PCOS stands for polycystic ovary syndrome. Hair fall due to PCOS has become a very common problem among women. Women with PCOS produce an excess amount of male hormones which causes an imbalance in the body even leading to skin menstrual cycle. It not only leads to excess hair growth on hair and body but can also cause baldness, heart diseases, and diabetes. PCOS affects the ovaries and the ovulation. Women having PCOS generally have a cyst in their ovaries, high level of male hormones, and irregular or skipped periods.
How does PCOS Cause Hair Fall
PCOS causes hair fall when the hair follicles are sensitive to hyperandrogenism as it slows down your hair growth. The testosterone is broken down into DHT within the oil glands of the hair follicles. DHT makes the hair follicle shrink and kills it inside the hair follicle itself, thus, causing hair loss.
In order to stop the hair fall caused due to PCOS, it is necessary to understand the basic reason behind the cause of excess production of androgen. Some of the reasons can be high-stress hormones, insulin resistance, poor gut health, or thyroid issues or even a combination of all of them. However, there are different reasons behind hair fall due to PCOS, certain points are to be followed by everyone suffering from the same, let us have a look at them.
Tips to Stop Hair Loss Due To PCOS
1. Diet
What we eat is definitely reflected by our body. You must avoid crash diet and eat homemade food including fresh vegetables and fruits, meat, and high-quality fat. Carbs must be avoided as women with PCOS tend to produce more insulin which makes the ovaries produce more testosterone which will cause hair loss.
2. Treatment for Insulin Resistance
It is very important to have insulin under control as it is the precursor to Type 2 Diabetes. Low carbs and ketogenic (super low carbs) diets can be very beneficial for you especially if you are suffering from stress or adrenal PCOS. You must keep a regular check on your blood sugar and stay stress-free as much as possible.
3. Avoid Inflammatory Foods
According to research, PCOS causes hair fall as women who suffer from PCOS have higher inflammation levels as compared to normal women. Inflammation can cause an increase in androgens and insulin resistance directly. Inflammation can occur due to two reasons:
a. Food difficult to digest like grains, dairy, gluten etc.
b. Food processed in a way which makes it inflammatory like soy, seed oils, etc.
4. Exercise
Exercise is said to be important for people who are not suffering from any problem. So, as a matter of fact, it should be mandatory for women suffering from PCOS. Exercising keeps the blood circulation and androgen levels normal thus, preventing hair fall due to PCOS.
5. Lifestyle
Your body must follow a schedule on a regular basis and adjust to it. Even small things like sleeping and meal timings have a great impact on our body especially on women having PCOS. Melatonin and serotonin are two hormones controlled by sleep. If there is any change in these two hormones, other hormones of the body are also affected which causes an imbalance, leading to the aggravation of insulin levels.
Apart from the above tips to stop hair loss due to PCOS, it is also important to take personal care of your hair and use a limited number of products on your scalp. You must also avoid alcohol and sulphates in your hair care products as they strip off the necessary oils from the scalp.
