Losing Hair? Talk To Your Doctor About The Pill

Robbing women of their confidence, a new survey reveals many suffer silently from hair loss which these days accompanies long-term use of birth control pills.

According to Daily Mail, a survey of 2,000 women in UK revealed that one in eight affected by hair thinning and loss are aged under-35 though most of the affected are older than 54 years. The survey also made the disturbing findings that nearly half of the women affected shy away from having photos taken while an equal number refrain from attending social events.

"The percentage of women with hair thinning (reduced volume) is much larger than is commonly thought as many suffer in silence. Sadly, a third of those suffering said that they haven't done anything to address the problem, perhaps as they feel too embarrassed to seek help," said London trichologist Philip Kingsley.

Hair loss in recent years is being blamed on use of the birth control pill. Pills that contain synthetic progesterone with high androgen index can cause hair loss as experienced by men.

"Progestins with a high androgen index act like testosterone in the body they shrink hair follicles, so they thin hair much like testosterone does in men. It's sad, and it's such an avoidable problem. If only more women and doctors were aware of it," said Dr. Lara Briden, a hormone expert in Sydney.