A healthy woman without any clinical condition will have 80,000 to 120,000 terminal hairs on their scalp. But what if the woman has PCOS? Today we will brief on the PCOS hair loss and certain home remedies that can help you reduce Hair Fall.

Before we jump onto the causes of hair fall due to PCOS, what is PCOS exactly? PCOS or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is a hormonal disorder that is common among women of reproductive age. They generally have infrequent periods or prolonged menstrual cycles.

When a woman contains PCOS, there are a lot of health issues that occur in her; one such being hair fall. Although hair fall is not as severe as other symptoms of PCOS, hair is a most important aspect in a woman’s life, hence it is necessary to protect them.[1]

PCOS And Hair Fall

Hormonal imbalance is one of the common symptoms in a woman with PCOS. This results in a decline of metabolic rate that affects the health and physical appearance in a woman.

Among the many, hair fall is a major one. Usually hair fall can be due to:

 1. Following an unhealthy lifestyle: Unhealthy lifestyle such as partying frequently overnight, regular drinking of alcohol or sugary beverages, consumption of junk foods, sleeplessness can affect your health and in turn affects and harms your hair growth.

2. Unhealthy food habits: Consuming food made of unhealthy oils and sauces; fried foods; foods rich in bad fat etc can result in hair fall.

3. Environmental pollution: One of the major reasons, pollution, causes hair fall and also regulates hair growth sometimes. Not just pollution, exposing your hair to the harsh sunlight can also damage your hair.

4. Stress: Stress is common among adults today and causes many health issues. Hair fall is also one of the results of stress in you. Stress and anxiety have a far greater effect on your body than anything.

5. Deficiency of essential nutrients: It is important to consume or add healthy and nutrient dense foods in your diet. All of these essential nutrients serve each of the issues that occur in your body. Deficiency of essential nutrients can result in hair fall as well.

6. Usage of chemicals in the hair: Coloring or bleaching of hair can cause severe problems such as thinning of hair, breakage, dandruff, frizzy hair and also hair fall. Usage of curling or straightening iron can also result in hair fall.

7. Side effects of medications: Most medicines come with side effects and one such side effect is hair fall. Before you take up any medications or supplements be knowledgeable about its side effects and consult a doc.

8. Maintaining poor hair hygiene: Hair hygiene is commonly neglected by all. Irregular hair wash and hair brushing; rarely oiling of hair can result in severe damage to hair with hair loss, hair breakage and dandruff.

During PCOS, the body produces too many androgens resulting in a condition called hyperandrogenism. With this condition, the woman is likely to develop body and facial hair growth and also experiences less hair growth on the scalp.

Hair Cycle

Usually, healthy hair growth occurs at a rate of 0.35 mm/day, that is approximately 0.5 in a month or 6 inch in a year.  A new hair should start to grow soon after the old one has fallen out. At any given time, 85% of our hair is in a growth phase whilst 15% is in the resting phase 

The problem with PCOS hair loss is that the hair follicle enters the resting phase but does not re-enter a growth phase, leading to hair thinning and baldness.

Reasons For Why PCOS Causes Hair Fall

1. High Testosterone Levels

• During PCOS, cysts in the ovaries produce too many androgens (known as hyperandrogenism), which is responsible for blocking the hair follicles thus causing Androgenic alopecia or AGA.
• This results in hair thinning and also becomes shorter in length. Sometimes it can lead to lighter color of hair and finally stops producing.
• Testosterone hormones split into many Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) are present in the oil glands of the hair follicle. These DHT circles the receptor sites in the hair follicle resulting in shrinkage and finally killing the follicles.
• Some women have more sensitive receptors or are more efficient in producing DHT and hence they are more susceptible to hair fall.

2. Stress

• The “stress hormone” Cortisol hormone worsens hair loss. It can also increase your risks of more serious health complications like hypertension, increased weight, lowered bone density, weakened immune system and heart disease.

• Stress also increases the risk of insulin resistance. So, some simple stress buster technique can relieve your stress temporarily.

3. Hormonal Imbalance And Hair Thinning

• Thinning can often happen in the beginning stages of female and male pattern hair loss when sensitivity occurs to the normal androgen that circulates around hair follicles.
• This sensitivity causes miniaturization and the change of diameter of the hair follicle. This type of hair loss is caused by the androgen DHT, or Dihydrotestosterone.

4. Lack Of Sleep

• Sleep is controlled by two hormones; melatonin and serotonin. A lack of sleep will cause an imbalance in the levels of these two hormones. This will, in turn, imbalance other hormones, including insulin.
• Regular eating will help in keeping your insulin levels normal and absorption of nutrients for healthy hair.

Truweight Superfoods To Be Added In Diet

• Premium Foods – Tru Juice, Trugreen, Teatox-D, Trufiber-D
• Drinks – Aloe vera drink, Hibiscus tea, Wow drink, Amla drink, Shake a day
• Snacks – Flax seed ladoo, Seeds cocktail, Almond Coconut Bar
• Breakfast – Quinoa Dal dosa mix, foxtail millet mix, Multigrain premix Atta
• Soups – Moringa Soup, Tomato Moong Soup

Tips To Manage PCOS Hair Loss

1. Food:

Foods that are rich in protein such as whole legumes, egg whites, fishes, lean meats, mushrooms, avocado, sweet potatoes, nuts etc can help you reduce hair fall and instead promote hair growth. One of the best-known vitamins for hair growth is Vitamin B.

2. Sleep And Exercise:

Getting enough sleep is especially important. Depriving in sleep can cause stress and anxiety and in turn hair fall. A minimum of 7 to 8 hrs sleep is sufficient. Yoga or Meditation or Exercise in the early morning can keep you away from stress and also helps reduce PCOS hair loss.

2. Reduction in alcohol:

Consumption of alcohol dehydrates your body and hence affects your hair health. Body dehydration makes the hair follicles dry and brittle causing hair fall.

3. Regular Hair Wash:

Wash your hair regularly with mild shampoo. Due to environmental pollution, dust particles accumulate in your hair causing dandruff and other hair related problems.

4. Avoid Hair Color And Bleach:

Coloring or bleaching your hair can damage your hair follicles and thus causing hair loss. Avoid the application of bleaches and hair colors on your hair.

5. Oil Massage:

Regular scalp massage can open up the pores which helps better oil absorption. It can also help your hair recover from the damage caused by hair treatments. Oil massage promotes hair growth and strengthens roots.

6. Brush Your Hair Often:

Brush your hair at least twice a day and avoid brushing wet hair. Brushing wet hair causes dandruff and hair fall.

7. Exposure To Sun:

Do not expose your hair directly to the harsh sunlight. While going out cover your hair properly with a stole or scarf.

8. Supplements:

OCP / Metformin, Essential Oils like (Rosemary/ jojoba oil), Apple cider vinegar and supplements can help promote hair growth and recover the damaged hair.

12 Easy Home Remedies For Hair Fall Due To PCOS

• Egg Mask: Separate the egg yolk from the egg whites and beat it. Apply this egg mask on to your scalp from the root till the tip of the hair, thoroughly. Wash after an hour with mild shampoo.
• Licorice root: Licorice root opens pores and strengthens weakened hair follicles and hence prevents hair fall. To make a paste add a tablespoon of ground licorice root into a half cup milk. Apply this to your scalp and hair length and leave it on overnight.
• Coconut Milk: The essential fats present in the coconut milk is believed to promote hair growth and also reduces hair loss. To make this hair mask, take a medium-sized coconut and grind or grate it.

Slightly simmer it in a pan for 5-10 minutes. Apply this coconut milk paste on your scalp and the entire hair. Leave it for  20 minutes and later rinse with a mild shampoo.

• Green Tea: Drink green tea at least 4 times a day. This relaxes your mind and keeps you away from stress and hence prevents hair loss.
• Beetroot Juice: Regular applying of beetroot juice to the hair prevents hair loss. It helps to tighten the pores and reduces hair fall. Squeeze out the juice from the grated beetroot and apply on hair. After an hour or over, shampoo your hair.
• Greek Yoghurt and Honey: Mix 3-4 tablespoon of Greek yoghurt with a spoon of honey and apply it on the hair. After 20-30 minutes, wash your hair with a mild shampoo.
• Aloe Vera: Apply freshly removed aloe vera on to the hair. Leave it for an hour and wash with mild shampoo.
• Fenugreek Seeds: Grind the fenugreek seeds and add a tablespoon of coconut oil. Apply it on the hair from scalp to tip and wash it after an hour with shampoo.
• Onion Juice: Grind 1-2 onions and squeeze out the juice. Apply it on the hair and leave for an hour.
• Amla and Lime: Mix amla and lime juice and mask it over the hair. Leave for an hour or overnight and wash.
• Leaves of Chinese Hibiscus: Take around 3-4 Hibiscus leaves and one Hibiscus flower and grind them to make a smooth paste. Add a cup of low fat yogurt to this paste. Apply it on your hair and rinse it after an hour.
• Curry Leaves: Take a hand full of curry leaves as much as your hair length needs and thoroughly blend it. Take one tablespoon of this paste and add it to a cup of yogurt; mix well. Massage this paste over your scalp and hair, and rinse it after an hour or so.

Conclusion

PCOS can be treated with the right and healthy lifestyle and so is hair fall. Living healthy leads many things into a better version. Stress being one of the most important aspects for PCOS hair loss, can be avoided only with your effort and has no home remedies for that. Hence always stay calm and positive.

Things like PCOS hair loss have to be understood well with respect to its cause and what can you do about it. To know and understand more about these, contact us!

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