Here are a few things I've read and have been told by several professionals, ranging from my endocrinologist to my hair dresser.

When you shower, use luke warm water because too much heat will not only dry out your scalp, it will also shock your follicles. Dr. Oz says that using water that's too hot will actually melt the top-most layer of your skin off (like melting butter, is what he said), hence the burns and dry skin.

Scalp massage promotes blood flow to the follicles.

Increase your Vitamin E. I have found a generic bottle of lotion type stuff at places like Walmart; it's actually called Vitamin E, and the bottle states that you can use it for sunburns, as hair gel, and to heal acne. Vitamin E is vital for your hair and nails!

My hair dresser told me that using hair products with alcohol dries out the skin and is horrible for the scalp. She was very pleased to see no evidence of my using hair dyes, bleaches, or hair sprays. When I asked her about keeping my hair healthy, she told me of a Sammy brand of hair lotion. I couldn't find that, but I did find Hair Lotion at Walgreens, for a little more than $5. I am quite pleased with the hair lotion. She also says not to use a brush or a fine-toothed comb. Use a wide-toothed comb. And don't comb straight from the top of your head to the tips of your hair; start near the end of your hair so you don't rip out hair with any knots or tangles. Combing from the bottom will remove these obstacles from the comb's path when you do get to the scalp. She also said not to use a hair drier; it causes so much damage to the hair as well as the follicles.

For myself, I use cheap shampoo and conditioners, like Suave. Something that has helped me tremendously (with both Carpal Tunnel and hair loss), is combing my hair in the shower while the conditioner is still in my hair. The cheaper conditioners seem to lubricate my hair better than more expensive ones, and it also makes my hair softer once it dries. I'm also on Metformin and a birth control.

WebMD states that if you take a birth control or an androgen lowering medication, that will help lessen the hair loss.

I hope this helps!

I too have PCOS. My hair was coming out in fistfuls about 2 years ago. I tried Nioxin shampoo but it didn't work for me. I started in a gym and they gave me a diet sheet spread out over 3 meals and 2 snacks that was designed to control my blood sugars. It worked and my hair grew back. Over time however I am back to where I was I gained back the weight that I had lost and my hair is falling out again. Got the PCOS diet book and I started this week on the plan.....will have to wait n see if it works

What is the PCOS diet book? I took Metformin over the summer and noticed all of my "beard hairs" got less and less... didn't notice anything with the hair on my head falling out like crazy though. Then I got a weird reaction of my hands itching so bad I wanted to cut my skin off lol. . I stopped taking it. My Dr. wants me to try it again and make sure it wasn't the other med he put me on at the same time. Ugh... what a pain

I got a lot of good ideas from this website: http://www.drnandunne.com/?p=1053 She's a naturopathic doctor, but lists really every treatment idea that's out there for PCOS and hair loss. If she doesn't agree with it, she says why. I think the only thing she is not in favor of is birth control pills.

I too am losing hair, every time I wash it, I comb out long strands of it. I've taken to wearing a beanie whenever I leave the house now. i'm going to buy Hair, Skin and Nails to see if that will help rejuvinate some loss.

I too have a lot of hair loss. Thank God I started with thick long hair!! Not thick anymore :sad: My hair is so thin, I can see my scalp and I am literally scared and anxious when I shower! I honestly feel like I am going to need to buy a wig if the hair loss doesn't calm down. I never heard of Biotin but will google it now.

I guess Im one of the lucky ones with PCOS and still have very long hair, thinner than when I was younger but still in good shape. I have taken good prenatal vit and lots of extra vit D since I was a teen and I think it sure helps a lot. My problem is hair where its not supposed to be!!!

I had the same issue and it has gotten better as I lost weight, metformin helped some, but the doctor just put me on Spirolactone to help. The excess of androgens that comes with PCOS causes the thinning and hair loss. She told me it would be 3-6 months before I would start seeing a difference, but after 3 weeks I have new hair coming in. Best thing to do is talk to your doctor about ways to treat the symptoms.

My hair is thinning too. When I put product in it in the morning my hands are covered with hairs that I have shed during the process.

Nioxin shampoo and conditioner does help. It's not prescription. I've also heard that Biotin helps and so does pre-natal vitamins.

I was just diagnosed with PCOS a couple weeks ago. The Dr. put me on metformin and spironolactone which is a blood pressure med that is often used to treat acne and hair loss. My skin is clearing up nicely. I'm hoping my shedding goes down too.

During graduate school my acne resurfaced (after taking accutane as a teen), and they put me on spironolactone . When I had my makeup done for my wedding she covered one little blemish and my chest and back were totally clear. Fast forward a couple of years and I'm off the birth control pill and spironlactone---crazy acne and hair loss. My testosterone is high, which fuels the hair loss and acne, but spironlactone reduces androgens in your body. I was being treated without knowing it! You can't use it if you are thinking of getting pregnant, though. It's worth asking your doctor about!