Hair changes
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More shedding, thinning on your head, or new coarse hair on your face or body. Hair responds to hormones, stress, thyroid health and iron, and shedding often shows up a few months after a big stressor.
You might notice
- more hair on your brush or in the drain
- hair that feels thinner than it used to
- coarse, dark hairs on chin, upper lip or chest
- shedding a few months after a stressful time, illness or birth
- dry or brittle hair
Who can help
- Dr. Michelle Cárdenas, ND · Naturopathic Doctor (ND)Also works with PCOS (now also called PMOS)Profile →
- Dr. Rachel Alioto · Naturopathic Doctor (ND)Also works with PCOS (now also called PMOS)Profile →
- Erica Simonich · Women's Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP-BC)Also works with PCOS (now also called PMOS)Profile →
An esthetician is the place to start for skin care, and a naturopathic doctor if you'd like to look at what's underneath.
See everyone for skin →Where it can overlap
- PCOS / PMOS
Hair changes can overlap with PCOS / PMOS. Established
- After birth control
Hair changes can show up after after birth control. Established
- Overactive thyroid
Hair changes can overlap with overactive thyroid. Established
- Underactive thyroid
Hair changes can overlap with underactive thyroid. Established
- Stress
Hair changes can follow a stretch of stress. Established
- Thyroid symptoms
Hair changes can overlap with thyroid symptoms. Established
4 more threads +Fewer threads −
- Hormonal acne
Hair changes can overlap with hormonal acne. Associated
- Iron deficiency
Hair changes can overlap with iron deficiency. Associated
- Low ferritin
Hair changes can overlap with low ferritin. Emerging
- Under-fuelling (LEA)
Hair changes may be worth exploring alongside under-fuelling (LEA). Woo exploration
Established: well documented · Associated: linked, not a cause · Emerging: early research · Woo exploration: worth exploring, not yet sourced. A link isn't a cause.
Keep exploring
11 sources · how we checked
Everything on this page was researched from clinical guidance, government health sources and published reviews first, then single studies. Where a connection is only worth exploring, it says so.
- Do you have hair loss or hair shedding? American Academy of Dermatology · Professional medical organisation
- Hair loss NHS (UK National Health Service) · 2024 · Government health source
- Hyperandrogenism: What It Is, Symptoms & Treatment Cleveland Clinic · 2025 · Academic medical centre
- Hyperthyroidism (Overactive) American Thyroid Association · Professional medical organisation
- Iron deficiency anaemia NHS · 2024 · Government health source
- Polycystic ovary syndrome Office on Women's Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services · 2025 · Government health source
- Polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS) NHS (UK National Health Service) · 2026 · Government health source
- Symptoms - Overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) NHS · 2023 · Government health source
- Thyroid disease Office on Women's Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services · 2026 · Government health source
- Underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) NHS · 2025 · Government health source
- Underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) NHS (UK National Health Service) · 2025 · Government health source
A note from Woo: Body Map is here to help you explore and ask better questions. It isn't a diagnostic tool or a substitute for medical care. Relationships shown here represent areas that may be associated or worth exploring, not a diagnosis or statement of cause.
if this landed, here’s where to go next
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