Hormonal Imbalances

Hormonal changes and imbalances, no matter what the cause, often result in hair loss.

Androgenetic alopecia, the most common cause of hair loss, is tied in to the presence and levels of certain androgen hormones, particularly testosterone, in men and women. Though the hair follicles maintain the possibility for growth, and certain therapies seem to temporarily slow, stop, or even reverse the loss, androgenetic alopecia is generally considered permanent.

Similarly, ovarian overproduction of androgen can result in hair loss in women. This condition may require hormonal therapy, and even after the underlying problem is treated, the hair loss may not improve.

Androgen therapy (including the use of testosterone and DHEA) to treat a low sex drive in women can also result in hair loss.

Polycystic ovary syndrome, which is usually initiated by high levels of luteinizing hormone, androgen, or estrogen, can cause hair loss in teenage girls and women.

Hair loss following pregnancy is tied to fluctuating levels of the hormone estrogen and this hair loss is generally temporary. During pregnancy, women experience a rise in estrogen and this causes more hairs than normal to remain in the active growth portion of the hair cycle. (Hair loss during pregnancy is unusual and may be a sign of deficient vitamins and minerals.) After delivery, estrogen decreases and more hairs enter the resting phase and are soon lost. Noticeable loss often begins two to three months after a pregnancy ends, it may progressively worsen for up to four months after pregnancy, and it may continue for six to twelve months.

Similarly, the use of birth control pills, which usually contain progestin and estrogen, can cause hair loss, particularly in women who have an inherited tendency for androgenetic alopecia. And when birth control pills are discontinued, hair loss similar to that following pregnancy may result. This loss often begins two to three months after the pills are discontinued, and it may continue for several months.

Diseases of the thyroid and pituitary glands, which regulate hormones, also often result in hair loss. If hormonal balance is restored, the hair loss is often temporary, but it can be permanent.

An overactive thyroid (a hyperthyroid) generally causes hair to become fine and soft and there can be scattered loss. An underactive thyroid (or hypothyroid) causes hair to become coarse and dray and again there is scattered loss. These thyroid problems can also result from Graves' disease, thyroid tumors, or abnormalities of the pituitary, the hypothalamus, the testes, or the ovaries.

The pituitary gland is located at the base of the brain, and it interacts with the thyroid in regulating hormones. Pituitary tumors can cause hair growth or loss -- or both sequentially. Some pituitary tumors initially stimulate increased hormonal production, but as the tumor grows and as regular pituitary cells are suppressed or destroyed, fewer hormones are produced. Hair growth increases or decreases along with these hormonal fluctuations. Pituitary tumors are usually benign (noncancerous) and the general prognosis is good if they can be surgically removed, but hormonal imbalances may be permanent and may require hormone replacement therapy.

Information on this page, provided as a service by Peggy Knight Solutions, draws upon information from the following sources: the American Academy of Dermatology, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the National Institutes of Health, and the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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