Hormones and Hair Loss

There are many causes of hair loss.  Abnormal levels of hormones are one common cause. The one you are probably most familiar with is high testosterone. Testosterone has different effects on hair depending on the location in the body. High levels generally increase hair on the face, under the arms, and on the chest. However, high levels inhibit the growth of hair on the scalp.

Other hormonal imbalances also cause hair loss. Have you ever experienced hair loss after lots of stress? The hormone most involved there is cortisol, our main stress hormone. Cortisol increases the rate that hair goes from the growth phase, anagen, to the resting or about to fall out phase, telogen. Typically, individual hair follicles spend years in anagen, any where from 2-6 years. Cortisol shortens that and moves those follicles to telogen.

Estrogen is another hormone that can contribute to hair loss. We see this in women after pregnancy and during menopause. In both cases, estrogen decreases. Estrogen decrease causes loss of hair on the scalp and can also cause hair growth on the face on the chin or above the lips.

Progesterone can affect hair loss. One of the roles of progesterone is decreasing the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT is a supercharged form of testosterone. Therefore, low progesterone levels can increase DHT and cause excess hair loss.

If you are experiencing hair loss and would like to know if hormones are culprit, schedule a phone consultation to discuss testing and treatment options.