Can a Hormone Imbalance Cause Hair Loss in Women?

This question comes from a member of our hair loss social community and hair restoration discussion forums: 

After being told by my doctor that my estrogen hormone levels are abnormal, I began to notice hair loss. I’m now wondering if changes in my hormone levels can cause hair loss and what I can do to treat this? Can changes in hormone levels cause hair loss in women?

Female pattern hair loss is a complicated condition. Unlike androgenic alopecia or male pattern hair loss – which is usually caused by a derangement of a single hormone (DHT or dihydrotestosterone) – female hair loss can often be traced to a variety of blood level abnormalities. Abnormal levels of elements such as sex hormones (testosterone, DHT, estrogen, progesterone, etc.), iron, thyroid hormones, blood glucose (sugar), and a variety of other important metabolic substrates can be attributed to hair loss in women.

This  means fluctuating hormone levels or changes in normal blood hormone levels can lead to female hair loss. Treating this would likely involve first seeing an endocrinologist (hormone specialist) to determine if a hormone derangement is present, and next seeing a hair loss specialist for treatment (unless the endocrinologist feels comfortable treating the hair loss as well). Though female pattern hair loss from hormone imbalance is a complicated issue, it can often be reversed and treated with proper care.
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Blake Bloxham – formerly “Future_HT_Doc”

Editorial Assistant and Forum Co-Moderator for the Hair Transplant Network, the Hair Loss Learning

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