Managing Hair Loss During and After Pregnancy: Facts vs False Reassurance

Hair Loss During and After Pregnancy

Individuals with hair loss often ask what steps they should be taking to best help their hair during pregnancy and what steps they should take after delivery.

I have written on certain aspects of this topic before. Please consider reviewing my past articles on Hair Loss, Pregnancy & Breastfeeding:

July 23, 2019 - Stopping Medications in Pregnancy

May 6, 2018 - Pregnancy and Female Pattern Hair Loss

Mar 1, 2017 The Safety of Hair Loss medications in Pregnancy

May 19, 2012 - Which medications are safe during breastfeeding?

For many women who ask this question and are currently pregnant, I often say that there are two ways to help the hair while pregnant. The first is make sure that the individuals does not truly have any deficiencies by getting some basic blood tests if the individual or her doctor are worried about some type of deficiency. The second way to potentially help the hair is to consider reviewing the benefits of low level laser therapy (LLLT). Besides correcting a vitamin deficiency, administration of low level laser treatments is really the only treatment that can be safely used during pregnancy.

For women who were using minoxidil before pregnancy but needed to stop during the pregnancy, I strongly encourage them to see an expert to determine when minoxidil might best be restarted after delivery. Both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Dermatology have stated that Rogaine is reasonably safe for breastfeeding women (yes, despite the fact that all warning labels say otherwise). I can’t emphasize enough the importance of speaking to the dermatologist about this. in my opinion, we need to let years and years of medical research and years of observation help guide how we make tough decisions not simply outdated warning labels that protect companies from legal ramifications. These decisions are of course taken on a case by case basis.

False resurgence has no place in the management of any type of hair loss - and this is particularly true in managing hair loss around the time of pregnancy. It would be wonderful if I could reassure women that hair always grows back “fully” after delivery (i.e. to the same density as before pregnancy) - but this is not accurate. For most women who shed hair post partum, the shedding eventually slows down around month 6-9 post partum and shedding returns to normal and hair regrowth happens. However, hair density does not always grow back as full as it was before pregnancy if a woman has the genes for genetic hair loss instructing the hairs what to do.  For many women it does - but not all. This is far more than my professional medical opinion - it’s fact. For this reason, I encourage patients to have a solid treatment plan in place.

False reassurance that hair “always” grows back and not to worry leaves many women confused and disappointed. I sometimes advise a conservative approach and sometimes an aggressive approach to treatment after delivery. It all depends on the stage of the patient’s androgenetic alopecia, her current age and health and her family history of hair loss and other conditions. We don’t yet have tests available to set the known genes for genetic hair loss - so this is not part of the evaluation. The decision on what to use during pregnancy is easy as only laser is safe (and supplementing any deficiencies that are uncovered in the blood tests).  

Birth Control Pills, Hormones and Hair Loss: Important Considerations

Birth Control Pills affect Androgens

Oral contraceptives have many effects on the hair.  For some  women, oral contraceptives can cause hair shedding when started or stopped by triggering a telogen effluvium. Fortunately for most, this shedding is temporary.  Oral contraceptives can also benefit the hair in many women with androgenetic alopecia by reducing the levels of androgens (male type hormones) in the blood.

Where do androgens come from? 

There are three important sources of androgens in women.  About 50 % of testosterone in the blood comes from the conversion of hormones such as androstenedione and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulphate dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEA-S). About 25 % of testosterone comes form the adrenal gland and 25 % from the ovary. 

About 65 % of testosterone that circulates in the blood stream gets bound and inactivated by sex-hormone-binding globulin (SHBG). Most of the remaining 30–35% is bound by albumin. Only 0.5–3% represents freely circulating T ("free T"). Despite the low amount, free T is important as it is active and able to cause a range of clinical phenomena such as hair loss acne and increased hair growth on the face (hirsutism).

Effects of Oral Contraceptives Pills on Androgens

Oral contraceptives (birth control pills), particular the combined oral contraceptives (COCs) are known the levels of androgens in the blood including testosterone, androstenedione and DHEAS. For example, blood levels of testosterone decrease by as much as 50 %. This occurs from the ability of oral contraceptive pills to a) reduce androgen synthesis in the ovary b) reduce androgen synthesis in the adrenal gland and c) increase sex hormone binding globulin in the liver. 

Because of their effects on androgens, birth control pills are options for women with certain types of hair loss, including androgenetic alopecia associated with normal hormone levels, and androgenetic alopecia associated with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).  Birth control pills are not appropriate for everyone with these hair loss conditions and anyone considering these medications should carefully review risks and benefits with a physician.

Hormonal Changes in LPP and FFA

The Clevland clinic performed a new study that  showed that hormone abnormalities can be common in lichen planopilaris (LPP) and frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA).

A proportion of patients with LPP were found to have "androgen excess" (increased levels of the male hormones). However there was a portion of patients with FFA that were shown to have "androgen deficiency." This did not prove to be true of everyone - but was a trend seen in a large proportion.

This study is surprising, especially when considering that antiandrogens are helpful in FFA. It may however provide insight into differences between LPP and FFA. More studies are needed. For now, I agree with the authors conclusions that hormone levels are important to order in women with these scarring alopecias.

Reference
Ranasinghe GC, et al.Prevalence of hormonal and endocrine dysfunction in patients with lichen planopilaris (LPP): A retrospective data analysis of 168 patients.  J Am Acad Dermatol. 2017.