How long into PCOS when you noticed the hair loss?
I've been diagnosed for about 2 + years and lately me and my partner have noticed that I seem to be getting sparse around my hair line. A friend of mine have noticed that my hair is less full than what it used to be. But the sparse hairline is something I've noticed couple of months ago.
How long have you been diagnosed with PCOS when you noticed the hair loss and do symptoms like hair loss, hirsutism, acne get progressively worse over time?
I've heard about aldactone and spironolactone- do these help the hair regrow? Or is the loss permanent? For those on these meds, how long did it take for you to notice that the meds were working?
I am new, but my hair loss is not. I noticed HL about a year ago. went to several docs(gyno, dermatologist, endocrinologist) with no answers. This was really the first noticeable symptom I had.
Finally I went to another endocrinologist who diagnosed me. I just started taking spironolactone( aldactone is the same thing, one is the trade name, the other generic). I was told within 2 months I should see my hair and skin become less oily(thus less acne) and in about 2 months the HL should decline. Also, new regrowth is possible ,and usually happenes in about 9 months or so(but there is no guarantee).
I will keep you posted. wish me luck!
My hair loss happened when I was about 17 or 18. I had other symptoms of PCOS since I was aroun 15 or so. They did get worse for a while but once I started taking metformin and birthcontrol it got a lot better. I have never taken any of those medications but I usually have hair extensions in because my hair is thin on top of being pretty sparse. I would say its about 75% better than it used to be. It was falling out in patches when I was younger!
As for the body hair, once the hormones got under controld I stopped growing hair in any new spots but I still had it where it had started growing. i plan on getting lazer hair removal once I can afford it though
I've probably had PCOS for a very long time since I had irregular menstrual cycles since I started my period at 15. To be honest, I really didn't discuss the matter to a physician until I was 22 because other than the irregular cycles, I didn't seem to notice anything except some hair growth on my chin starting at this age.
Back in April of 2007, a gynecologist put me on Ortho-Tri-Cyclen to "jump start my periods". I had suggested to the doctor that I might have PCOS since my mom has it. He didn't do any tests, but said that I could not have PCOS because I would not be thin. In July of that year, I started shedding. Since then, I have not really noticed a stop! In March of 2008, I got off the BCP's since it didn't seem to help anyways (my periods were still not regular even on the pill). In July of 2008 (at age 24), a Reproductive Endocrinologist officially diagnosed me with PCOS due to an ultrasound showing multiple cysts. Rather than using BCPS, she put me on 50 mg of Spironolactone daily as well as Prometrium on certain days of my cycle. This seems to have helped a lot.
For those of you who can answer this- does anyone think that I am going through a seriously bad telogen effluvium case or does this sound more like AGA? I just don't understand how I didn't have any issues with hair loss until the use of the pill.
I saw a dermatologist back in June who stated that she thinks the hair loss is due to all the hormonal changes with the start and stop of the BCP's as well as starting the Prometrium. She didn't think my hair looked that bad for going through almost a year of constant shedding. She also noticed a lot of the new growth sticking up from my part which she said was a good sign.
I do know that nobody else can notice my hair loss even though I have naturally thin hair which is a good thing. It's a lot thinner than it used to be but it still looks okay- I cannot see any areas of my scalp and my part has never gotten wider. I would really like to stabalize the loss and regain at least some of what I lost. I'm getting married in May, and I hope this can all be better by then so I can look the best that I can. I know so many family members of mine as well as friends who all have PCOS and none of them are experiencing the hair loss like I am, even those who have the extra growth in other areas.
I know since July of 07, I probably have had more stress than I ever have had due to trying to find a job in teaching after graduating, planning a wedding, buying a house, and stressing over the hair loss. I wonder if this has some play to the whole situation as well.
I'm thinking of going to see another dermatologist to get a more accurate diagnosis? Any insight from anyone experiencing a similar situation would be very greatly appreciated!
Hair loss and weight gain were my first two symptoms. Both started at age 17. Unfortunately I couldn't find a doctor to take me seriously and kept telling me that it was either stress ( I had just gone away to college )or that the weight gain was making my hair fall out. It was never treated by a doctor with medication and things like Rogain, Nioxin, etc. didn't work. I hate to say it, but mine anyway, is more than likely permanent. Missing periods soon followed along with the hirsutism but that still wasn't enough to make a doctor take me seriously. About 10 years after all of that started I finally found a doctor to take me seriously and did blood tests and noticed the testosterone was really high. That started the ball rolling and for the past several years I've been on metformin, spironolactone, and most recently - flutamide. But none have helped grow the hair back. I've just been wearing wigs or doing "hair replacement" the past 12 years because I have no frontal hair line anymore and my crown is severly thin as in literally nearly bald. I don't even have enough to do a bad comb over.
I was diagnosed in 2006 and I'm just now beginning to start losing hair and I have to pluck hair from my chin a whole lot more now...(boo hoo) I'ts mostly in the crown area
Hello-
I started noticing hair loss 3 years ago. I thought it was from stress and so did all the doctors who treated me. 9 months ago I was diagnosed with PCOS. I had to cut my hair short because it was so thin. I have been taking saw palmetto and other vitamins to help. I also was on spiro for 8 months and it has done nothing. My biggest worry (besides the hair loss) is the hair growth. I have blond hair (not peach fuzz) all over my body. I know I am lucky it is not dark but I still bothers me a great deal. Does anyone else have this problem? If so, please respond back.
I was diagnosed with PCOS at the age of 15 and noticed hair loss around 17/18. I was under a lot of stress and that caused more hair loss. I am currently on birth control, spironolactone, rogaine and have lost weight which has led to some regrowth. I hope in time I will notice more improvement.
Ya I'm right there with you, I have had PCOS for the last 8 years. I've been losing hair since I was 16ish.... I'm now 23. I have gotten it under control alittle. I am on prenatals,ACAI. Its a supplement and I take biotin everyday. I tryed met and spirol, but, my body cant handle them. You are sooooo luck that you only have blonde hair . Im italian mainly and my hairs BLACk all over. I can tell ive come to deal with it, its a part of me. On top of it all i have an amazing husband. Good luck
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I understand how you feel. I started losing my hair 3 years ago. It was thick and waving but now thin. I cut it short a year ago and started taking spiro last march. I have stopped it because I don't think it helped and I was at a high dose 200mg. Also, they have swicthed my BC a few times. I am thin too so my doctors also told me I couldn't have PCOS. I had to buy "It's your hormones" and bring it to them so they could see my symptoms in the book. I have all blond hairs no black at all but still am growing hair all over my body. They put me on metformin 500mg then 750mg 4 weeks ago. I think it has helped the hair growth on my head and the thickness. It is still to early to tell but I don't pick up my hair twice a day on the bathroom floor any more. That is a huge improvement. Good Luck with the wedding
How long into PCOS when you noticed the hair loss? 
