Losing hair due to PCOS? Here’s how you can prevent PCOS hairfall and even reverse it.
It’s unfair how PCOS can give you thick hair in all the wrong places but not on your scalp. You get frustrated shaving hair off your arms and legs multiple times a week as your scalp runs barren with the tick of the clock.
Sounds like straight out of a Stephen King novel based on the lives of PCOS women, right?
Losing a few hair strands is very normal but if you are noticing too many hair strands falling out every time you comb, shampoo, or simply run fingers through your scalp, this indicates that your hair follicles’ health is getting compromised.
The reason for this could be stress, poor nutrition, environmental factors, bad hygiene, or serious underlying health disorders.
Let’s look at why this happens and what you can do to stop PCOS hair loss naturally.
How does PCOS affect your hair?
Women with PCOS face a wide range of symptoms. PCOS side effects are not limited to just bad reproductive health or weight gain.
If PCOS is left untreated, it can cause permanent damage to your beautiful hair. This problem troubles a lot of women with PCOS with varying intensity causing them huge mental distress.
Primarily, PCOS messes up your hormonal cycle. Excessive male hormones can lead to male-pattern baldness.
PCOS hair fall symptoms can be gradual and may look like this:
- Regular hair fall occurs
- New hair strands are thinner in diameter and weaker than before
- Forehead becomes bigger with receding hairline
- Crown part of the scalp becomes visible
- Your hair volume decreases and overall hair feels lighter
- Hair loses shine and become dry and frizzy
- Frequent split ends
- Alopecia/small patches of the hairless scalp appear
What causes PCOS hairfall?
PCOS can worsen when your ovaries produce more and more androgens/male hormones. This single hormonal disturbance can affect other endocrine glands which is why women with PCOS also have an underactive thyroid gland and insulin resistance.
Prolonged hypothyroidism results in uniform hair thinning which is reversible with successful treatment of the thyroid.
In type-2 diabetes, high blood sugar can lead to blood vessel damage which affects the nutrient supply to certain body cells. This could be the reason behind undernourished hair follicles and hair loss.
In other words, severe hair fall also indicates that your PCOS is getting worse day by day, and you must look for more holistic ways to cure it.
How to stop PCOS hair loss naturally?
There is no actual known cause of PCOS. Generally, managing PCOS symptoms, like hair loss, means that you have to manage all the metabolic disorders that are commonly associated with it.
Trying these things to slow down PCOS hairfall:
- Avoid the unhealthy habits that cause blood sugar spikes
- Follow a low and healthy-carb diet
- Manage stress with pranayama
- Avoid eating foods that are not compatible with your body type
- Use natural hair growth tonics
4 Herbs in Ayurvedic treatment for hair loss due to PCOS
Ayurveda cures PCOS hairfall by balancing the tridosha constitution with the help of natural diet and herbal medicines. It is one of the most holistic and side-effects-free solution to all your PCOS problems.
Triphala powder
Triphala powder consists of three fruits namely, amala, vibhitaka, and haritaki. These 3 fruits yield wonderful results in balancing all three doshas, vata, pitta and kapha. Amla is rich in iron, carotene, and antioxidants which make it a wonderful hair tonic to fight alopecia.
As per Ayurveda, triphala improves agni (digestive fire) and metabolism by stimulating the underactive thyroid gland.
Take 1 teaspoonful of triphala powder with warm water in the morning to detox your body and prevent PCOS hairfall.
Aloe vera pulp
Aloe vera pulp application on the scalp as a pack helps in getting rid of excess dryness, dandruff, irritation, and inflammation. Continued usage shows positive results in a decrease in hair fall.
Studies indicate that consuming aloe vera pulp also helps in impaired blood glucose within four weeks which is highly effective for PCOS women with prediabetes.
Gulping down 1 tablespoonful of fresh aloe vera pulp on an empty stomach helps to improve hair quality and rejuvenate your frizzy hair.
Bhringraj oil massage
Bhringraj oil has therapeutic properties for the mind and body. Daily massage of this oil improves blood circulation and nourishes your scalp. Bhringraj oil is believed to improve hair texture and prevent premature greying.
A case study confirms the miraculous benefits of bhringraj oil on people with rapid hair fall. Using bhringraj oil regularly and correctly doing hair massage can make it a highly effective natural treatment for hair loss due to pcos.
Fenugreek
Methi or fenugreek is known for its anti-inflammatory and insulin-sensitizing effects. It lowers blood sugar and helps in managing PCOS symptoms. Fenugreek usage helps in hair regrowth and can be an effective remedy for women facing PCOS hairfall.
You can take 6 g of methi seeds soaked in water for oral use and 50 g powdered drug in 1/4 liter of water for external use on the scalp. It can also be consumed in leaf form by adding chapatis and to cooked vegetables.
Methi is rich in fibre so avoid overdosing or it may cause constipation.
Conclusion
PCOS hair fall can be distressing but you can manage it naturally while also curing your PCOS and other related disorders. The above-mentioned herbs are potent remedies to prevent PCOS hair fall and stimulate hair growth. However, the prescribed amount is only for general instruction and you should consult an ayurvedic doctor to avoid any interference with other medication that you could be used to manage PCOS hairfall and underlying metabolic disorders.
FAQs
The best way to stop PCOS is to find out all the underlying metabolic disorders that are commonly associated with PCOS. All of these together with PCOS can worsen your hair follicles and cause hair fall. You should focus on a healthy diet that helps in balancing all of these health issues together. The next step should be to eat and use natural herbs that promote hair growth, like Shatavari Brahmi, Shankpushpi, Triphala, Aloe Vera, and Fenugreek. They help will stress and boost immunity and are also great for managing POCS hairfall.
If the hair follicles have not closed completely, you can revitalize the underactive and undernourished hair follicles to reverse PCOS hair loss naturally.
Eat a dosha-specific diet and use hair oil that is good for your scalp type. If you have a dry and flaky scalp, heavy oils like sesame & mustard oil are good for you. If you have an oily scalp you can avoid oiling too often and go for lighter oils like coconut oil. Avoid harsh chemicals, heating hair ad blow-drying scalp.
Yes, fenugreek is an outstanding remedy for PCOS hairfall and promoting hair growth. If you want thicker and healthier hair you should add fenugreek to your diet and to your hair ad scalp application as oil or paste.