There's a strong relationship between hormones and hair loss, but what hormone causes hair loss?

When we think of hair loss, we normally consider it to be an issue mainly men have to live with, but women can experience the same amount of hair difficulties, too.

You may also think that hair loss is something to look out for as you age, but it can be a problem for lots of young people, too, due to our hormones.

If you’re someone who is lucky enough to have a full, thick head of hair, the idea of hair loss could seem all too far away, but it can happen to any of us, at any time, regardless of age or gender.

Hair loss doesn't discriminate.

In fact, it is estimated that 50% of women will experience some form of noticeable hair loss [1]. And just like men, one of the biggest causes of hair loss in women is female-pattern baldness or FPHL, affecting over 30 million women in the US alone.

But is it all down to genetics and bad luck, or is there something else that could be affecting our locks? Can hormones cause hair loss?

Here at Cel, we decided to investigate the impact that our hormones have on our hair health, and if an imbalance of these internal indicators can cause hair loss.

What Is A Hormone Imbalance? Can Hormone Imbalance Cause Hair Loss?

Our body is packed with hormones, all working harmoniously together to help us function at an optimum level. However, sometimes our hormones can counteract each other and hinder the normal functioning of some internal processes, resulting in some, like hair growth, to take a back seat…

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome can cause hair loss

PCOS - or polycystic ovary syndrome - is an extremely common condition affecting 1 in 10 people who have periods, where small cysts develop on the ovaries. It is not fully understood why this condition occurs, with many experts putting it down to genetics and abnormal levels of sex hormones [2]. A result of this condition is the body producing more male hormones called androgens, which includes testosterone.

The higher the levels of testosterone in our system, the harder it will be for the body to function in other ways, meaning that it can lead to acne and overly oily skin. Hair may begin to grow in excess in areas such as the face, neck, chest, and abdomen, too.

This imbalance of hormones can cause the hair on top of your head to start thinning; around the hairline and the crown of your head.

Unfortunately, most hair that is lost due to PCOS will not grow back on its own, but with treatments and hormone regulation, it should eventually re-grow and regain its health, thickness, and strength.

Insulin can cause hair loss

Some hormones in our bodies have a bigger role than others, including insulin. We release this hormone every time we consume food (in particular, sugar), allowing our cells to utilise the energy we gain from what we eat.

Depending on the type of food we’re eating; low-glycemic or high-glycemic, our bodies will produce less or more insulin to be able to reap the needed benefits.

When our bodies consume too many high-glycemic foods over a long period of time, it can cause the female body to have an overload of insulin, disrupting ovulation. This can result in the body making too much testosterone and the cycle above will begin, producing too much DHT (dihydrotestosterone) and causing hair loss and thinning.

What Hormone Causes Hair Loss? DHT

As mentioned above, too much testosterone can have a negative effect on the way your body develops and grows hair. It isn’t a coincidence that hair loss is normally associated with men, with many of us blaming testosterone for causing the sudden or gradual loss of locks. But this isn’t exactly true...

DHT (dihydrotestosterone) is a more potent form of the hormone testosterone and is known for weakening the follicles of hair on your body, particularly the head, causing hair loss. But it is when the conversion of testosterone to DHT takes place that hair thinning actually occurs.

So, hair loss and thinning could be a result of an extra supply of testosterone and DHT in the body.

Post – pregnancy can induce hair loss

When we’re are expecting a baby, our bodies go through some wonderful changes; which will include gaining thicker and healthier hair while we produce higher levels of oestrogen and progesterone. This is called the ‘resting phase’ of hair growth, where the high levels of oestrogen cause individual hairs to stay in the head for longer before naturally falling out.

However, once the baby has been delivered, some women notice that their hair will begin to fall out and become thin. This is due to the sudden drop of oestrogen after giving birth, ending the ‘resting phase’, resulting in the hair beginning to shed. The plus side of this is that your hair should simply go back to the condition and thickness from before pregnancy eventually – the hair will not continue to fall out.

Read Our Complete Guide on Postpartum Hair Loss here.

Will oestrogen help hair growth? No. Too much oestrogen can cause hair loss

Producing too much of any hormone isn’t good for your body, including oestrogen. Just as too much testosterone and DHT can cause the body to reduce hair follicle stimulation, too much oestrogen can trigger a similar result.

When this hormone is too dominant, it can cause the body to produce less progesterone. Progesterone can help protect hair follicles from the damaging hair-thinning effects of testosterone, DHT, and oestrogen.

Thyroid issues can cause hair loss

Our bodies regulate energy usage through our thyroid glands by releasing a perfect balance of hormones into the body to support the functions of our organs, regulate our body temperature, heart rate, breathing and you guessed it, hair growth.

When our thyroid is undernourished or stressed, the hormone levels produced become focused on more important functions like organ function and breathing, which means there will be less support for hair growth.

Read our blog on Hyperthyroidism & Hair Loss here.

What You Can Do To Prevent Hair Loss

Trying to keep your hormones balanced is important when it comes to hair loss, but sometimes things are out of our control. With the support of a medical professional, you will be able to help your body in many ways, but there are some things you can do at home to help your hair and scalp health…

A scalp massage can help with hair loss

Something as simple as a head massage could be the answer to your hair thinning woes.

Applying an essential oil to your head's skin and gently rubbing will dilate the small arteries within your scalp, stimulating the blood vessels, which can help to revive the dormant or weakened hair follicles.

Take a few minutes out of your day and treat yourself to a head massage – the results may blow you away!

Final thoughts on hair loss caused by an hormone imbalance...

Whatever the reason is for your hair loss and thinning there are ways that you can support the hair to re-grow. Our hormones can be fantastic and help us to function and live, but when there is an imbalance it can seriously disrupt a lot of what our body looks like. Although hair loss isn’t the end of the world, knowing there are ways of combating the negative repercussions can help your self-esteem and get you back to loving your locks!