Why PCOS causes hair loss and what you can do about it

Hair loss due to PCOS is due to too many male hormones. With polycystic ovary syndrome, your ovaries make more testosterone than normal, which can cause you to grow less hair at your temples and crown, while more hair grows on your chin or body.^[1] You usually see it as a wider parting and thinning hair on top, not as bald spots. What helps: first go to the doctor for a diagnosis, treat PCOS yourself (lifestyle and often the pill) and tackle the hair loss separately, for example with minoxidil. Minoxidil works better than placebo in women with female pattern hair loss, but it does not treat PCOS itself.^[3] Are you trying to get pregnant? Then minoxidil is not suitable.^[5]

In this article

• Why does PCOS cause hair loss?
• How do you recognize hair loss due to PCOS?
• What can the doctor do for hair loss due to PCOS?
• Does minoxidil help with hair loss due to PCOS?
• What should you pay attention to? if you want to get pregnant?
• Frequently asked questions
• Sources

Why does PCOS cause hair loss?

PCOS is a hormonal condition in which your ovaries do not work properly. More blisters grow, but often none burst, so you do not ovulate and your period is irregular or not at all. In addition, the ovaries produce too many male hormones, such as testosterone.^[1] According to the 2023 international PCOS guideline, 10 to 13% of women worldwide have PCOS.^[2]

These male hormones have an opposite effect in different places. They can cause more hair growth on your chin, breasts and abdomen, while hair follicles on your head near your temples and crown will produce thinner hair.^[1] The pattern resembles hereditary hair loss in women. You can read more about that pattern in our blog about hereditary hair loss in women.

How do you recognize hair loss due to PCOS?

Hair loss due to PCOS is gradual. Look for these signals:

• Your hair becomes thinner at your temples and on the crown.^[1]
• Your parting becomes wider and you can see your scalp more through your hair. Women usually do not get real bald spots with this pattern.^[4]
• You also have other signs of PCOS: an irregular cycle (more than 35 days between bleeding), acne or more hair on your chin, breasts or lower abdomen.^[1]

Hair loss alone says little. The guideline calls female pattern hair loss without extra body hair a weak indication of excessive male hormones. At the same time, the same guideline asks doctors to take hair loss seriously, even if it still looks mild to others.^[2] Do you suddenly develop round bald spots, does your hair fall out very quickly in a short time or do you also have itching, flakes or inflammation on your scalp? Then that does not fit with PCOS. Go to your doctor.

What can the doctor do for hair loss due to PCOS?

PCOS is diagnosed if at least 2 of these 3 things are true: you have irregular or no periods, you have signs of too many male hormones (acne, extra hair growth or hair loss at the temples or crown) or there are many blisters in your ovaries.^[1] Other causes should be considered. excluded.^[2] In case of hair loss, the doctor can also look at iron deficiency or your thyroid, for example.

You then look at the treatment together. A healthy lifestyle is recommended for all women with PCOS, even if you do not lose weight.^[2] With the pill, pimples and hair growth often decrease.^[1] For hair loss, a doctor can try a drug against male hormones (an anti-androgen) in addition to the pill, although evidence specific to PCOS is lacking.^[2] This overview shows what each approach does:

Does minoxidil help with hair loss due to PCOS?

Minoxidil is the best-researched remedy for the scalp for female pattern hair loss. A Cochrane review of 47 studies in a total of 5,290 women found that women taking minoxidil were about twice as likely to see at least moderate new hair growth as women taking a placebo. No difference in effect was found between 2% and 5%.^[3] Apotheek.nl writes that minoxidil reduces hair loss in about 1 in 2 women.^[4]

To be fair: those studies were about women with this hair pattern in general, not specifically about PCOS. Minoxidil also does not change your hormones. So it tackles the hair loss, not the cause. That's why it works best alongside the treatment of PCOS itself, and only as long as you continue to use it.

For women, there are two common forms. Apply foam with 5% minoxidil once a day, half a cap (1 gram) to the areas with hair loss.^[5] Use lotion with 2% twice a day, 1 ml each time.^[6] If you are unsure between the two, read also minoxidil 2% or 5% for women.

1 time per day

Kirkland Minoxidil Foam 5% For Women

Foam with 5% minoxidil that you apply once a day to a dry scalp.

€ 39,99View the foam →

What can you expect when you start? Hair grows slowly, so give it time:

Below is a customer's experience with the foam for women. She does not mention the cause of her hair loss, but her photos clearly show what new growth can look like after a few months: short hairs, not a full head of hair.

Experience of a customer

★★★★

"I have been using this for 3 months in total, I have been using minoxidil for 5 months now and see small hairs of 1 to 2 cm"

Anna, Kirkland Minoxidil Foam 5% For Women, 5 Months Minoxidil · Review via Judge.me · Results vary by person.

Original Brand

Regaine Foam 5% 4 Months For Women

The Regaine foam for women, once a day, in a value set of 2 bottles.

€ 99,99View Regaine →

Note two things that are extra important with PCOS. Minoxidil can rarely cause extra hair growth in places where you don't apply it, such as your face; that will pass when you stop.^[4] If you already have more facial hair due to PCOS, wash your hands well after application and only apply to your scalp. And do not use minoxidil if you have cardiovascular problems without consulting your doctor, and not under the age of 18.^[4][5]

Lower strength

Regaine Lotion 2% 3 Months For Women

Lotion with 2% minoxidil for 2 times a day, for those who prefer to work with a pipette or spray.

€ 89,99View the lotion →

What should you pay attention to if you want to become pregnant?

Many women with PCOS want to have children, and then the choice changes. The package leaflet for minoxidil foam for women states that you should not use it if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, and that it is not recommended if you are trying to become pregnant.^[5] Anti-androgens are also not an option: good contraception is necessary, because they can disrupt the development of a boy in the womb.^[2] If you want to become pregnant, make an appointment with your doctor.^[1] Discuss there also when you can start treatment against hair loss again.

Frequently asked questions

Does hair loss due to PCOS go away on its own?

Usually not on its own. The international guideline sees PCOS as a permanent condition, and the characteristics of too many male hormones can remain even after menopause.^[2] Treatment of PCOS and the hair loss itself can help to inhibit further thinning.

Can I use minoxidil if I take the pill for PCOS?

Apotheek.nl does not mention any interactions with the pill. The only advice is that you do not use other skin products on your scalp without consultation.^[4] If in doubt, consult your doctor or pharmacist, especially if you also use other products.

Is minoxidil 2% or 5% better for PCOS?

In studies in women, no difference in effect was found between 2% and 5%.^[3] The biggest practical difference is the use: 5% foam once a day, 2% lotion 2 times a day.^[5][6]

Does inositol help against hair loss by PCOS?

There is no good evidence for that. The guideline calls inositol an option with few disadvantages, but with limited advantages, for example if there is too much body hair. No effect on hair loss has been demonstrated.^[2]

Will minoxidil give me more hair on my face?

That is possible, but it rarely happens: in 1 to 10 out of 100 users. It will go away when you stop.^[4] Only apply it to your scalp and then wash your hands thoroughly.

When should I go to the doctor if I have hair loss?

Go to the doctor if you suspect PCOS and have not yet been diagnosed, if your periods are irregular or absent, or if you suddenly develop a lot of hair or round bald spots. Your doctor can then also rule out other causes.^[1][2]

This article is general information and does not replace medical advice. Always read the package leaflet and, if in doubt, consult your doctor or pharmacist. Prices are from November 2026.

Sources

1. Thuisarts.nl (NHG), I have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
2. Teede HJ et al., International PCOS Network, Recommendations from the 2023 International Evidence-based Guideline for the Assessment and Management of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Human Reproduction 2023 (English)
3. Van Zuuren EJ, Fedorowicz Z, Schoones J, Interventions for female pattern hair loss, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2016 (English)
4. Apotheek.nl (KNMP), Minoxidil on the skin
5. Medicine Evaluation Board, Medicines Information Bank, Package leaflet Minoxidil Intermed 50 mg/g foam for cutaneous use (for women)
6. McNeil Products (emc), Product information Regaine for Women Regular Strength 2% solution (English)