PCOS hair issues affected by weightloss

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Nikkomagic
Nikkomagic Posts: 6 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I have polycystic ovaries syndrome, which has all kinds of lovely side effects like facial hair and excess body hair. As well as causing actual head hair to thin and shed more frequently. I have pretty much all of those issues currently. I was wondering if anyone else who suffers from PCOS and has managed to loose weight has noticed any difference in their hair? Such as less hair fall from the head, facial hair and excess body hair lessens or even disappers? My Facial hair is pretty bad; I have to wax it weekly and pluck the strays daily. I plan on getting lazer hair removal once I reach 230lbs, but that will be several months to a year before I'm close to that weight. My main concern is how much the hair on my head has thinned out in the past few years. I know hormone levels, as well as weight, stress and illness can affect hair growth. But will it reverse or slow, or am I doomed to a wig in the near future?

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  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,988 Member
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    Have you consulted with an endocrinologist to see if medication like Metformin can help you with some of these issues?
  • Nikkomagic
    Nikkomagic Posts: 6 Member
    edited August 2016
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    kshama2001 wrote: »
    Have you consulted with an endocrinologist to see if medication like Metformin can help you with some of these issues?
    Metforin is used to control insulin levels in those who have insulin resistance and has been shown to help with weightloss. However, it has also been proven to worsen hairloss and even cause it as a side effect. I was on metformin when I was first diagnosed with PCOS, but the nausea it caused induced me to vomit several times a day, so I was taken off of the medication.
  • Fursian
    Fursian Posts: 526 Member
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    I was never diagnosed PCOS (they suggested underactive thyroid for me, though I actually experiencing a mixture of over and under), but I've had certain issues you can relate to. My heaviest was 146 lbs (I'm 5'2"), I'm down to 114.6 lbs (as of today) with the help of diary and calorie tracking with food scales and myfitnesspal...and I sincerely don't wish to depress you here, but the issue you're experiencing has not resolved itself in my case. I'd be interested in hearing of permanent "removal", as I don't even think lazer delivers
  • protoplasmica
    protoplasmica Posts: 12 Member
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    I used to have thinning hair (not sure if it's related to PCOS I'm still jumping through the diagnostic hoops) but taking a prenatal vitamin combined with a low carb/diabetic diet really helped to improve it.
  • itsbasschick
    itsbasschick Posts: 1,584 Member
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    not quite the same, but i have t2 diabetes, and my hair loss does slow or even stop after i've lost enough weight. at my higher weights, hair loss is pretty constant. it had stopped when i hit my goal weight, and when i put the weight back on, hair is dropping out again.

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