birth control: thinning hair?

[girl-kicks-boy.livejournal.com]

my hair has been thinning out considerably over the years. i've been on oral BC now for going on 6 years, and am wondering if this could be the cause. i've read in a few places that it could be, but would like to know if any of you have experienced said side effect, and if so, did your hair go back to its pre-BC state when/if you stopped taking it? additionally, are there pills out there (low hormone, maybe) that wouldn't cause my hair to do this? thanks!

Comments

[archangelbeth]

I'd suggest getting your thyroid checked. Estrogen interferes with thyroid hormone in the body, and some hypothyroid people find they have to increase their medication-dose to compensate for HBC. If you're borderline hypothyroid, HBC may be pushing you over the edge enough to get the hair-loss symptom.

I don't insist I'm right, but thyroid issues are my pet hobby-horse, so I think everyone should get a thyroid check every 3-10 years. O;>

Have the doctor tell you your TSH level. If it's not in the tightest band of "normal" -- .3 to 3 -- and you have any other potential thyroid-issue symptoms, you may want to see if getting to TSH 1 would help. If you're above TSH 4.5, you may be hypothyroid enough to be being affected by the HBC.

[biggestsmall.livejournal.com]

What birth control are you using?

[girl-kicks-boy.livejournal.com]

Demulen

[popculturespong.livejournal.com]

My roommate had serious hairloss (they thought she had Cushing's disease) and they eventually blamed it on her birth control. I don't want to elaborate more because I do not know all the details, but her doctors thought there was SOME link.