Which Pills Are The Best For Hair Loss?

[caseybear]

I have yet to find a definitive list that states which birth control pills are the most "hair friendly." please let me know which are best ones in your opinion.

thanks,
casey

[Geoffrey Redmond, MD, FACE]

I have yet to find a definitive list that states which birth control pills are the most "hair friendly." please let me know which are best ones in your opinion.

thanks,
casey

There are several birth control pills that are most hair friendly.
It is harder nowadays to know what you are getting because there are many generics with different names for the same pill. Generic equivalents are in parentheses.

So here is a partial list:
Yasmin (ocella)
Yaz (no generic)
Ortho Cyclen and TriCyclen (Generics Mono and Tri Nessa, Sprintec and TriSprintec.
Desogen (Apri)
Mircette (Kariva)

These have no testosterone like activity and so will not worsen androgenic alopecia.

Most androgenic and therefore to be avoided are those containing the progestin levonorgestrel. These include Ovral, LoOvral, Nordette, Alesse and numerous generics.

My book, It's Your Hormones has a detailed discussion of the best and worst birth control pills.

Hope this helps.

[bflygirl]

I am convinced going on and off Loestrin Fe twice (which I had been on consistently for 11 years) in the last 3 years triggered my hair loss. The last time I went off it was Summer 2007. I went on Yaz in July 2008 and have not noticed any increase in shedding.

BTW I am currently reading It's Your Hormones by Dr. Redmond and feel like for the first time I am getting some insight into the whys of my hair loss. I took his book to my dermatologist today and asked him to run some tests to which my dermatologist said, "I wouldn't know what to look for on a hormone test. Hair loss is something you are going to have to learn to live with." Then I asked him if he could refer me to another doctor who knew more about hair loss than he did, he had no names. Frustrating!

[Geoffrey Redmond, MD, FACE]

I am convinced going on and off Loestrin Fe twice (which I had been on consistently for 11 years) in the last 3 years triggered my hair loss. The last time I went off it was Summer 2007. I went on Yaz in July 2008 and have not noticed any increase in shedding.

BTW I am currently reading It's Your Hormones by Dr. Redmond and feel like for the first time I am getting some insight into the whys of my hair loss. I took his book to my dermatologist today and asked him to run some tests to which my dermatologist said, "I wouldn't know what to look for on a hormone test. Hair loss is something you are going to have to learn to live with." Then I asked him if he could refer me to another doctor who knew more about hair loss than he did, he had no names. Frustrating!

I am glad to hear that my book, It's Your Hormones, is helpful for you. Unfortunately, very few doctors are knowledgeable about hair loss and offer effective treatments. Re blood tests, they are important but tests by themselves do not solve any medical problem. They are usually normal in alopecia and this is usually wrongly interpreted as meaning there is no treatment. Hormonal hair loss is treatable whether tests are normal or not. This issue is discussed in detail in It's Your Hormones.