The FDA approved the use of the birth control pill back in the 1960’s for the purpose of preventing women from becoming pregnant. Women quickly discovered it was more advantageous to prevent pregnancy by taking a pill. They also found that it regulated their periods, minimized cramping experienced during menstrual periods, and also cleared up acne on their faces.
Millions of women are prescribed the pill each year in this country, but very few are aware that oral contraceptives are a common trigger of hair loss for many who use them. The relationship between birth control pills and hair loss is very similar to that of giving birth and balding. Female hair loss reasons are often associated with a fluctuation of a hormonal imbalance where estrogen levels rise and fall significantly. These pills contain hormones that have a direct effect on the follicles in the scalp that produce hair growth. The initial effect on females increases the number of these follicles when they first start taking these pills.
Once the female’s body starts to get used to the increased hormones from birth control pills, the rate of hair growth starts to slow down. It could take several months before you start to notice that you are losing large amounts of hair. The reason for this is that the rapid growth caused by taking the pills has now reached the mature stage and the hair is ready to fall out.
Hair loss triggered by the pill varies. In some cases, the loss is minimal. Other times, it can be drastic. Hair loss may not occur until after a woman has stopped taking the pill. While oral contraceptives are safe and effective, women whose family histories include hair loss need to be forewarned that taking the pill could cause them to lose their hair. Knowing this, women can make better and more informed decisions about how to approach birth control.
There are a number of different oral contraceptives available. Those with low androgen index are less likely to cause hair loss. Women concerned about the possibility of hair loss as a side effect of using oral contraceptives should ask their doctors about low-androgen index pills and non-hormonal birth control methods.
The American Hair Loss Association (ALHA) recommends that all women interested in using oral contraceptives for the prevention of conception should only use low-androgen index birth control pills. Pills with the least androgenic activity include norgestimate (in Ortho-Cyclen, Ortho Tri-Cyclen), norethindrone (in Ovcon 35), desogestrel (in Mircette), or ethynodiol diacetate (in Demulen, Zovia). If there is a strong predisposition for genetic hair loss in your family, the AHLA recommends the use of another non-hormonal form of birth control. Each woman should decide based on her own needs in consultation with her own doctor.
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