Birth Control Pills and Hair Loss

TOP NEWS:
This week's headlines from the UK highlight a positive shift as menopause is gaining recognition and attention in the workplace.

Menopause training should be mandatory for all school leaders, says UK union.
Women experiencing symptoms reportedly face penalties, as highlighted during the National Education Union’s annual conference…

• - UK teaching union wants mandatory menopause training for school leaders.

• - Women with menopause symptoms face penalties and disciplinary action.

• - Older staff at greatest risk of capability procedures.

• - Menopause affects income and pensions.

• - Menopause is a key issue as 75% of the school workforce is female.
  
  From the BBC: Without support, many menopausal workers are quitting their jobs
  👩‍💼 Women lack support during menopause at work

• - Only 26% of women receive help through formal workplace programs or policies

• - 80% of women report their employer provides no support for menopause symptoms

• - Many women feel they don't have an open avenue to discuss menopause at work

MYTHS:
High testosterone makes hair fall out in women.

Fact: While excess testosterone contributes to hair loss, the mechanism is how much testosterone is converted to DHT, dihydrotestosterone, and how much DHT affects the hair follicle.

The body converts testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), and this process can damage hair follicles and lead to hair loss. Women who are more efficient at converting testosterone to DHT may experience more hair loss than those whose bodies are less efficient at this conversion. [2][4]

So while high testosterone levels don't directly cause hair loss, the downstream effects of testosterone being converted to DHT can contribute to female pattern hair loss in some women. The crucial factor lies in the hair follicles' sensitivity to DHT, a trait frequently influenced by genetics. [3]

Citations:
[1] https://www.rogaine.ca/hair-loss-causes/understanding-womens-hair-thinning/myths
[2] https://vegamour.com/blogs/blog/dr-clara-yu-busts-myths-about-female-hair-loss
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9788837
[4] https://abcnews.go.com/Health/myths-hair-loss-women/story?id=27177949
[5] https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16921-hair-loss-in-women

HIGHLIGHTS:
📝 Birth Control Pills and Hair Loss
A Case Study

• The patient had been on birth control pills for endometriosis

• Despite treatment, she experienced hair loss

• Labs revealed low progesterone and high estrogen levels

• Micronized progesterone treatment resulted in hair regrowth

📝 Estrogen dominance and hair loss

• The patient had estrogen dominance and difficulty eliminating estrogen

• Shunting testosterone can also contribute to hair loss

• Birth control pills can lower testosterone levels

📝 Patient's journey to find a solution

• The patient had seen multiple dermatologists and tried various treatments

• Steroid injections and topical therapies did not help with hair loss

• The patient eventually decided to shave her head

📝 Micronized progesterone as a treatment

• Micronized progesterone is a commercially available, bioidentical hormone

• Administering micronized progesterone resulted in hair regrowth

• Treatment was given based on lab results indicating low progesterone and high estrogen levels

📝 Hormonal imbalance and hair loss

• Hormonal imbalance, specifically estrogen dominance, can contribute to hair loss

• Difficulty eliminating estrogen and shunting testosterone can also be factors

• Micronized progesterone can help restore hormonal balance and promote hair regrowth

📝 Importance of hormone testing

• Hormone testing revealed low progesterone and high estrogen levels in the patient

• Testing between days 19 and 21 provided valuable information for the treatment

• Hormone testing can help identify hormonal imbalances and guide appropriate interventions

📝 Hair regrowth after hormone treatment

• The patient experienced significant hair regrowth after nine months of hormone treatment

• Micronized progesterone helped restore hormonal balance and promote hair growth

• Hormone treatment can be effective in addressing hair loss caused by hormonal imbalances

📝 Frustration with previous treatments

• The patient had tried multiple treatments before seeking help from the speaker

• Dermatologists, steroid injections, and topical therapies did not provide relief

• Frustration with ineffective treatments led the patient to shave her head

Hormone Guru Answers Your Questions!
The Best Supplements for Hair Loss?

The Hormone Guru:

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• Stay Curious: Dive deeper into "The Hormone Beat" and uncover secrets to master your hormonal harmony.

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