I once dated a guy who said, “A girl’s hair is half her personality.” I could not believe he said that . . . but I also couldn’t get it out of my head. As a woman with PCOS struggling with hair loss, I felt so insecure. I had, prior to even meeting this man, cut my thinning hair into a bob, trying to hide the hair loss, but I said to myself, “Surely, I am more than my hair!!!”
Of course, I was (and am) more than my hair. And, really, I didn’t care at all what this guy thought . . . or anyone else, for that matter! As women, our hair isn’t about a superficial fascination with physical appearance. Our hair is something that makes us happy and provides an opportunity for self-expression. So, when Cysters experience PCOS-related hair loss, it can make us feel vulnerable, isolated, and like we’ve lost our identity.
If this is you, I see you! I was there with you! However, you don’t need to accept that your hair is gone forever. Once you understand the root issue of your hair loss, you can reverse this condition and regrow your luscious locks! And, no, you don’t need expensive medical treatments—you can undo PCOS hair loss naturally!
How I Reversed My PCOS Hair Loss Naturally
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex hormone condition that can cause a wide range of symptoms. Everyone has heard of PCOS symptoms like irregular periods, ovarian cysts, and weight gain—however, the hormonal imbalances of PCOS can also damage your hair!
As I said, poor hair health isn’t something you have to live with just because you have PCOS. In this post, I’ll discuss why PCOS causes hair loss so you can understand what issues need to be fixed. Then, I’ll break down how you can reverse this symptom and feel like yourself again!
Here’s what you need to know about PCOS hair loss:
Does PCOS Cause Hair Loss?
Yes! PCOS can cause hair loss and hair thinning. This is because of elevated androgen levels (male sex hormones), which are one of the many hormones often out of balance in a body with PCOS. When androgens rise, it causes hair follicles to shrink, shortens the hair growth cycle, increases shedding, and worsens scalp health. Of course, this all leads to hair loss!
Understanding what hormonal imbalances are causing your hair loss is the first step in solving the problem. You can target that root issue and see a BIG change in your hair health.
What Does PCOS Hair Loss Look Like?
Hair loss due to PCOS is often referred to as “female pattern baldness” and “androgenic alopecia.” Usually, the hair loss is on the top and front of the head. The hair is usually finer, shorter, and more brittle than it should be, causing hair to shed.
But here’s something important to know: losing some hair every day is completely normal! On average, people shed 50–100 hairs per day as part of the natural hair growth cycle. This happens because each hair follicle goes through phases of growth, rest, and shedding.
With PCOS-related hair loss, the shedding can be much more noticeable—often exceeding 150 hairs per day—and hair may not grow back as thick as before. If this sounds familiar to you, and your hair falls out with every comb of the brush, you may be experiencing female pattern hair loss!
Is PCOS Hair Loss Reversible?
Hair loss in women with PCOS is totally reversible—like all symptoms of PCOS! You just need to regulate those androgen levels to get your full head of hair back. Consistency is key, and it typically takes at least 3 to 6 months of steady lifestyle changes, supplements, and hormone balance to notice significant regrowth. This is because hair grows in cycles, and it takes time for new, healthier strands to replace the ones lost due to high androgens. Once you get back on track and restore your hormonal balance, you’ll likely see improvements in other high androgen PCOS symptoms like acne, excess facial hair growth, irregular periods, ovarian cysts, and weight gain!
How To Reverse PCOS Hair Loss Naturally
Take strategic supplements.
There are many natural ways to balance your hormones, but without the essential daily nutrients, your adrenal system and metabolism won’t function at their best. This is why taking the right supplements to lower your androgens is an essential first step to reversing PCOS hair loss. Of course, consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new supplements, but here are some supplements known to improve hair health and help balance androgen levels:
- Zinc
- Biotin
- Iron
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- Vitamin D3
- Niacin
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin C
- Inositol
When choosing supplements for hair health, quality matters! Not all supplements are created equal, so it’s important to look for ones that are high quality, third-party tested, and free from unnecessary fillers. If you’re looking for NSF-certified options that are tested for purity and potency, you can check out Ovafit, my PCOS supplement line!
All of the vitamins mentioned above are included in the Metabolism Plus bundle, and Ovasitol powder is a great way to get your daily dose of inositol. I also love incorporating collagen into my routine—it’s a staple in my smoothies and drinks on The Cysterhood app! If you’re looking for a brand recommendation, Primal Kitchen is my go-to.
Drink herbal tea.
Herbal tea has been used as natural medicine for thousands of years, but modern research claims that certain herbs can actually help with hormone dysregulation! There are a lot of herbal teas that have been shown to help balance androgen levels, so to get all the benefits of each herb, I recommend a blend of multiple beneficial herbal teas.
The Testosterone Relief Tea from Ovafit is a great choice! Spearmint, lemon balm, orange peel, chamomile, rosehip, peppermint, cinnamon, nettle, lavender, and calendula tea are all included and are sure to help improve your androgen balance and hair health! I recommend drinking this 2x a day.
Try an anti-inflammatory gluten- and dairy-free diet.
What we eat has a HUGE impact on our hormones, including testosterone! If what you eat worsens chronic inflammation and insulin resistance, you’ll probably see your androgen levels rise and your PCOS hair loss worsen. This is why I recommend limiting and being mindful of inflammatory foods like processed food, sugar, refined carbs, gluten, and dairy.
However, diet isn’t all about what NOT to eat. What you do eat makes just as big of an impact. To balance hormones, including androgens, prioritize a balanced diet with foods high in inositol (yes, one of those supplements we talked about earlier!) Foods high in inositol include beans, oats (I LOVE oats for PCOS!), cabbage, citrus fruits and melons, and nuts! Omega-3 fatty acids have also been shown to be beneficial for hormone balance, so try adding salmon, chia seeds, and walnuts into your diet, too!
If this all feels a little overwhelming, I get it! But, you don’t have to give up your favorite foods or delicious meals to reverse PCOS hair loss and other symptoms. Simply find substitutes for the ingredients that trigger your symptoms, and ta-da! You get a PCOS-friendly version of meals you already love. Download The Cysterhood app for all of my PCOS-friendly recipes and meal plans that will promote healing and satisfy the foodie in you!
Do regular slow-weighted, low-impact exercises.
We all know exercise is great for overall health, but did you know it’s also a game-changer for hormone balance? The right type of workout can improve insulin sensitivity, support metabolic health, and even help lower testosterone levels—leading to healthier hair and fewer PCOS symptoms overall! But here’s the key: how you work out matters.
I remember when I first started my healing journey, I was kickboxing multiple times a week—and instead of feeling better, I was gaining weight and noticing more hair shedding. Can you believe it?! That’s because high-intensity workouts flood your body with adrenaline and cortisol—AKA stress hormones. For women with PCOS, who often already have elevated cortisol levels, this extra stress can spike androgen levels and worsen insulin resistance. And since high androgens are one of the main culprits behind PCOS-related hair loss, overdoing intense workouts can actually make it worse.
So, to workout effectively for PCOS, you need low-impact exercises (think weight lifting, pilates, yoga, walking, etc.) that work out the whole body while keeping your heart rate down. I find that slow-weighted exercises are the most effective, and I’ve included a ton of workout routines on The Cysterhood app to help you establish a routine!
But, if you need help getting started, I offer a 4-week meal and workout plan designed to kickstart your journey and help you see motivating results more quickly. Listen to this episode of my podcast to get a feel for what’s included in the course!
Practice better stress management techniques.
We just talked about how stress can trigger a chain reaction in your body that raises androgen levels. And it’s no secret—stress can make your hair fall out! Usually, that’s just a figure of speech, but with PCOS, it’s totally literal. Stress not only increases testosterone, but it can also worsen inflammation, which may cause your immune system to attack healthy hair follicles.
That’s why managing stress is key to improving hair health—and the best part? It helps with other PCOS symptoms too! Try incorporating stress-relief techniques like meditation, deep breathing, spending time in nature, or engaging in hobbies that bring you joy. Cutting back on caffeine can also help lower cortisol levels and support overall hormone balance!
If managing stress is really difficult for you, Listen to this episode of A Cyster and Her Mister on PCOS and mental health. We’re here to help you find a routine that works for you.
Improve your sleep hygiene.
When it comes to hair health, restful sleep plays a vital role in repairing and regenerating cells and hair follicles. This is true for everybody, but it’s crucial for Cysters experiencing hair loss. When you aren’t sleeping throughout the night (or not sleeping well), then this process is disrupted and even slows down.
This is actually a problem for hormone balance in general! When you don’t sleep well at night, your body can’t execute the necessary processes to produce, regulate, and metabolize hormones. So, crappy sleep can leave you with elevated cortisol and androgen levels over time. That means improving your sleeping habits is essential!
I know, easier said than done. But, don’t worry—there are plenty of ways to improve your sleep hygiene and sleep better with PCOS! Things like dimming the lights, drinking a warm cup of tea, taking melatonin, getting some sun earlier in the day, and turning screens off early are just a few key ways to promote better sleep hygiene.
With the right steps and routines, you can reverse PCOS hair loss naturally!
If I could go back in time to the girl I was when I dated that guy who made that comment about a woman’s relationship to her hair, I’d hug her and remind her that hair loss doesn’t define who she is. Fortunately, the woman I am today knows this and I’m determined to make sure every other Cyster feels confident and supported in their hair growth journey.
If you’re experiencing hair loss with your PCOS and you’re looking for options other than medical hair treatments, I hope this post helped remind you that you aren’t alone, and that there are plenty of ways to reverse hair loss naturally.
Start managing all your PCOS symptoms naturally using these tips and other lifestyle changes you’ll find on the PCOS Weight Loss blog and the A Cyster and Her Mister podcast! It’s time to take charge and reverse ALL your PCOS symptoms, hair loss included!
