Severe PCOS Hairloss
**Severe Hair Loss with PCOS — 19F, Need Advice**
I’m 18 (almost 19) and I’ve been dealing with progressive hair loss for years, and I honestly don’t know what to do anymore.
I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was around 12, and ever since then I’ve gradually been losing hair. At first it was subtle, but over the years it has become extremely noticeable. My part has widened significantly, my overall hair density has decreased a lot, and I have very little hair left compared to what I used to have. It has affected my confidence so much that I now have to rely on hair fibers to hide my scalp.
I assume the hair loss is related to PCOS, but I obviously can’t say for certain.
I’ve tried spironolactone, but I haven’t noticed any significant improvement from it. I also used minoxidil consistently for around 8 months. I know it can take time to work, but I never saw the kind of progress that I see other people posting after 6–8 months. I eventually stopped for about a month, and I’ve now started using it again because I feel like I have no other options. I’m currently going through the increased shedding phase again, and it’s honestly really difficult mentally because I’m already losing so much hair and I haven’t seen meaningful regrowth.
I’m also taking Diane-35 for my PCOS. My insulin levels are normal and I don’t have insulin resistance. My iron and ferritin levels are also normal. I’ve lost a significant amount of weight as well, because I’ve repeatedly been told that losing weight might help with PCOS-related issues, but unfortunately I haven’t noticed any improvement in my hair loss.
At this point, I’m completely dependent on medications just to try to maintain what little hair I have left, and I’m terrified of what will happen if I stop them.
I’ve also looked into things like PRP, but I’m unsure whether it’s actually worth it. My biggest concern is that even if PRP helps me grow some hair, what happens afterward? If the underlying hair loss continues, wouldn’t I just lose that hair again?
I know people often recommend oils, rosemary oil, supplements, etc., but I honestly feel like this is probably something internal rather than something that can be fixed by oiling my scalp. I’m not against trying anything, but after dealing with this for years, I’m really looking for something evidence-based that could actually address the cause.
**Has anyone here had severe PCOS-related hair loss like this? What actually helped you?**
If you have a similar experience, I’d really appreciate hearing:
What was your actual diagnosis?
What treatments did you try?
Did anything genuinely stop the shedding?
Did you get significant regrowth?
What happened when you stopped treatment?
Did PRP, microneedling, or anything else actually make a difference?
And if there are any dermatologists/trichologists or people knowledgeable about hair loss reading this, I would genuinely appreciate any guidance on what I should investigate next.
I’m willing to try almost anything at this point. I just really want to understand **why this keeps happening and whether there’s actually a way to stop it**, because I’ve been dealing with this since I was a child and it’s getting harder and harder to cope with.