Hair loss : Hello, Has anyone been able to... - PCOS UK (Verity)

PCOS UK (Verity)

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Hair loss

Coral23 profile image
5 Replies

Hello,

Has anyone been able to find a cure to hair loss caused through PCOS?

Has anyone been referred to endocrinologist? Or seen a private clinic that has been able to help? I have never got any help from the GP as I always have good enough blood results.

i would be grateful for any advice xx

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Coral23 profile image
Coral23
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5 Replies
NellieH profile image
NellieH

Start using minoxidil 5%. Instructions say to use twice daily, but once it's fine. Or use twice daily for first 6 mos then shift to one. Buy it online as it's, much more expensive in pharma; I use biovea website but don't know if it's available in UK (i'm in Canada). Add about 8 drops of rosemary essential oil to your shampoo when you wash your hair. Let it sit for 3-5 minutes before rinsing out.

Every several shampoos, use Nizoral 2% (available over the counter in Canada; don't know about UK).

All of these things help to block androgen receptors in your scalp, which is what's causing the hair loss.

Good luck and don't give up!

Coral23 profile image
Coral23 in reply to NellieH

hello,

Thanks for your reply. I have been scared to use minoxidil as I read it can make your hair loss worse when you first use it. Did you experience any negative side effects? How long did it take for hair to grow?

I’ve been putting rosemary oil on my scalp and using spearmint tea, as well as inositol and taking a hair supplement, but it recently shed again 😢

NellieH profile image
NellieH in reply to Coral23

I started using minoxidil in 1997. I don't recall any shedding except when I stopped using it in 2004 -- massive shed; I learned my lesson and have kept it up since. Adding rosemary to every shampoo and using Nizoral may have made even more of a difference than just minoxidil alone did. It will take time to see the difference. But things will not get better over the same time otherwise.

I've never found supplements helpful. I expect our issue has more to do with androgens than with nutrition. That said, I do think that cutting back radically on sugar helps too, probably because PCOS is fundamentally a metabolic problem. Truly, though, it doesn't seem to me that anyone has a really good grasp of it.

Have you checked out the podcast PCOS Diva? She's helpful.

NellieH profile image
NellieH

By the way, i've had no other negative side effects with minoxidil over these 25 years of using it. I'm 68 now and my hair looks better than it did in my 20s. I didn't start getting decent treatment or care until I was in my 40s. I wish i'd known about minoxidil and rosemary oil when i was in my 20s or even teens. The was a recipe for a hair oil back then that I remember trying. It included rosemary, but only as one small component with several other things. I think more recent research suggests that it's the rosemary that makes a difference and should be the focus.

Coral23 profile image
Coral23

That’s really helpful, thanks so much for all your suggestions. Will definitely give them a try ☺️

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