Hair loss with Vagifem - anyone else? And did your hair grow back??

[NonsensicalHair]

Having had a dreadful experience with HRT a couple of years ago, where my hair fell out in handfuls, I was prescribed Vagifem a couple of months ago for vaginal dryness. The doctor reassured me that due to it being applied locally (in the vagina) it would not enter the bloodstream in the same way as HRT and therefore there was little chance of it affecting my hair.

I should have known! Once again, my hair started to fall out. I stopped the Vagifem as soon as I realised what was happening but am so, so disappointed (and annoyed) that this has happened again. My body seems to react this way with any hormonal medication, it did exactly the same for the brief period I was on the pill.

My hair had only JUST returned to (almost) normal from the bloody HRT. Can't believe I've done this to myself.

Anyway, I'm wondering if anyone else has had this experience with Vagifem, or other locally applied Oestrogen? I hear of other women having such wonderful effects from HRT (including fabulous hair!) and how Vagifem has been a life saver, etc, and I just go bloody bald!

Using Vagifem 2 or 3 x a week for a year is the same as 1 dose ( one day) of HRT - ie 1mgs.

It's horrible losing your hair but it won't be the Vagifem-.

Your hair loss may be due to loss of estrogen and it's sometimes the progesterone partof the HRT that can affect hair. You might have been ok with a diffferent type.

JinglingHellsBells - that's exactly what I was told about the dosage and why I felt safe with it! The hair loss happened just at the end of the two week loading dose, where you use it every day before dropping to twice a week. It seems coincidental that any time I take any form of hormone, that my hair starts shedding. Looking at the side effects listed online, hair loss is one of them. I discounted this possibility due to the extremely low dose. Clearly I was one of the unlucky ones!

I've since looked online and many women report the same side effect with vagifem, and also with other vaginal oestrogen pessaries.

It seems coincidental that any time I take any form of hormone, that my hair starts shedding

It is! Using 1mg of estrogen cannot make hair fall out- the science doesn't stack up.

hair has a lifespan of several months/ years before it falls out. Things like stress, diet, lack of iron and lower hormone levels affect it. I reckon your hair was due to fall anyway - and you would be low in estrogen because that's why you went onto HRT.

Looking at the side effects listed online, hair loss is one of them. I discounted this possibility due to the extremely low dose.

This is a fault of the manufacturers and the licensing laws. ALL hormone treatments contain that leaflet - full systemic hrt but also vaginal estrogen. They don't have different leaflets which is why there is confusion over the huge list of side effects which only apply to full hrt.

It just happened that at the times you went for hrt - both kinds- your own estrogen levels were low.

Thanks for your replies, it's appreciated. I still believe the HRT and vagifem caused my hair to fall. Even if my Oestrogen levels were low before both these treatments, my hair didn't begin to shed until two weeks into both of them. Before HRT, even with my huge bag of symptoms, hair loss wasn't one of them.

Anyway, the most important thing now is that the hair grows back!

Even if my Oestrogen levels were low before both these treatments, my hair didn't begin to shed until two weeks into both of them.

But you can't do an experiment to show that your hair would have shed anyway even without the HRT.

Hair does not drop out in 2 weeks. It has a life cycle.

The growth cycle of hair can, however, be disrupted or interrupted. With chemotherapy, for example, the hair can fall out within two weeks, sometimes sooner.

Yes but estrogen is not chemo, obviously.

We're gonna have to agree to disagree on this one.

Hope the hair grows back :)

Ive suffered from telogen effluvium twice in the last couple of years by dropping a stone in weight really quickly. My body panics and just sheds massive amounts of hair pretty much straight away. Like the hair loss you get post partum. It takes about six months for the regrowth to start appearing.

Then you have the hair loss that often comes along with the menopause which is more of a male pattern balding. You tend to get thinner on top and at the temples.

Hmm, I would have said it's not possible because theoretically it doesn't make sense, but I had such trouble with the Mirena IUS. That works locally and yet I had terrible side effects with it.

Here you go, OP. From the official Vagifem website, one of the most common side effects is hair loss
www.vagifem.com/about/safety

Seems the 'experts' on this thread are wrong

www.timescolonist.com/life/health/dr-roach-hair-fullness-often-returns-after-estrogen-1.178201

A Dr saying topical oestrogen could possibly cause hair loss

@AKissAndASmile I'd not believe a word that the doctor on that website writes. For a start it's a US site and their use / types/ of HRT is totally different to the UK's and also I've read other links to his articles and they are deeply flawed. It is not a proper medical site.

Also, if you read the other posts here, mine from yesterday says this:

The Leaflet - This is a fault of the manufacturers and the licensing laws. ALL hormone treatments contain that leaflet - full systemic hrt but also vaginal estrogen. They don't have different leaflets which is why there is confusion over the huge list of side effects which only apply to full hrt.

it's something that comes up time after time of forums- women getting worried over all the side effects on the list when all they are using is vaginal estrogen.

There is NO way that someone could lose hair in 2 weeks after using 1mg estrogen. It's just not possible. It is a minute dose, and it takes 3 months of at least 1mgs of estrogen in systemic HRT to have the full benefits.

@NonsensicalHair
If you continue having issues maybe try Philip Kingsley- trichologists - with clinics around the country but very £££. They will do a full analysis of your hair and use blood tests to find the cause.

Estradiol and estriol (both estrogen) certainly are absorbed by the body, even when used topically. The blood levels are measurable, and they are shown to be absorbed nearly as well as they are orally — enough to affect other hormones in the body.
@AKissAndASmile
This is from his website and it is completely wrong. You will find UK specialists saying the opposite. It's a semi-spoof site- just look at the font used - to make it look like The Times newspaper- and also the name 'Colonist', a play on the word 'Columnist'. to try to make itl ook as if it's a Times columnist!

Hair is still shedding, sadly. Blood tests apparently don't show up any cause for the loss. Estradiol fine, thyroid fine, eosophil count is high and was worried about that but doctor said it's nothing to be concerned about. Actually think estradiol was a bit high for phase of cycle I was in but doctor is unconcerned.

AKissAndASmile sorry to hear you had such a horrible time with the Mirena. I do think it's possible to have side effects that aren't considered probable by the medical community. There's nothing worse than having your experience dismissed just because it doesn't fit with the general consensus, especially as we know our own bodies better than anyone!

HRT does cause hair loss in some.
It is listed as a common side effect, whilst others list it as a rare one. I wasn’t suffering from any hair loss when I began my low dose HRT gel and progesterone more than 2 years after menopause. My hair at all different lengths started shedding about 4 weeks later at an alarming rate. It was everywhere as though I was undergoing chemo. My doctor and I ceased the medication and the hair loss began to slow down after about a month . Once it felt manageable we tried me on the low dose Vagifem just twice a week, now guess what ? Hair is falling again.
It’s very distressing that it’s not more publicised, as losing my hair was much worse than the menopausal symptoms I was attempting to treat, but I should not have been surprised given the conflict of interest pharmaceutical companies negotiate through with side effects all the time and their well known issues with transparency and denial. You only have to dig a little deeper into previous class actions, payouts and court documents to see how much they actually get away with. I really hope I get my hair back. I’ll let you all know how it’s going in a couple of months.

Hello NonesensicalHair & MyTruth
I was just wondering how you are and if your hair has grown back. Did you stop your Estradiol Pessaries altogether or cut down to 1 or 2 a week? I am asking because I believe it is also causing my hair to get thinner. Last year my hair was really thick and the longest it has ever been in my life (I am 59). Infact people were remarking on how healthy and strong it looked. I stopped having periods 12 years ago and really didn't have any unpleasant menopause symptoms until just recently when sex became really painful. My GP says I have vaginal atrophy due to lack of oestrogen and through not having HRT earlier - and so prescribed Vagifem 10 pessaries to be inserted every other day. That was back in June and since then I have noticed my hair falling out much more than usual and my lovely thick 10p size Ponytail has now reduced to about a 5p size!! I hear what the others say about the dose being so low etc. but it does seems like this is the only thing I am doing differently. Although it has helped with the problem I got it for, I'm not sure I am willing to lose my hair for that. It may sound like vanity but it would stress me so much I wouldn't feel like having sex at all!! Anyway - I've decided I am going to cut down to twice a week now and see what happens over the next few months. So I just wondered how it is going for you and if either of you have any update (hopefully good) ? 🙂

Hi Jem1963

Following your message to NonesensicalHair & MyTruth, I'm also curious whether you have had feedback and possible regrowth after hair loss since using vagifem. I used it for two months, Nov & Dec 2022 and experienced significant hair loss despite already having thin and fine hair. Very concerning however I've stopped using vagifem now but concerned about whether my hair will return to its original state. :-(

Hello JeanJM -
I never heard anything back from the original author of the post so I don't know if her problem has improved. I decided to stop using the pessaries for a while to see if things improved and I think they did a little- but my hair is still a lot thinner and less healthy feeling than it was back in the earlier part of last year - before I was told to increase the dosage to one every other day. I have started just in the last month to try again with Vagifem - but only once a week - and I'm not really sure if that is beneficial at all in terms of treating dryness but I'm not prepared to risk the hair thinning anymore. I have started trying to find shampoos and conditioners that are supposed to be good for treating thinning hair but haven't noticed any significant improvement. I did read that it's common to have "Autumn Shedding". but why should that start when I am 59?? Sorry I can't be much more help - it would be really good if any others could come forward if they have had similar problems with this product - then it would at least be comforting that we are not imagining it or going bonkers (or more bonkers being as the bloody menopause makes you feel as bonkers as can be!!) . Happy to keep in touch and compare our stories though :) - Very much hope your hair starts to thicken up again - but where to go next with the help we need for the reasons we were prescribed Vagifem???

Many thanks for your quick reply and yeah rooting for you in your efforts. I guess as my Dad always highlights, "getting older is not for the feint hearted" and especially for us gals, hey. Anyway, I will keep you posted on any positive results on two products I've been encouraged to consider. Not certain if available your side as I'm based in South Africa but may be worth the read. hairgenx.co.za/ and cowgirls.co.za/. Very interesting regarding DHT and it's effect on hair thinning/loss.

So happy to see this thread. I, for one, appreciate the science @JinglingHellsBells and your explanation. I feel reassured. Thanks.

Aside from the OP does HRT (any) usually cause hair loss? That sounds quite worrying.

Hi, I'm responding to Nonsensicalhair regarding HRT & Vagifem.
I have been using Vagifem for about 8 years now and in that time it had stopped my UTI's, but it didn't stop the pain and dryness. So a year ago at the age of 61, I started Combined Utrogestan and Sandrena gel, which did help with this and also my anxiety. But unfortunately after 2 months my hair started to shed and became much thinner, particularly on the right side of my hairline. I now have short tufty hairs where my cow's lick was, which my dermatologist can't explain.
I stopped the HRT after 5 months and the shedding had stopped in general, but I'm still losing short hairs from the front hairline and right side .
I have seen two dermatologists, one said that I have female pattern hairloss and advice me to start minoxidyl foam, but didn't think it was caused by the HRT due to the timescale, she suggested I go back on it. The other dermatologist said she doesn't think I have FPHL!
However, they both thought that I'd had Telegon Effluvium caused either by stress or the covid vaccination .
But now I am wondering if the Vagifem may be contributing to my hair thinning and breaking, because when I think back, my hairdresser had often commented on hair breakage to the right side of my scalp before I started the combined HRT and asked if I'd used straighteners, I never do and dry my hair naturally.

Since reading this and learning that hairloss can be a side effect of using Vagifem, I wonder if it had started some years ago but in a more subtle way and when I then took the other HRT it exacerbated the problem. I'm at a loss to know what to do now as I'm so confused with the different diagnosis .
I am thinking of seeing an endocrinologist to get my hormone levels checked. Also pondering a biopsy. I have had all other blood tests done thyroid, Ferritin, zinc, etc. My ferritin is low, but have been on supplements for 10months now. Just wanted to share this after reading other people's experiences when taking Vagifem and other HRT.

I’ve been a vagifem for almost a year and 6 months into it I started to lose my hair. So now I’m coming off it to see if it makes any difference. It also says one of the side effects is hair loss so don’t understand why doctors are saying it’s not because of vagifem.

Your hair loss is coincidental because you are menopausal or your thyroid is perhaps not quite right, or there are other issues going on.

Vagifem only works where it's put. It cannot cause hair loss.

It also says one of the side effects is hair loss so don’t understand why doctors are saying it’s not because of vagifem.

@Libra500 The leaflet in vaginal estrogen products is the same as in all HRT- it's not written for Vagifem or Ovestin. UK specialists have been trying for YEARS to get these leaflets changed. You'll find the same leaflet in patches, gel, pills etc for systemic HRT.

Sometimes, some women experience changes to their hair on HRT. But Vagifem is not hrt.

Have you talked to your dr and had a blood test for other things that can cause hair loss? the most common is low iron (ferritin) or the thyroid not working properly.