Hormones and Hair Loss in Women: Which Ones and Why
Last reviewed on 6 August 2026. We review our treatment guides every six months to keep them accurate.
Can hormones cause hair loss in women? Yes. Hormones are one of the main drivers of hair loss in women, and several different ones can be involved, from the androgens behind the most common type of thinning to the shifts that come with pregnancy, the menopause, the contraceptive pill and thyroid problems. The good news is that a lot of hormonal hair loss is temporary and recovers once the cause settles or is treated.
This guide explains which hormones affect hair in women, how each type of hormonal hair loss looks and behaves, whether it is reversible, and what genuinely helps. It is general information rather than a diagnosis: not all hair loss is hormonal, so if your hair is thinning it is always worth seeing your GP, who can examine your scalp and arrange blood tests before you decide what to do. The NHS hair loss page is a reliable place to start.
Which hormones affect hair loss in women?
The common hormonal causes in women are androgens and female pattern hair loss, PCOS, the menopause, pregnancy and the pill, and thyroid problems.
Diagnosing hair loss in women can be complicated, because diet, styling and general health all play a part alongside hormones. When hormones are involved, a handful of common causes account for most of it: androgens and female pattern hair loss, polycystic ovary syndrome, the menopause, pregnancy and the pill, and thyroid problems. Each behaves differently, so telling them apart matters.
Androgens, DHT and female pattern hair loss
The most common type of hair loss in women is female pattern hair loss, known medically as androgenetic alopecia. The British Association of Dermatologists explains that it is caused by a combination of genetic and hormonal factors. The hormones involved are androgens, sometimes called male hormones, which women also produce in smaller amounts. The most potent is dihydrotestosterone, or DHT, which acts on hair follicles that have inherited a sensitivity to it and gradually causes them to shrink, so the hairs they produce become finer and shorter until they eventually stop.
An important and often misunderstood point is that this is usually about follicle sensitivity, not a hormone excess. Most women with female pattern hair loss have completely normal levels of androgens in the blood, so it is not a sign that something is out of balance and does not usually mean a hormone needs correcting. The pattern is distinctive: gradual thinning over the top of the scalp and a widening centre parting, while the hairline at the front of the scalp usually stays normal. Our guides to the Ludwig scale and to whether hair loss is genetic explain this pattern and its inheritance in more detail.
PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome)
Polycystic ovary syndrome is a common hormonal condition in which the ovaries produce higher levels of androgens than usual. Those raised androgens can bring on female pattern thinning, and PCOS is one of the situations where hair loss genuinely does reflect higher hormone levels. The NHS lists thinning hair and hair loss from the head alongside the other signs of PCOS: irregular or infrequent periods, excess hair growth on the face, chest or back, oily skin and acne, and difficulty getting pregnant. If you have thinning hair together with any of these, it is worth mentioning to your GP, who can check for PCOS with a simple assessment. Our guide to PCOS and hair loss covers this in more detail.
Menopause and perimenopause
Around the menopause, oestrogen levels fall while androgens decline much less, which shifts the balance between them. Because oestrogen is broadly favourable to scalp hair, this shift can unmask or worsen female pattern thinning in women who are prone to it. Dermatologists note that pattern hair loss is more common after the menopause, which suggests oestrogen helps stimulate hair growth. The NHS lists hair thinning or hair loss among the recognised symptoms of the menopause and perimenopause. Our dedicated guide to menopause and hair loss covers why it happens, whether HRT helps, and what to do about it.
Pregnancy, postpartum and the contraceptive pill
Some of the most dramatic hormonal hair changes are also the most temporary. During pregnancy, high oestrogen levels keep more hairs than usual in their growing phase, so hair often feels thicker. After the birth, oestrogen drops sharply and those hairs shift into the shedding phase together, producing the heavy shed many new mothers notice a few months later. This is a form of telogen effluvium, and it usually recovers on its own over several months as the hair cycle resets. Our guide to postpartum hair loss explains what to expect.
Starting, stopping or changing the combined contraceptive pill can trigger a similar temporary shed in some women, because it too alters hormone levels. As with the postpartum shed, this kind of hair loss is generally self-limiting and settles once things stabilise, rather than being permanent.
Thyroid hormones
The thyroid gland controls the pace of the body's metabolism, and its hormones matter for the hair cycle too. Both an underactive thyroid, which the NHS links with dry hair or hair loss, and an overactive thyroid, listed with patchy hair loss or thinning, can cause a diffuse shed across the whole scalp. This kind of thyroid-related hair loss is usually reversible once the thyroid problem is diagnosed and treated. Our guide to thyroid problems and hair loss goes into this further.
Is hormonal hair loss reversible?
It depends on the type. The temporary hormonal sheds, after pregnancy, after a change of pill, and with a thyroid problem, usually recover once the trigger passes or the underlying condition is treated. Female pattern hair loss is different: it is progressive and there is no cure, though it tends to advance slowly and can be slowed and partly improved with treatment, so it is best thought of as managed rather than reversed.
It is also worth remembering that not all hair loss in women is hormonal. Low iron, low vitamin B12, stress, illness, crash dieting and harsh styling can all thin the hair, and iron deficiency in particular is a common and very treatable cause in women. This is exactly why a proper diagnosis and blood tests are worth having before assuming your hormones are to blame.
What helps hormonal hair loss?
The first step is always to treat any underlying cause, whether that is a thyroid problem, PCOS or low iron, because hair that is thinning for one of those reasons will not improve until the cause is addressed. Beyond that, the recognised options depend on the type of loss and are decisions for a doctor.
For female pattern hair loss, the British Association of Dermatologists describes topical minoxidil applied to the scalp as the mainstay, which can slow the loss and partly restore hair in some women; only the 2 per cent strength is licensed for women in the UK, and it works only for as long as it is used. A specialist may also consider anti-androgen tablets such as spironolactone, and in some cases low-dose oral minoxidil, both of which are used off-label and are covered in our guide to DHT blockers for women. Note that the NHS advises women should not use finasteride.
Hormone replacement therapy is sometimes asked about, but it is important to be clear that HRT is a treatment for menopausal symptoms and is not a hair-loss treatment as such. Its effect on hair varies from woman to woman, so it is a conversation to have with the doctor managing your menopause rather than a reason to start or avoid it. Whatever the cause, seeing your GP to check your thyroid, iron levels and, where relevant, your hormones is the sensible starting point.
When should you see a doctor?
See your GP if your hair loss is sudden, comes out in clumps, leaves distinct bald patches rather than diffuse thinning, or comes with other symptoms such as tiredness, weight change, irregular periods, acne or new facial hair, which can point to a thyroid problem, iron deficiency or a hormonal condition that needs its own treatment. A GP can examine your scalp, take a history and arrange blood tests, and refer you to a dermatologist if the diagnosis is unclear. It is always sensible to find out what is causing your hair loss before turning to a commercial hair clinic.
Frequently asked questions
Can hormones cause hair loss in women?
Yes. Hormones are among the main causes of hair loss in women. Androgens drive the most common type, female pattern hair loss, and shifts in oestrogen and other hormones around pregnancy, the menopause, the contraceptive pill and thyroid problems can all affect the hair. Some of these are temporary and recover on their own, while pattern hair loss is longer term, so it is worth getting a diagnosis.
Which hormones cause hair loss in women?
The main ones are androgens, particularly DHT, which drive female pattern hair loss in women whose follicles are genetically sensitive to them. Falling oestrogen at the menopause, the hormone drop after childbirth or a change of contraceptive pill, and an underactive or overactive thyroid can all cause hair loss too. In most women with pattern thinning, androgen levels in the blood are actually normal, so it is follicle sensitivity rather than a hormone excess.
Is hormonal hair loss reversible?
Often, yes. Hair loss from a postpartum shed, a change of pill or a thyroid problem is usually temporary and grows back once the trigger passes or the condition is treated. Female pattern hair loss is the exception: it is progressive and has no cure, but it advances slowly and can be slowed and partly improved with treatment, so it is managed rather than reversed. A GP can help work out which type you have.
Does PCOS cause hair loss?
It can. Polycystic ovary syndrome raises androgen levels, which can bring on female pattern thinning over the top of the scalp. PCOS usually comes with other signs too, such as irregular periods, acne and excess hair growth on the face or body, so if you have thinning hair alongside any of these it is worth asking your GP to check for PCOS.
Can menopause cause hair loss?
Yes. As oestrogen falls at the menopause while androgens decline less, the change in balance can unmask or worsen female pattern thinning, and the NHS lists hair thinning or loss as a menopausal symptom. It typically shows as gradual thinning over the top of the scalp and a widening parting rather than a receding hairline. Our menopause and hair loss guide covers whether HRT helps and what else can be done.
Does the contraceptive pill cause hair loss?
In some women, starting, stopping or switching the combined pill can trigger a temporary shed, because it changes hormone levels much as childbirth does. This is a form of telogen effluvium and usually settles on its own over several months once hormone levels stabilise. If shedding is heavy or does not recover, see your GP so other causes such as low iron or a thyroid problem can be ruled out.
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