BC Pills and hairloss

Blu217

Well-Known Member
Does anyone here have experience with the effects BC pills have on hair? I'd like to stop taking them to see if my hair will start to grow back, but am concerned that my shedding problem may increase just get worse instead. My understanding is that the pill can cause shedding when you're on it, AND when you stop. I ran out not too long ago and it seemed my already bad thinning got worse while I was off the hormones, but... can't be SURE that's what it was, because I'd been losing hair for a while before that.

Anyone with first-hand experience to share? Not sure what to do...
 
I have been taking mircette and cyclessa for the last 3 years and have never experienced any type of hair loss with my pills. i have been natural for 1.5 years and have extremely thick hair. i have never had shedding either...
 
I was on the patch and it did make my hair fall out. I went to the doctor and he determined that patch was the reason. I got off them babies as soon as I found out. I now take pills and I have no problems. The patch left a big bald spot in the front of my head.:eek:
 
longhairluva said:
I was on the patch and it did make my hair fall out. I went to the doctor and he determined that patch was the reason. I got off them babies as soon as I found out. I now take pills and I have no problems. The patch left a big bald spot in the front of my head.:eek:

The patch is what started my alopecia! My stressing aggrivated the alopecia!! Don't give up and treat the bald spot ASAP. Your hair can grow back with time and some TLC. I know 5 folks that have suffered hairloss from that damned patch and so far, each of us has had our hair grow back.
 
Blu217 said:
Does anyone here have experience with the effects BC pills have on hair? I'd like to stop taking them to see if my hair will start to grow back, but am concerned that my shedding problem may increase just get worse instead. My understanding is that the pill can cause shedding when you're on it, AND when you stop. I ran out not too long ago and it seemed my already bad thinning got worse while I was off the hormones, but... can't be SURE that's what it was, because I'd been losing hair for a while before that.

Anyone with first-hand experience to share? Not sure what to do...

Oh my! I never knew that the Pill could cause shedding or hair loss! :eek: I just stopped it myself about three months ago (in an attempt to lose all that freaking weight I gained on it). Fortunately, I didn't notice any marked extra shedding (but then again, I wasn't paying attention). I'll certainly keep that in mind the next time I decide to start an oral contraceptive again.

Yeah, I'd heard about hair loss from the shot, from several folks, which is why I opted not to use that form of BC. :perplexed *YIKES*
 
KiniKakes said:
Oh my! I never knew that the Pill could cause shedding or hair loss! :eek: I just stopped it myself about three months ago (in an attempt to lose all that freaking weight I gained on it). Fortunately, I didn't notice any marked extra shedding (but then again, I wasn't paying attention). I'll certainly keep that in mind the next time I decide to start an oral contraceptive again.

Yeah, I'd heard about hair loss from the shot, from several folks, which is why I opted not to use that form of BC. :perplexed *YIKES*
I haven't noticed any negative side effects from the pill.

As far as weight: my doctor was like, you only gain about 5 lbs. from the pill. I was thinking Bull-Crap. I eat like a stinking horse now. I can look at food and gain weight. I feel like a bottomless pit when I eat. I've gained 20lbs.

Everyone else is like, "You just got married, etc. etc."

No, not the case. My husband is still skinny, and we eat some of the same things most of the time. It is this stupid pill.

*end rant*
 
uncutandgettinglonger said:
I haven't noticed any negative side effects from the pill.

As far as weight: my doctor was like, you only gain about 5 lbs. from the pill. I was thinking Bull-Crap. I eat like a stinking horse now. I can look at food and gain weight. I feel like a bottomless pit when I eat. I've gained 20lbs.

Everyone else is like, "You just got married, etc. etc."

No, not the case. My husband is still skinny, and we eat some of the same things most of the time. It is this stupid pill.

*end rant*

Yeah, its definitely the Pill! My GYN said the same thing. When I told her how much weight I've gained (20 lbs), she just looked at me with a smirk, and told me that the Pill only adds about 5 lbs, and that this is "water weight." :mad:

However, I know for a fact that this is untrue, because I've been on and off the Pill about 4 times since high school, ten years ago. My frame is naturally slender and I NEVER have to battle my weight. However, each time that I get on the pill, I gain weight slowly but surely. Once I get off, the weight starts to slowly come down.

I don't know if the Pill itself causes the weight gain, but the additional hormones/etc in that joint certainly causes an increase an appetite. There in lies the problem! When Im on the Pill my appetite is out of control and I can eat like a horse. *smh* Totally unlike my normal appetite sans Pill.

But I digress, from the original topic...... Carry on, ladies. :lol:
 
I'm so glad someone brought this discussion back up. It's been on my mind for weeks!

When I was on Ortho-Evra, I lost massive amounts of hair and it ended up looking dry and brittle. But when I got off those for awhile and started on Yasmin, I had very little hair loss.

I think a major difference between then and now, is that since I've been on the pill, I take EXTRA good care of my hair and take a potent hair nourish multivitamin from GNC. I think those things could possibly counteract the ill effects you can get from the Pill.
 
I've been on BC pills for the last 2 years due to health reasons...but i just stopped as of yesterday and I'm so glad I did. It does put weight on you and lots of it too. I can't say that I eat alot, because I don't, but I did notice the slow weight gain when I started and it hasn't left no matter how many exercises I do. I'm just happy to be off of them now and ready to go back to my "self" again!

It didn't take my hair out though. I would have noticed that right away. Sorry for those who did lose hair.
 
vickid said:
The patch is what started my alopecia! My stressing aggrivated the alopecia!! Don't give up and treat the bald spot ASAP. Your hair can grow back with time and some TLC. I know 5 folks that have suffered hairloss from that damned patch and so far, each of us has had our hair grow back.


My hair has grown back too. Once I got off the patch my hair started growing back.
 
I've been on the pill about a year and have had no hair probs. because of the pill. Also, when I went on the pill, I told my gyn. that I was really concerned about weight gain. She prescribed Yasmin and said that I wouldn't have any weight gain issues, and so far I haven't!

In fact, I've lost alittle bit since that time. :)
 
longhairluva said:
I was on the patch and it did make my hair fall out. I went to the doctor and he determined that patch was the reason. I got off them babies as soon as I found out. I now take pills and I have no problems. The patch left a big bald spot in the front of my head.:eek:
Wow:eek:...this is scary...thank god I read this...I was just thinking of asking my dr to switch me to the patch instead of the pills...now I change my mind.
 
I'm on Marvelon and haven't had any hair loss, but I have had some weight gain which I think is due to increased appetite and maybe slighty slower metabolism.
But it cleared up my previously crappy skin and no babies so I think the pros outweigh the cons! (I'll cycle in the summer to try and deal with the weight gain!)
 
PerfectDoak said:
I'm on Marvelon and haven't had any hair loss, but I have had some weight gain which I think is due to increased appetite and maybe slighty slower metabolism.
But it cleared up my previously crappy skin and no babies so I think the pros outweigh the cons! (I'll cycle in the summer to try and deal with the weight gain!)

lol same here i had the most acne scars...fully wrecked my confidence. the pill has cleared my skin riiiiiiiiight up so much so u can see my freckles (uuck!)
 
I've been on Depo-Provera (injection) for a year now (was on it eight years ago, as well), and haven't had any problems with hair loss/shedding or weight gain. I've actually lost weight. :( (Really can't afford to loose any weight.)
Was also on the "mini-pill" (Nor-QD) for three years prior to Depo and experienced no alopecia or increased shedding with that one, either.
 
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Candy_C said:
lol same here i had the most acne scars...fully wrecked my confidence.
Same here, my skin scars so easily. Hair supplements have been making my skin worse though so I'm stopping taking them. I can't go back to having crappy skin!
 
I'm taking Ortho-Tri-Cyclen and haven't had any problems with my hair. I have gained weight though, and I really want to go off them. But I'm reallllllly scared of not being able to control my cycle. I like the fact that I don't have to worry about having my cycle when I'm on vacation etc. I don't know if I can give up that freedom!
 
I am sensitive to hormones. My hair shedded when I was on Ortho-Tri-cyclen. I suffered major hairloss when I was on the Depo shot and the Patch. I had a huge bald spot when I was on the patch. It has since filled in nicely.

I can only take low dosage pills with no problems. Alesse and Loestrin(sp) are two that I have taken with no ill effects.
 
Yeah, its definitely the Pill! My GYN said the same thing. When I told her how much weight I've gained (20 lbs), she just looked at me with a smirk, and told me that the Pill only adds about 5 lbs, and that this is "water weight." :mad:

I don't know if the Pill itself causes the weight gain, but the additional hormones/etc in that joint certainly causes an increase an appetite. There in lies the problem! When Im on the Pill my appetite is out of control and I can eat like a horse. *smh* Totally unlike my normal appetite sans Pill.

I have been on the pill for 3 years and have only gained 3 pounds. i questioned my doctor about this because all of my friends were getting bigger really fast from the pill. He explained it to me that your dieting habits and metabolism BEFORE the pill is what determines how your weight will react to its hormones. If your an inactive person, who doesn't eat well, has a sedentary lifestyle (works at a desk all day and then goes home to the couch) and has a slow metabolism - these are the people who see the most extreme weight gain from the pill and its hormones. I personally have just always had an extremely quick metabolism and even though I'm hungry very often I regulate how much I eat a day. I'm hungry most of the day because I burn off food so quickly but I still only eat breakfast and dinner with a small snack or two inbetween.

No matter what - if you are on prescription medication these days ACTIVITY is the key.
 
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