side effect: hair loss?

  • Has anyone had hair loss while taking metformin?
  • I've taken Metformin for a good 12 years (I'm diabetic) and have never before heard of hair loss as a problem . . . the only problem is usually intestinal and usually only for the first few weeks. Maybe the hair loss is something to do with PCOS ????
  • I lost hair on met but I was post-partum (so I think it was that and not the drugs).
  • Well, I don't have PCOS but I was on Diane and am now on yasmin, higher hormone birth control pills to control my acne.

    My face is better, but gone is my thick luxurious hair. Now its quite thin, maybe half of what it was. hair loss was listed as a pill side effect.
  • Hair loss on starting Metformin
    I stopped taking Yasmin (and spironolactone) and started on Metformin last July (trying to make a baby), and my hair literally clogged the bathtub drain for 3 months. It got noticeable enough for me to switch to a deep side part, to try to hide how thin it was. My doctor couldn't say whether it was from what I stopped taking, or what I'd started. Hair loss is supposed to be a side effect of bcp, so it seemed unfair that I was getting nailed after stopping it.

    After 3 or 4 months, it did start to grow back in ---I've got noticeable new growth, I can only hope it continues.
  • Hair loss is a HUGE problem for women with PCOS - so it may or may not be the Met. I have heard women complain they lost hair while on Met. Loss of head hair and increase in body/facial hair are very common with PCOS. I lost TONS of hair and am now on Flutamide and am seeing major regrowth. The hair changes are due to an increase in testosterone and even if your levels are ok - many have a higher sensitivity to testosterone so they will still have hair issues. Have you had a hormone panel done ? If not - I would start with that.