Can birth control cause hair loss? Risks and treatments – Medical News Today

Birth control pills can cause hair loss due to their effect on a person’s hormones. Many prescription and nonprescription treatments are available for hair loss, or a person can switch to a nonhormonal form of birth control.

Any hormonal form of birth control — including oral pills, skin patches, hormone injections, and implants — can potentially cause hair loss. The ingredient in these products that may cause hair loss is progestin.

Progestin is a hormone that has androgenic activity, which means that it acts similarly to male hormones.

This article discusses birth control pills, their side effects, and how they may cause hair loss. It also examines the risk factors and treatments for hair loss.

Birth control pills reduce the likelihood of pregnancy in a couple of ways.

Firstly, they prevent the ovaries from releasing eggs. Secondly, they thicken cervical mucus, which helps keep sperm from reaching the egg.

Other forms of hormonal birth control, including skin patches, minipills, progestin shots, and vaginal rings, all work in the same way.

There are two types of birth control pills: combined and progestin-only. Doctors prescribe them, and a person takes one daily at the same time each day. Depending on the type of pill, some people might have a 7-day break from taking it each month.

Combined pill

A combined birth control pill, which some people simply call “the pill,” is a combination of progestin and estrogen.

Progestin is a synthetic form of progesterone, a hormone that the ovaries release naturally. The estrogen in the pills is also synthetic.

Due to the possible side effects, doctors may not prescribe these pills for:

• people older than 35 years
• those who smoke
• individuals with a history of breast cancer or blood clots

Progestin-only pill

The progestin-only pill is sometimes called the minipill.

It contains only progestin and is an option for people who cannot take estrogen.

Both types of birth control pills can cause side effects, which can vary among individuals.

Combined pill

Side effects may include:

• breast tenderness
• nausea
• headaches
• breakthrough bleeding

The combined pill also carries some health risks, which include:

Progestin-only pill

Bleeding changes are the most common side effect …….

Source: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/can-birth-control-cause-hair-loss