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Hormonal hair loss is caused by fluctuations in hormones such as estrogen, androgens, DHT, cortisol and thyroid hormones. Common symptoms of hormonal hair loss in men are diffuse thinning in the crown and front areas. In women, visible hairline receding, widening part, and excessive hair shedding are the signs. Hormonal imbalance hair loss can be managed by balancing the hormones, using topical treatments, consuming prescribed medicine and making certain lifestyle changes.
Hormonal hair loss doesn’t happen overnight. First, you notice hair in your brush, then your drain is full of hair strands, and your ponytail becomes thin. The reason behind these could be hormonal imbalances. Hormones are like chemical messengers controlling the hair growth cycle. When there’s a fluctuation in hormones, hair follicles shrink, and you experience hair shedding. The good thing is that this type of hair loss is manageable once we deeply understand it. Here’s everything you need to know about hormonal hair loss, its symptoms, causes, what hormones are linked to hair loss, and the treatment options.
What Is Hormonal Hair Loss?
Hormones act as chemical messengers made by glands and tissues in our body. They travel through the bloodstream and control several important body functions such as growth, reproduction, metabolism and even hair growth. Fluctuations in hormones affect our system and cause extensive hair loss. This can occur in both men and women, especially during puberty, pregnancy, menopause, thyroid disorder, stress and PCOS.
Some hormones that are commonly linked to hair loss are:
- Androgens: They are male hormones such as testosterone and DHT
- Oestrogens: They include sex hormones such as estradiol, oestrone, and oestriol
- Stress hormones such as cortisol, ACTH, and CRF
- Thyroid hormones such as TSH, T3, and T4
Hormonal Imbalance usually causes two types of distinct hair loss: androgenetic alopecia (pattern baldness) and telogen effluvium (excessive hair shedding on the scalp).
Symptoms of Hormonal Hair Loss
It’s difficult to tell if your hair loss is caused by a hormonal imbalance if it doesn’t show a visible sign of alopecia. Here are some specific characteristics that can help you decide whether you have hormonal hair loss or regular hair loss.
1. Patterned Hair Loss
When you are dealing with pattern hair loss, you see the diffused hair all over the scalp, which is a sign of androgenic alopecia. It is a genetic disorder that is triggered by androgen, causing the hair follicles to shrink. It appears as a receding hairline at the front and the crown area in men. In women, it is recognised by the widening part.
2. Excessive Hair Shedding
Excessive hair shedding (telogen effluvium) is typically triggered by stress, nutritional deficiencies, or major hormonal shifts rather than DHT. Conversely, DHT-related hair loss causes gradual follicle miniaturization and pattern baldness, which can occur even with normal baseline hormone levels.
Other symptoms of hormonal hair loss:
- Unwanted facial and chin hair
- Shrinking ponytail
- Changes in hair texture
- Delayed or heavy menstrual cycle
- Occurrence of acne
Additionally, if your scalp is itchy, red, flaky and causes hair shedding, you are likely to have a hair follicle infection, not hormonal hair loss.
Causes of Hormonal Hair Loss
Hormonal hair fall is caused by an imbalance in hormones, but there are certain factors involved. Here are the three most common factors that impact your hair growth and hair loss.
- Sensitivity to certain hormones: Some people are sensitive to certain hormones, like DHT. This makes them inclined to hair loss conditions such as androgenic alopecia.
- Imbalance in the hair growth cycle: Hormones such as estrogen and thyroid hormones are important for the hair growth cycle. A deficiency in production level can cause problems in the hair growth cycle, increasing the resting and shedding phase.
- Hormonal Imbalance: During puberty and menopause, there’s a vast fluctuation in hormones. Overproduction or underproduction of hormones that are related to these conditions can impact your hair health.
These are the primary causes of your hormonal hair loss. In some cases, hormonal hair fall can also be caused by certain medical conditions, such as androgenetic alopecia, PCOS, thyroid disorders, pregnancy, and postpartum changes.
Treatment of Hormonal Hair Loss
Hair loss is caused by an internal bodily shift. For treating your hormonal hair loss, you need to consult your doctor to understand the actual cause of your hair loss. They will examine your hair and scalp, ask about your medical history, family history, lifestyle habits, and may take a blood test.
1. Hormone Therapy
Hormone therapy involves hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which helps in balancing the hormone levels to reduce hair shedding and supports hair growth. This treatment may not be suitable for everyone.This treatment may not be suitable for everyone; therefore, a suitability test is conducted first.
2. Medications
Doctors may recommend certain medications such as minoxidil and finasteride. Minoxidil helps in improving the blood flow to your hair follicles. Finasteride is the prescribed medicine for male pattern baldness. It reduces the DHT level and stops the hair follicles from shrinking.
3. Red light therapy
Red light therapy, also known as low-level laser therapy, may help in treating pattern baldness and some types of alopecia. It uses red infrared light that effectively penetrates into your scalp and improves the blood flow of your hair follicles.
4. PRP Therapy
PRP, also known as platelet-rich plasma therapy. In this therapy, a small amount of your blood is taken, and with the help of a centrifuge, the plasma is separated from the substance. Once that is done, your doctor will inject it into your balding area. This works well to treat all types of hormonal hair loss.
5. Dietary & Lifestyle Adjustments
Diet and your lifestyle play a crucial role in how our bodies function. Regular exercise, effective stress management, and a balanced diet can help improve your hair growth cycle. Eating clean is important to keep your hormones healthy, and exercise boosts the blood flow to your scalp.
Which Types of Hair Loss Are Linked to Hormonal Changes?
There are various types of hair loss that are linked with hormonal changes. The following is a detailed explanation of hormonal hair fall types.
1. Androgenetic Alopecia
This is the most common form of hair loss that happens in men and women. The hormones linked with this androgenic alopecia are DHT. Over time, hair follicles shrink, increasing hair shedding and risk of pattern baldness. Men experience a receding hairline at the front and a bald spot on the crown area. Women experience diffuse thinning across the hair partition.
2. Postpartum Hair Loss
This is a temporary form of hair loss that appears after a few months of giving birth. The hormone linked with this condition is estrogen. When estrogen levels decrease after pregnancy, it makes your hair shift to the resting and shedding phase.
3. Menopausal Hair Thinning
Women transitioning through menopause and perimenopause experience gradual hair thinning. The hormones linked to menopausal hair thinning are declining estrogen and higher androgen levels (male hormones). While estrogen levels drop, women still produce androgens through the ovaries and the adrenal gland.
4. PCOS-related Hair Loss
Androgen is a male hormone, but women also produce it, and when it’s present in high amounts, it causes PCOS hair loss. This is the combination of male pattern scalp thinning along with the growth of facial and body hair.
5. Thyroid Hair Loss
When your thyroid gland overproduces or underproduces thyroid hormones, it causes diffuse hair thinning in the body. This may also interrupt the hair follicle cycle and make your hair brittle and extremely thin.
6. Stress-related Hair Loss
The main hormone that is linked with stress is cortisol, but other stress mediators can also impact hair loss. When stress hormone levels are high, they disturb the cycle of hair follicles and result in hair shedding.
Traya’s Perspective on Hormonal Hair Loss
Hair loss is caused by several internal and external factors. Yet, when people experience hair fall, the first instinct is to change oil and shampoo. Usually, the main causes of hair loss are stress levels, genetics, hormonal shifts, nutritional deficiencies, and poor dietary and lifestyle habits. So, before treating hair fall, understanding what is causing it becomes crucial.
Understanding the root cause of hair loss helps in choosing the right treatment while managing the condition effectively. If you are dealing with excessive hair shedding, you must take Traya’s Hair Test to identify the underlying cause of your hair fall.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Does hormonal imbalance cause hair loss?
Yes. This is one of the most common causes of hair loss. Imbalance in hormones can disrupt the hair follicles' cycle, which causes extreme hair loss and hair thinning.
2. How to stop hormonal hair loss in females?
Hormonal hair loss in females can be managed by HRT (Hormone replacement therapy), prescribed medication, and certain lifestyle changes. The treatment can be done externally, but for hair loss, the diet plays a crucial role along with medical treatment, especially for women with postpartum or menopause.
3. How to stop hormonal hair loss naturally?
To stop hormonal hair loss naturally, you need to focus on balancing your hormones and reducing DHT levels. You also need to focus on improving scalp health, stress management, and using natural methods like hair oiling.
4. Can hair loss due to hormonal imbalance be reversed?
Hormonal hair loss is reversible once you treat the root cause of hair fall effectively. Different triggers require different hair treatments. Consult your doctor to understand your hair problem and fix it with proper guidelines.
5. How to stop hormonal imbalance hair loss in males?
The most helpful approach for hormonal imbalance hair loss in males is the combination of FDA-approved medicines, doctor guidelines, and lifestyle changes. Your doctor will also perform hormone replacement therapy to support the hair restoration.
