Aside from androgens, other hormones may also affect hair growth. 

Estrogen, for example, is a hormone that increases the amount of time hair spends growing. Remember the stages of hair growth we discussed earlier? 

Low estrogen levels cause hair to lose its protective effects and may cause hair to shed quicker.

This is why many women experience a “hair glow up” during pregnancy, as it’s typically when the body has an enhanced supply of estradiol and progesterone, which increases the number of hair follicles in the anagen (growth) phase.

When you have PCOS, hyperandrogenism may cause you to lose scalp hair, plus low estrogen levels may shorten the time hair spends growing. 

The good news is that by managing your PCOS symptoms and androgen levels, it’s definitely possible to grow healthy hair back and make hair loss a thing of the past.

Insulin resistance is the root cause of up to 80% of PCOS cases, and it isn’t good news for the hair either.

High blood sugar levels can indirectly but adversely impact the hair follicles on the scalp and cause hair thinning.

This is why a lot of people with diabetes also suffer from hair loss and slow hair growth.

Diabetes can create a hostile environment for the hair follicles on your scalp, eyelashes, and eyebrows due to poor blood flow. 

In some cases, it can also trigger Telogen Effluvium, a disease where sudden and unexplained hair loss or thinning occurs as a reaction to the body’s inability to produce insulin.

Insulin resistance can also exacerbate androgen secretion, further causing an imbalance in androgen and estrogen levels. 

It’s very important to learn how to combat insulin resistance when you have PCOS, as it is tied to a lot of the pesky symptoms that come with the syndrome.

It’s not a myth that stress can make your hair fall out! In extreme cases, high levels of stress can really cause your hair to fall out.

This is because stress puts our body in survival mode, telling our systems to redirect precious resources away from digestion, growth, sleep, and blood flow for good skin—so that we can be prepared to respond to our stressors.

In short, stress puts our bodies in “fight or flight” mode.

This is because, back in caveman times, it was necessary to run away from predators.

However, in modern times, our stressors aren’t as tangible as a large bear in the woods that we must hide from.

The bad news is that our stress response hasn’t caught up to that yet, evolutionarily speaking, so when we experience extreme, prolonged stress, our bodies also work hard to protect us by redirecting resources to help us survive.

And guess what? 

Unfortunately, a good head of hair isn’t at the top of the list of “survival essentials” as far as the body is concerned.

Cortisol, the stress hormone, can damage the hair follicle and cause hair growth to slow down. 

Studies have shown that women in their 20s and 30s often experience stress-related hair loss at some point. 

This just highlights how imperative it is to keep your stress levels in check, especially when you have PCOS.

PCOS hair loss can also be caused by nutritional deficiencies, such as iron deficiency anemia, which causes hair loss in approximately 50% of individuals with low iron levels. 

This is because hair follicles hang on to ferritin, a blood protein that contains iron.

When iron levels in the blood are low, the body can pull ferritin from hair follicles and reassign them to more essential functions like red blood cell production.

Additionally, a Vitamin D deficiency can contribute to slow hair growth and hair loss.

Vitamin D plays an essential role in creating new hair follicles during the anagen phase, so hair thinning can occur when the body lacks Vitamin D.

Vitamin B12 is another essential vitamin that promotes healthy hair growth by helping the body produce red blood cells.

Healthy blood flow feeds the hair follicles, keeping them active.

• Nuts, legumes, mushrooms, and eggs as they are high in magnesium, zinc, and iron
  
  
• Carrots, rich in vitamin A
  
  
• Seafood, bananas, cheese, and tomatoes, all rich in vitamin B
  
  
• Oatmeal, which is high in vitamin E
  
  
• Fatty fish, rich in Omega 3 and vitamin F
  
  
• Peanuts and liver, which are rich in biotin

Regular, mindful movement is also crucial for PCOS management. 

While there is no one-size-fits-all formula, the “best” PCOS workout is arguably the one you can enjoy and stay consistent with. 

It helps to find out what your PCOS root cause is so you can factor it into your exercise plan so that you don’t under- or over-exercise.

Having the right exercise plan for your unique root cause can help lower stress hormones, improve your insulin resistance, and reduce inflammation levels. 

According to experts, the recommended activity level for PCOS weight management is at least 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of intense exercise per week.

Learning how to cope with stress and improve your mental health is another crucial factor when trying to manage PCOS hair loss.

Being mindful of your stress levels and incorporating practices like journaling, meditation, deep breathing, gardening, and taking nature walks can do wonders for balancing your cortisol levels.

You can also engage in mindful movements, like yoga, pilates, or dance.

In a culture that prioritizes the “hustle,” it’s always essential to learn how to enjoy the little pauses and know when to rest.

Allowing yourself to relax and recharge can support your mental health by reducing stress, as well as improving your PCOS symptoms.

Lastly, if you find that you’re going through significant life changes or are having a difficult time coping, you may want to consider counseling or therapy to have added support as you navigate challenges.

Minoxidil (Rogaine) is the primary topical treatment used to help women with PCOS-related hair loss. 

Minoxidil helps encourage hair regrowth and is available as a foam or solution that can be applied directly to the scalp. 

It’s also available in tablet form, to be taken orally, but the topical route is more common. 

Minoxidil is effective but requires consistency and strict adherence to work.

If you have insulin-resistant PCOS, you’re going to want to focus on changing what and when you eat. 

Try quitting sugar for four weeks and supporting your energy levels with a PCOS Repair Breakfast (at least 30g of protein and non-starchy vegetables like kale or spinach). 

Do a gentle fast of 12 hours between dinner and breakfast to help improve insulin levels.

You might also find the PCOS Plate Method helpful: Filling your plate with ¼ protein, ¼ gentle starches like quinoa, sweet potatoes, or pumpkin, and ½ non-starchy vegetables. 

Lastly, use quality fats like coconut milk, olive oil, or avocado in your meal prep. 

If you have adrenal PCOS, your main priority should be balancing cortisol production, as stress will trigger your adrenal glands to release DHEA, a potent androgen. 

In adrenal PCOS, androgens like DHEA are the root cause of most symptoms, including hair loss.

Focus on improving your coping with stress by working on your sleep and incorporating a sustainable self-care routine into your regular schedule. 

The dietary changes are also beneficial, but your top concern will have to be reducing stress levels.

The key to addressing inflammatory PCOS is first finding out where the excess inflammation originates. 

This could be due to poor gut health, thyroid imbalances, an overactive immune system, or underlying food sensitivities.

There’s no formula for inflammatory PCOS, as the treatment will really depend on what your inflammation is tied to and addressing that. 

However, steering clear of the inflammatory foods we discussed above and adding anti-inflammatory foods to your diet can help you combat inflammation and help support hair growth.

If you’re planning on quitting the pill, make it your priority to lower androgens beforehand. 

Some women have found that removing trigger foods like cow’s dairy and refined sugar also helps in reducing symptoms and reducing inflammation. 

Lastly, since the pill depletes the body of nutrients like magnesium, zinc, selenium, and B vitamins, you’ll want to support your body with supplements or nutrient-rich foods. 

Doing these will help you restore hormone balance faster and regulate ovulation after quitting the pill.