Also known as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, PCOS affects females. The condition does not affect all women but a few in their reproductive age. A woman with PCOS suffers from several symptoms. This includes irregular period, weight gain, hair growth on different parts of the body, increase in facial hair, and difficulty in conception. Another symptom that often goes ignored is hair loss or hair thinning.
Causes of PCOS Hair Loss
1. Male hormone
One of the main causes of hair loss in PCOS women is believed to be excessive production of male hormone or androgen that binds to the receptors in follicles. As a result, follicles start shrinking, and healthy hair is unable to survive. You tend to lose more hair in that case.
2. Thyroid hormone
A PCOS woman experiences lower production of hormones. When a hormonal balance is disrupted, it has a major impact on the thyroid and affects different body processes. This includes the growth and development of hair. Unfortunately, the condition only adds to the stress factors contributing to hair loss. In that case, there is no new hair growth to replace the fallen hair.
3. Stress
A woman with PCOS often experiences mood fluctuations. This can have a vice versa impact on stress. While stress can cause mood changes, the latter can result in increased stress. Higher stress levels can increase androgen in the female body, which can trigger PCOS hair loss.
4. Anemia
A PCOS woman may be anemic and have low ferritin levels. Ferritin is a protein essential for iron storage. A low level of ferritin makes a woman vulnerable to iron deficiency. As a result, they may experience excessive hair fall.
Iron helps the production of hemoglobin, which carries oxygen to different cells. It is crucial to cellular growth and repair. Iron deficiency makes you prone to hair loss and shedding. But eating a healthy diet with iron-rich foods or supplementing your diet with iron can help correct the deficiency. This might help with hair loss too.
5. Nutritional deficiency
A woman with PCOS is at a high risk of nutritional deficiency. They are often found to be suffering from a lack of biotin, folate, iron, riboflavin, vitamin D, and vitamin B12, among others. Such nutritional deficiencies can cause an imbalance in the body and result in excessive hair shedding, besides other health complications in the long run
A well-balanced diet is crucial to fulfill the body’s nutritional requirements. For example, unless you take vitamin C, your body cannot absorb iron in food. So it is important to supplement your iron intake with vitamin C to improve its absorption.
Bottom Line
No doubt, you can talk to your doctor about PCOS hair loss and get help. But if the sight of excessive hair shedding is not easy to digest, you may take to scalp micropigmentation to cover the scalp problems related to PCOS. The best practitioner of SMP in Phoenix knows how to deal with PCOS-caused hair loss in women. Additionally, they are considerate and can listen to the patient’s concerns and expectations and suggest the best treatment possible.
Consult with top Phoenix SMP artists at DermiMatch Clinic to address your PCOS hair loss problem.