In PCOD the centre parting gets wider and hair feels thinner on top, while the front hairline usually stays. Androgens, low iron, thyroid problems and low vitamin D can all play a part, so blood tests help. Treatment takes 3 to 6 months to show.
You notice it first in photos. The parting looks wider than it did a year ago, or a ponytail feels thinner. It is easy to blame the water, the shampoo or the season. Sometimes the cause is hormonal, and a few simple checks can find out.
What PCOD thinning looks like
Androgens make some hair follicles grow thick, dark hair. On the scalp they do the opposite, and some follicles shrink. In PCOD this shows as a wider centre parting and hair that feels thinner on top. The hairline at the front usually stays where it is.
That pattern is useful. If the thinning is mainly at the parting and the front hairline is intact, androgens are a likely suspect. If hair is falling evenly all over, other causes become more likely.
Other things that thin hair
PCOD is not the only cause, and it can be one of several. Low iron, thyroid problems and low vitamin D also cause hair fall. Tiredness and poor sleep can come with the same problems.
Heavy periods can lower iron. Skipping meals or crash dieting can shake hair loose a few months later. That is one more reason that crash diets backfire.
Which tests help
Your doctor may check iron, thyroid and vitamin D with blood tests. If androgens are suspected, hormone tests such as free testosterone, SHBG and DHEA-S may be added, along with a skin and hair analysis. Thyroid and prolactin are tested too because they can look like PCOD.
When your doctor sees the tests together with your periods, skin and scan, the cause usually becomes clearer. PCOD, PCOS and now PMOS, the new official name for PCOS, are decided by any two of three signs: irregular or no ovulation, high androgens, and polycystic ovaries on a scan.
What treatment involves
Treatment takes 3 to 6 months to show. Hair grows slowly, so a month feels like a long time and is too short to judge.
- If iron, thyroid or vitamin D are low, those are corrected first, as your doctor advises.
- Anti-androgen medicines can be used when androgens are high.
- Your dermatologist may discuss skin and hair treatments, and advanced ones such as PRP or microneedling are offered only when your doctor advises.
- A targeted diet and regular activity help insulin, and insulin drives androgens.
Some of these medicines are not safe in pregnancy. If you are planning a baby, tell your doctor before you start. Take medicines and supplements only on your doctor's advice, and that includes biotin, zinc and the many hair vitamins sold online.
Everyday habits
Eat protein with every meal, especially breakfast. Avoid crash diets. Be gentle with wet hair, tight ponytails and heat styling.
Take a photo of your parting once a month under the same light. Slow change is hard to see in a mirror, and a photo turns worry into a fact.
How it feels
Hair carries a lot of feeling. Anxiety, low mood and worry about body image are 2 to 3 times more common in PCOD, and it is not weakness. If worry lasts more than 2 weeks, or you stop enjoying things, tell someone. Tele-MANAS 14416 is a free helpline, open 24 hours a day.
When to see a doctor
See a doctor if you notice two or more PCOD signs, or if one is bothering you. For hair, that means a parting that keeps widening, hair that feels thinner on top, or hair fall that comes with irregular periods, acne, extra dark hair, dark neck patches or constant tiredness.
Bring a few dated photos of your parting if you have them, along with your period dates. Say which shampoos, oils, tablets or supplements you use. Blood tests are quick, and they often turn up something that can be fixed, such as low iron.
A doctor decides
This article is education, not a diagnosis. Hair thinning has several possible causes, and only a doctor who has your history and tests can say which applies. It is common in PCOD, it is manageable, and it is not your fault.
When to get help urgently
Do not wait for an appointment if you have any of these. Get medical help the same day.
- severe lower tummy pain
- fainting
- very heavy bleeding
- chest pain or breathlessness
- a sudden deepening of the voice with rapid hair growth
Common questions
How can I tell PCOD hair thinning from other hair fall?
Which blood tests are done for hair thinning?
How long before hair improves with treatment?
Will crash dieting help my hair?
Not a diagnosis
This guide is for education. Only a doctor who has examined you and seen your tests can tell you what is going on. If you have symptoms that worry you, book a visit or message us on WhatsApp.