the pill.  I like you am very concerned that restarting would shock my system into having another dread shed however I cannot afford to lose much more hair since my regrowth from the first shed was minimal.  Can I ask you how much you are shedding now daily?  When my shedding was at its worst a couple months after getting off the pill I bet it was around 300-500 a day for a few weeks.  Then it tapered down and ever since its been around 150-200 per day.  That still seems so high to me and no matter what supplement or shampoo I use I cannot seem to get my shedding below that!  Very frustrating.  Shedding over two years now at that rate, I would have thought I would be bald by now, but I am not.  But my hair remains thin despite continuous regrowth.  I shed all over long ones, short ones, thick ones, thin ones.  But my thinness is most noticible on top at the bangs and my temples are ridiculously bare.  Good luck to you and please update if you decide to go back on the pill.  I will share my experience and update as well.  Currently I am on viviscal for a couple of weeks so far with no noticible change but its supposed to take a few months.  Thanks.

[jjjm]

I am 29 and stopped taking the pill 4 months ago. after a couple of months I noticed a receding hairline and thought I must be imagining it. I steadily noticed an overall thinning so much so that I can now see through to my scalp. My hair is very greasy, with a red itchy scalp. I also have dreadful acne and increased facial hair along with horrible greasy skin (which was previously quite dry). I have noticed fluffy hair regrowth along the receeding hairline but it is minimal. I have always had fine, thin hair so this is very noticable to me as I don't have a lot to lose to be bald. I am taking antibiotics for the acne but the results have been minimal. I believe this is all related to coming off the pill. I started the pill 8 years ago to deal with cramps and acne and stopped as I was becoming increasingly anxious, sad and had a reduced libido. I am trying not to let my vanity take over but if i thought going back on the pill would restart my hair growth I would do it today. I am just worried that another shock to the hormones by going back on will cause another bout of TE and leave me with no hair at all! The depression cause by the hair loss and dreadful skin is as bad as any symptoms caused by being on the pill

i have a doctors appointment next week to make sure it is not anything thyroid or iron related.

There are always so many stories but very few people ever follow up to say what happened when they go back on the pill... I wish everyone going through this all the best of luck and health in the future

[TC1985]

I noticed a few months ago that I had developed a bald spot in the front of my head. I went to the doctor who then tested my thyroid levals to discover they were low. I am now waiting to see a specialist. I also stopped taking birth control a bit befour I noticed the hair loss, I was on it for 7 years. My hair has gotten really thin and I know have two bald spots on the top of my head. I went back to the doctor again today and she prescribed rogain for me. I have no idea what to do!

[Babynatebear]

Hi there, thought I would send you a reply since no one else seems to answer their posts.  Unfortunately, I wish I had better news for you.  I am still shedding around 200 per day since getting off the pill 3 years ago.  I am slowly slowly getting thinner I think.  I have growth but because of the continued shedding, it seems that it will never thicken up.  I did not go back on the pill yet, however, I have a current prescription for it (the same one I was on before this nightmare began!)  I am terrified to go back on it as I can't seem to get any concrete answers that it would help the situation by going back on.  One of three things would happen by going back on.  1. it would help. 2.  it would not change anything.  3.  it would trigger more shedding.  It is for the third reason I have not tried to go back on.  Currently I am waiting for a sign from God as to what to do.  All the ladies who went back on the pill after they lost hair coming off, have not come back to post their results.  What do you suppose that means??  I am currently taking a multi vitamin, iron supplement (ferritin level is 32 - heard that could be the reason for increased shedding and poor growth, so you may want to have your ferritin level checked.  Supposed to be above 40 to stop shedding and sustained at above 70 for healthy growth) and yesterday I just started Viviscal. Anyway, good luck to you in finding your answers too.