Can PCOS Cause Hair Fall?

How would you feel if your long, thick, and lustrous hair just kept falling one by one and if all your scalp starts becoming visible? These are one of the worst nightmares women can have. Well, you may experience excessive hair fall due to PCOS. So, today, let’s discuss it which can be one of the reasons why your shiny, healthy hair is withering away.

Understanding PCOS

PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) is a hormonal disorder. It is an endocrine disorder commonly affecting women in their teens and reproductive age. The exact cause of it still not known.

Common symptoms of PCOS include irregularity in the menstrual cycle along with other signs, such as acne, male pattern baldness, and obesity as well. Infertility can be a complication if this disease if not timely treated.

Hormonal imbalance is the major cause of the occurrence of PCOS. Enlarged ovaries containing multiple cysts are observed in numerous patients.

PCOS Induced Hair Fall

Hair fall due to PCOS is very common. It is due to the excess production of male hormones (testosterone) in the female’s body. In fact, the hair fall due to PCOS resembles the hair loss occurring normally in a man. The frontal area of the scalp is more prone to hair loss. Also, your hair becomes brittle and thin.

The excess of testosterone is converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT is also made from a female hormone called DHEA. While in normal quantities, DHT is harmless but an excess of DHT clogs hair follicles. Clogged hair follicles affect the normal process of hair growth and lead to severe hair loss.

Other conditions which can cause hair fall are anaemia, vitamin deficiencies, infections, and other illnesses.

The risk factors causing PCOS include obesity, the genetic tendency (i.e. if anyone from your family has PCOS), and a faulty diet and lifestyle.

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What Can You Do?

Here are a few ways to reduce or/and reverse PCOS resulting hair loss.

Diet:

Following a healthy and appropriate diet can help in curbing the hair loss. So, following a proper diet is important when it comes to dealing with PCOS. The first line of treatment in PCOS generally includes the correction of diet and lifestyle. Here, we list a few diet tips for you to follow.

1. Eat homely food which includes fresh vegetables, whole grains, legumes, lean meats, and high-quality fats, as it helps in dealing with PCOS.
2. Avoid dairy products as much as possible.
3. Include natural herbs, such as flaxseeds, methi seeds, coriander, and cinnamon, in your diet.
4. Eat unsaturated fats and eliminate saturated and hydrogenated fats from your diet. Make sure you check the food product’s label for the ingredients and fats while buying it.

Here are some daily lifestyle tips for you to follow.

• Eat small meals frequently throughout the day.
• Do not skip your breakfast.
• Avoid junk foods (such as burgers, pizza, pasta, and fried chips) at all cost.
• Exercise regularly, such as going for daily brisk walking, skipping, etc.
• Have an adequate sleep
• Reduce stress and be happy.
• Avoid smoking, alcohol, tobacco, and excess of caffeine.

Medical Treatment For PCOS

1. Conventional Treatment

Conventional treatment for PCOS includes hormone therapy. Hormone therapy regulates your menstrual cycle and it includes combination birth control pills and pills which contain both Estrogen and Progestin, Progesterone, and metformin.

2. Ovulatory Medications (Help in becoming pregnant):

Ovulatory medications include Clomiphene (Clomid, Serophene), Metformin, Gonadotropins – follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH) medications, and Letrozole.

Medications to reduce excessive hair growth include birth control pills, Spironolactone, and Eflornithine cream.

Homeopathic Treatment For PCOS

Homeopathic treatment corrects the hormonal imbalance & neutralizes the negative effects of the long-term conventional medications. The ovarian cysts dissolve gradually with homeopathic medications and the same is verified by repeating the USG pelvis.

The menstrual cycle gets regularized with homeopathy. Also, other complaints, such as hair growth on the face and acne, are also taken care of by the homeopathic remedies for PCOS. It also increases the possibility of women to conceive and thereby helps in increasing fertility.

Also Read: Why is Weight Loss Difficult in PCOS Treatment?

So, if you happen to suffer from hair fall due to PCOS, count on homeopathy without a second thought. Treat your PCOS and hair fall effectively and safely without any side-effects.

– Written by Dr. Neethu Krishnan, Associate doctor to Dr. Rajesh Shah