3 At Home Remedies To Treat PCOS Hair Loss
Losing hair can be an extremely vulnerable thing. It can cause insecurities, reduce confidence levels, but also create a sense of worry about your body in general. Oftentimes, there is a reason behind a sudden or even gradual loss of hair and it's merely a symptom of a deeper root cause. One of those causes can actually be something called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). When you have PCOS, there is a lot that happens to your body.
For women who have PCOS, hair loss can be a side effect. According to Penn Medicine, of all the women in the United States who are within the age range of having a child, between 5% and 10% will have PCOS. With millions of women being affected by this, it's actually one of the more common conditions. However, many people don't fully understand the syndrome or how it correlates to hair loss.
PCOS is a hormonal disorder that impacts women's ovaries and causes them to swell. The ovaries will also develop small cysts that can be extremely painful. PCOS often leads to irregular menstrual cycles which can impact fertility, but other symptoms include acne, depression, and hair loss. Unfortunately, there is not currently a cure for PCOS but there are some treatments that can help with unwanted hair loss.
Treating hair loss a natural way
While there are certain medications that doctors can recommend for patients who have PCOS, such as the hormonal birth control pill, some women prefer to go a more natural route. Luckily, there are some home remedies that can help too. According to a 2016 Pub Med study, supplementing your diet with zinc for two months helped with hair loss in women who had PCOS.
The reason zinc can be such an effective treatment in reducing hair loss is due to the mineral's ability to block a specific testosterone-converting enzyme that keeps testosterone levels high and leads to many of the symptoms that women with PCOS experience. Another great treatment option for women is a supplement called biotin. Biotin is a commonly used b vitamin for those who are wanting to strengthen their hair and make it grow.
According to Healthline, the use of biotin for hair growth isn't specifically linked to those with PCOS. However, because of its hair growth benefits in general, it is still a great option. Based on a three-month study of women with thinning hair, taking a "marine protein" biotin supplement did wonders for their hair growth.
Losing weight can be a good option
Approaching the topic of weight loss can be extremely sensitive or even triggering for some. However, it's important to note that the research shows how beneficial it can be, particularly for women with PCOS. This is because removing some of their excess weight can actually work to bring their hormones into balance.
Of course, this remedy applies to women who fall into the overweight or obese category. While there is no cure for PCOS, making healthy lifestyle changes can be the best option for managing the symptoms. Interestingly, weight gain can actually be a side effect of PCOS, which is why a puffy face can be an overlooked sign of PCOS. Since many of the PCOS remedies revolve around balancing the hormone levels in your body, exercising consistently and eating a healthy diet can stabilize your body's insulin levels and improve overall hormone functionality.
According to Ro, there is even a specific "PCOS diet" that is aimed at eating to balance hormone levels. The diet involves reducing simple carbs, opting for anti-inflammatory foods, like fruits, veggies, or lean meats, and avoiding processed foods and alcohol. While this healthy diet is geared toward managing symptoms, eating an abundance of nutrient-dense foods can also help to nourish your hair. So, by combining these various remedies there is a good chance you'll be able to combat that PCOS hair loss.