It’s not necessarily news that if you stop taking hormonal contraceptives after taking them for a while, you may experience unwanted symptoms such as increased menstrual cramps, acne, and mood swings. But what happens to hair loss after stopping birth control?
TikTok user Chansey Sessions’ recent viral TikTok video documenting her personal experience with dramatic hair loss, which may have been the result of quitting birth control, has sparked questions on the internet. There is.
“Birth control doesn’t have to be that bad…” Sessions says (sarcastically) in the text that appears on her TikTok video, which has garnered 9.4 million views and more than 14,000 comments. ) wrote. The short clip features photos of Sessions’ hair, including an image of her holding a clump of hair and another showing a large bald spot on her scalp. Sessions recently told Buzzfeed that she initially noticed hair loss after stopping birth control, but it continued to get worse over time and within four months she was “on the verge of going bald.”
If you’re one of the millions of people taking birth control pills in the US, this video is probably a little nerve-wracking, but before you panic, keep reading to find out if you’re experiencing hair loss after stopping birth control. Read an expert’s insight into why it happens. , how common it is, and whether it is preventable.
Can hair loss occur if I stop using birth control?
Unfortunately, the short answer is yes. Stopping hormonal contraceptives usually does not result in hair loss as dramatic as Sessions demonstrated in the video, but hair loss may increase, says Mona, an associate clinical professor of dermatology at Yale School of Medicine. Dr. Gohara says. The main cause is hormonal changes that occur when birth control is stopped. “Physiological or emotional changes can affect our bodies,” Dr. Gohara points out. “And the increase or decrease[in hormones from birth control]can definitely shift the hair cycle toward shedding or growth, depending on the scenario.”
Jessica Shepard, M.D., an obstetrician-gynecologist and chief medical officer at Verywell Health, believes that situational or internal stress (such as your body going into panic mode after coming off birth control) can cause sudden hair loss. He added that this is often the underlying cause. “Hair loss that occurs after stopping birth control is usually known as telogen effluvium and usually occurs after the body experiences high stress,” she says. “Stress can cause your hair follicles to go into a resting phase, causing temporary hair loss.”
Progestin is a hormone in birth control that typically causes hair loss, whether you start or stop birth control, Dr. Shepherd added. “Progestins are hormones with androgenic effects, and androgens, specifically dihydrotestosterone (DHT), are hormones that cause hair to enter and remain in the shedding phase, ultimately leading to contraceptive hair loss.” she explains.
Hair loss can occur when you stop using birth control, but there are some important things to note, especially regarding Sessions’ experience. She told Buzzfeed that she believed that years of using birth control and then stopping it was the cause of her extreme hair loss. However, studies have not found a relationship between the duration of contraceptive use and the likelihood of hair loss after discontinuing contraception, Dr. Shepherd says. Since posting her first video, she explained in another TikTok video that blood tests and a biopsy revealed that Sessions has alopecia areata. This is noteworthy because alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease that causes patchy hair loss. Dr. Gohara says the condition can be caused by stress, hormonal imbalances, and thyroid abnormalities, but is usually not caused by starting or stopping birth control. “Birth control is not a common trigger (for alopecia areata), but it could theoretically be a trigger if the hormonal changes are significant,” she added.
Can hair loss be prevented after stopping birth control?
Ultimately, the most important step you can take to prevent hair loss from hormonal birth control is to discuss birth control changes and options to thwart potential hair loss with your health care provider beforehand. If hair loss occurs after stopping birth control, the sooner you address it, the better, says Dr. Shepherd. However, before addressing it with treatment, you need to find out the root cause of your hair loss. If discontinuation of hormonal birth control is the cause of your hair loss, things that may help with hair growth include taking supplements (in consultation with your doctor), focusing on a healthy diet, and Experts say this includes minimizing stress, if any.
However, it is important and reassuring to keep in mind that hair loss due to discontinuation of birth control, especially extreme or sudden hair loss, is rare and, if it occurs, it is usually temporary. . “In most cases, this is nothing to worry about; the problem should go away the longer you stop using the birth control method you were using,” says Dr. Shepherd. “Some people may actually have the opposite experience and feel like they have more hair,” she added.
TLDR: Sessions’ viral TikTok video calls attention to rare side effects of stopping hormonal birth control, but whether her alopecia areata diagnosis, stopping birth control, or a combination of both There is no way to be sure if it caused excessive hair loss. If you have concerns about your medication, we would like to remind you to consult your doctor for personalized guidance.
