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Home / Conditions / Hormonal / PCOS Hair Loss
Hormonal · condition 06 of 18
PCOS Hair Loss: Why It Thins on Top and Grows Elsewhere
Higher androgens thin the crown and thicken hair where you did not ask for it.
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Nina Ross, NDServing all of Metro Atlanta
Quick answer
Polycystic ovary syndrome raises androgen activity, and androgens affect scalp hair and body hair in opposite directions. On the scalp, follicles at the crown and along the part are sensitive to DHT and gradually produce finer, shorter hairs.
Read the full answer
On the face, chin, chest and abdomen, the same androgens push soft hair to become coarse and pigmented. Insulin resistance frequently sits underneath the picture and raises androgen activity further, which is why PCOS hair loss rarely responds to scalp products alone.
At Nina Ross Atlanta in Sandy Springs we read the crown at 200x for miniaturization and work the metabolic side in-house at the same time. Serving all of Metro Atlanta.
- The same androgens thin the scalp and coarsen body hair.
- Insulin resistance often sits underneath.
- Scalp and metabolic work run together.
What you might be noticing
Symptoms in your words, and ours
Tap the one that sounds like you to see why it happens and how we figure it out.
01Thinning right down my part
Central pattern miniaturization✋🏾
Why it happens
Thinning along the part is commonly linked to DHT-sensitive follicles producing finer, shorter hairs each cycle when androgen activity runs high.
How we figure it out
We read the part at 200x for hairs of mixed thickness and compare them with the back of your head.
02Coarse hair on my chin and jaw
Hirsutism in androgen-dependent areas✋🏾
Why it happens
Androgens push soft facial hair to become coarse and dark, the opposite of what they do on the scalp. Seeing both together is a strong clue.
How we figure it out
Tell us about it at your visit. Together with the scalp read, it helps us decide which systems to look at.
03Irregular or missing periods
Oligomenorrhea or amenorrhea✋🏾
Why it happens
Irregular cycles are one of the most common features of PCOS, linked to the same hormone pattern that affects the follicles.
How we figure it out
We take your cycle history into account alongside the scalp read and the metabolic side of the picture.
04Weight that will not move
Insulin resistance features✋🏾
Why it happens
Weight that resists effort is commonly linked to insulin resistance, which raises androgen activity and adds load on the follicle.
How we figure it out
We look at the metabolic drivers in-house, so the scalp work has the internal support to hold.
05Breakouts along my jawline
Androgen-pattern acne✋🏾
Why it happens
Breakouts along the jaw and chin are commonly linked to higher androgen activity, the same driver behind the scalp thinning.
How we figure it out
We note it with the rest of your picture. It helps confirm whether androgens are the driver.
What causes it
What is actually driving it
- 01
Androgen excess
Higher circulating androgens convert to DHT, which shortens the growth phase of sensitive scalp follicles cycle after cycle.1
- 02
Insulin resistance
Insulin resistance increases ovarian androgen production and lowers the protein that binds androgens, so more of them stay active.
- 03
Chronic low-grade inflammation
Inflammation associated with PCOS adds to the load on the follicle, which is one reason the scalp can feel irritated as well as thin.
What we see that others miss
Crown versus back of head: the comparison that settles it
DHT-driven thinning is regional. The crown and part respond, and the back and sides usually do not.
Capturing both in the same session also gives you a baseline that makes future visits measurable.
How we treat it
What care looks like here
Scalp work and metabolic work run together here. We document miniaturization at the crown at 200x, use a restorative program to support the follicles, and address nutrient status and insulin-related drivers in-house.
- 01Document the crown at 200x
- 02Work the metabolic drivers in-house
- 03Support the follicles
IV Nutrient Therapy
Targeted nutrient support when your labs show what the follicle is missing.
One visit. Real answers.
The $99 Hair & Body Discovery
No prepOne visitYour time, your pickNo judgmentServing all of Metro Atlanta
- One-on-one scalp health session with a certified trichologist
- 200x magnification read of your scalp, on screen, while you watch
- A full-body biofeedback scan
- Your Hair & Body Discovery Report, delivered the next day
Our promiseYou'll leave actually seeing what's happening, your scalp at 200x, the systems behind it, with your report the next day. If you don't, the $99 is on us.
Fully HSA/FSA eligible. 0% financing for qualified applicants.
You are welcome here
We are well-versed in us.
PCOS is underdiagnosed in Black women, and hair changes are often the first thing noticed and the last thing taken seriously. Bring what you have noticed. It counts as data here.
Relaxers, braids, locs, weaves and heat. Share your full hair history. It is welcomed, never judged.
10 years of specialized care2,500+ clients seenNo judgment
Related conditions
Often confused with this
Hormonal Hair Loss
Four hormones do most of the work. When they move, your hair reports it.
Excess DHT
The hormone behind pattern thinning, and how to tell if it is your driver.
Female Hair Loss
The widening part and the thinner ponytail, explained honestly.
Questions, answered
Honest answers before you commit
Will treating my PCOS regrow my hair?
Improving the driver gives the follicle a better environment, and that matters. Follicles that have already miniaturized need direct scalp support as well, which is why we do both. Results not typical. Individual results will vary.
Why is hair growing on my face while it thins on my head?
Androgens act on scalp hair and body hair in opposite directions. On the scalp they shrink sensitive follicles, and on the face and body they make soft hair coarse and dark.
Do I need bloodwork?
Often it helps. If your scalp read and history point to androgens or insulin resistance, testing shows which drivers to work on, and that work happens in-house.
Can I do anything about the shedding while I wait?
Yes. Scalp support starts alongside the metabolic work, so the follicles are being cared for while the internal picture improves.
How is this different from regular female pattern loss?
The scalp pattern can look similar. The difference is the driver underneath: in PCOS, androgen activity and often insulin resistance are pushing it, so the plan works on those too.
References
Results not typical. Individual results will vary.
Let's find out what your hair is trying to tell you.
You'll see it, or the $99 is on us. Serving all of Metro Atlanta.
Nina Ross Atlanta, 8735 Dunwoody Place, Suite 290, Sandy Springs, GA 30350. Monday to Saturday, 10:00 AM to 3:30 PM.