Hormones Including The Pill
In women, estrogen or progesterone hormone replacement therapy , also known as menopausal hormone therapy or treatment for menopause, is associated with the onset of telogen effluvium.
Hair loss on birth control pills is also a frequently reported side effect. Some women experience hair loss while they are taking the pill, while others see shedding only after stopping oral contraceptives or when they switch from one type of pill to another.
Hormone injections, hormone skin patches, progestin implants, and vaginal rings can also lead to hair loss.
Why does the pill, other contraceptives, and HRT cause hair loss? They trigger the telogen phase in your hair follicles, particularly if you are sensitive to the given hormone or if you are already predisposed to hormone-related hair loss . Its the same mechanism seen in alopecia during and right after pregnancy.
So, birth control pills and hair loss: Is it permanent? For most women hair loss related to birth control pills is not permanent. However, if you are already predisposed to Androgenic Alopecia , you might continue to see your hair fall even after stopping the pill or any other hormone-based birth control, and will continue losing hair progressively thereafter.
To help prevent or at least slow down this situation, the American Hair Loss Association recommends opting for low-androgen index oral contraceptives.
They are listed from the lowest-androgen to the highest-androgen index:
- Desogen
- Nabumetone
- Sulindac
What Treatments Are Available For Alopecia
Although a lot of research and trials have been done and are ongoing to try to find a cure for alopecia and other forms of baldness, there is no one cure that works for all women that have alopecia. However, some medical treatments include:
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Corticosteroids. These are injections or topical creams or ointments of steroids, helping treat small patches of baldness by suppressing the immune system in limited areas. The immune system is usually what is responsible for attacking hair follicles and causing hair loss.
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Minoxidil lotion. This can be applied to the scalp and treat baldness in both men and women over several months of use, although it should not be used in anyone under 18.
There are many medicinal treatments available, but many do not work, and most have side effects, so it is important to talk to your doctor before making decisions about what hair loss treatment is right for you.
Many women who have experienced hair loss use wigs, scarves, and hats to create an appearance that makes them feel comfortable. It is also possible to use makeup and tattoos to fill in eyebrows.
Regrow Hair With Diabetes
The number one priority when regrowing hair with diabetes is eliminating problematic foods and becoming more active. Taking these steps allows you to take more control over your blood sugar levels with smaller doses of medications.
Although this approach can prevent your hair loss from worsening, your hair follicles may need a boost to become active again.
Dr. Maag has experience with a large number of hair restoration treatments, including medications, topicals, low-laser treatment, platelet-rich plasma injections, and hair transplantation. Schedule an appointment with him to find out how you can get your hair back.
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How Is Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosed
Doctors can determine if a person has type 2 diabetes by testing blood samples for glucose. Even if a child or teen doesn’t have any symptoms of type 2 diabetes, doctors might test blood sugar in kids who are more likely to get it like those who are overweight.
Sometimes doctors may do another blood test, called the glycosylated hemoglobin test, to check for diabetes in children at higher risk for getting type 2 diabetes. This test shows how blood sugar levels have been running over the past few months.
If diabetes is suspected or confirmed, the doctor may refer you to a pediatric endocrinologist, a doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the endocrine system in kids.
How Can I Help My Child
Diabetes is a chronic condition that needs close attention. You’ll be your child’s most important partner in learning to live with it.
Kids or teens with type 2 diabetes may need to:
- Get to and maintain a normal body weight.
- Monitor blood sugar levels regularly.
- Eat a healthy diet, as determined by the care team.
- Get regular physical activity to achieve a healthy weight and allow insulin to work more effectively.
- Take insulin or other medicines that help the body respond to insulin more effectively.
- Work closely with their doctors and diabetes health care team to get the best possible diabetes control.
- Be watched for signs of complications and other diabetes-related health problems.
Living with diabetes is a challenge for anyone, but kids and teens often have special issues to deal with. Young kids might not understand why they need blood tests and medicines. They might be scared, angry, and uncooperative.
Teens may feel different from their peers and want a more carefree lifestyle than their diabetes allows. Even when they faithfully follow their treatment schedule, they might feel frustrated if the natural body changes of puberty make their diabetes somewhat harder to control.
Having a child with diabetes may seem overwhelming at times, but you’re not alone. If you have questions or problems, reach out to the diabetes health care team they can help with medical issues, and are there to support and help you and your child.
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Does Diabetes Medication Cause Hair Loss
Some medicines that you take to treat your diabetes may also be causing hair loss as a side effect. The drugs interfere with the normal cycle of scalp hair growth, leading to hair thinning.
In May 2020, the US Food and Drug Administration found an unacceptable level of a known carcinogen – N-Nitrosodimethylamine – in Metformin, a prescription drug used to control high blood sugar in patients with Type 2 diabetes .
Research suggests long-term use of Metformin to treat diabetes could have adverse impacts such as a Vitamin B12 deficiency, one potential symptom of which is hair loss .
According to a case report published in Current Drug Safety in 2017, a 69-year-old man diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes who was being treated with a fixed dose combination of Metformin and another medication commonly prescribed by doctors Sitagliptin, developed sudden loss of eyebrows and eyelashes, thus indicating a possible association between the drug and the reaction .
Acne medications, certain antibiotics, cholesterol lowering drugs, epilepsy drugs, thyroid medication, mood stabilizers and antidepressants, anticoagulants or blood thinners, chemotherapy medication and immunosuppressants prescribed to those with a certain type of cancer may result in hair loss.
If youve been experiencing sudden and unusual hair loss, it is highly recommended that you speak to a doctor to identify the root cause.
Control Your Sugar Intake
Consistently high blood glucose is the number one enemy of your hair.
Elevated sugar levels destroy your blood vessels and keep the nourishing agents from reaching the follicles. Thus, impairing their growth.
So if you want to reverse diabetes and hair loss problems, then start monitoring your sugar intake right away.
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Which Regions Suffer Hair Loss From Diabetes
As I mentioned before, hair loss from diabetes occurs in several body regions. Lets take a look at each.
- Head:
Alopecia affects women by gradual hair thinning from the top and parting region of the head, instead of receding hairline .
The good news here is that women rarely go bald because of diabetic hair loss.
Here is an image showing how alopecia occurs in women.
Diabetic hair loss in women
- Legs:
Consistently high blood sugar levels may cause a condition called diabetic neuropathy.
This condition causes damage to your nerves and usually affects feet and legs. As a result, you might feel numbness in your lower limbs.
You may also notice hair loss in legs in moderate to severe diabetic neuropathy cases.
- Arms:
Some diabetic women also experience loss of hair on arms but its usually more common in men.
- Face:
Additionally, you might notice facial hair loss from insulin-resistance in eyebrows and eyelashes.
Will Hair Loss From Diabetes Grow Back
Hair fall is reversible in some cases. While many treatment options are available for men and women, benefits are usually short-term, and need active follow-up.
Some individuals with diabetes can control hair loss that has occured due to pre-existing health conditions. Managing stress levels and controlling blood glucose levels can help. Exercising regularly, following a healthy diet, monitoring and seeking cognitive behavioural therapy or counselling can control the condition.
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How Does Diabetes Trigger Hair Loss
Insulin is a pancreatic hormone that permits your body to use glucose from carbohydrates. Insulin transports glucose from the bloodstream to cells, where they are either consumed for energy or stored for later use. If you have diabetes, your body either does not create insulin or does not utilise it well , or both. This is the case.
This can cause sugar to accumulate in the bloodstream. High blood sugar levels can lead to a number of issues, including:
- Endangering the bodys organs, such as the eyes, nerves, and kidneys.
- Blood vessel damage may limit blood vessels from providing adequate oxygen to nourish organs and tissues, including hair follicles.
Hair loss can occur in both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.
High Blood Sugars Impact Circulation In The Scalp
Diabetes is characterized by excess glucose in the bloodstream. Uncontrolled diabetes can damage organs, tissues, and blood vessels.
When your blood vessels get damaged, your body cant properly transport oxygen and nutrients to your hair follicles, which can damage the hair growth cycle.
The best way to avoid hair loss due to high blood sugar is to focus on eating a diet made up of foods with a low glycemic index.
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How Does Diabetes Cause Hair Loss
Hair loss in people with diabetes can be inherited and linked to other immune system issues such as thyroid illness or alopecia areata. Poor circulation, pharmaceutical side effects, inadequate blood sugar control, and dietary shortages are all possible reasons for hair loss in diabetics.
Its critical to figure out whats causing the problem to get the most acceptable treatment alternatives.
How Is Hair Loss In Women Treated What Medicines Or Supplements May Help
Treatment depends on the cause of your hair loss.
- In cases where the loss is due to stress or hormone changes like pregnancy, there might be no treatment needed. The hair loss will stop after a period of time.
- In cases of hair loss being due to hair styling practices, like tight braids or ponytails or certain chemicals, treatment means not doing the things that caused the damage.
- In cases due to nutritional deficiencies, you might be told to take supplements. For instance, you might be told to take a multivitamin and three to five milligrams of biotin daily.
- Minoxidil is approved for treating FPHL. The 2% or 5% solution can be purchased in stores. However, you have to follow directions exactly and use the product indefinitely. Dont use this product if youre pregnant, if you plan to get pregnant, or if youre breastfeeding.
- The HairMax Lasercomb® low light laser is approved by the US FDA to treat FPHL. Another FDA-approved laser product is the Theradome LH80 PRO® helmet and low light laser helmets and caps.
Other medications that have been studied, but not approved, for hair loss in women include:
- Spironolactone and other anti-androgens.
- Steroids.
- Other light treatments.
It is important to note that premenopausal women should not take medications for hair loss treatment without using contraception. Many drugs, including minoxidil and finasteride, are not safe for pregnant women or women who want to get pregnant.
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Amy Campbell Ms Rd Ldn Cde
A Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator at Good Measures, LLC, where she is a CDE manager for a virtual diabetes program. Campbell is the author of Staying Healthy with Diabetes: Nutrition & Meal Planning, a co-author of 16 Myths of a Diabetic Diet, and has written for publications including Diabetes Self-Management, Diabetes Spectrum, Clinical Diabetes, the Diabetes Research & Wellness Foundations newsletter, DiabeticConnect.com, and CDiabetes.com
Disclaimer of Medical Advice: You understand that the blog posts and comments to such blog posts do not constitute medical advice or recommendation of any kind, and you should not rely on any information contained in such posts or comments to replace consultations with your qualified health care professionals to meet your individual needs. The opinions and other information contained in the blog posts and comments do not reflect the opinions or positions of the Site Proprietor.
Can Diabetes Affect Your Hair Growth
Can Type 1 diabetes can affect your hair growth? The answer: yes. On a daily basis, our bodies undergo an enormous amount of physical stress to keep up with our daily life of eating, exercise and emotional processing. Because of this the hair growth cycle can be affected by the combination of stress, poor blood glucose management and hormonal imbalances. The disruption of the cycle can then lead to hair loss or lack of hair growth. Here is a quick breakdown of how diabetes can affect your hair.
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Monitor Blood Sugar Levels
If you have diabetes or prediabetes, blood glucose control is the primary goal. The target range for your blood sugar will vary depending on a variety of personal factors, but your doctor can help you sort it all out.
As discussed, elevated blood sugar can cause vascular disruption or damage, poor circulation and hormonal imbalancesall of which can lead to hair shedding and loss. Maintaining your blood sugars within your normal range can help keep your hair growth cycles humming along.
What Is The Prognosis/outlook For Women With Hair Loss
Your diagnosis determines the prognosis:
- Anagen and telogen shedding may stop with time.
- Treat any diseases associated with hair loss.
- Disguise or cover your hair loss using a wig or hat.
- Early treatment of alopecia may reduce the speed of thinning and may promote regrowth.
While hair loss is not itself dangerous, women with hair loss tend to be very upset by the changes to their appearance. These negative feelings can affect self-esteem and social lives. Recent studies suggest that FPHL can be associated with conditions that include metabolic syndrome, endocrine disorders and diabetes.
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