It’s typical to lose your hair after you have a baby. It happened with TD and then again with The Comedian. It’s also typical to see your doctor for birth control options post-baby or to navigate to this web-site if you are not willing to get knocked up again.
When I encountered the Mirena IUD it seemed like the perfect option. One quick doctor, such as the one through locum tenens, visit and I was good to go for the next five years. If I wanted more kids in that time I could have it removed. I read all the brochures, did some research and talked to friends who had used Mirena as well. It was my golden ticket to no thought birth control. Yippie Skippy!
That was until I started losing my hair. I didn’t pay much attention to all the hair collecting in my brush, shower, comb and sink. At first. I did notice that I was cleaning them all out quicker than before. My hamster on a wheel brain pushed it aside. There were stubby hairpieces of hair that stuck out and refused to be tamed too. I didn’t know it was from re-growth (a good sign) because I had lost that whole section of hair. Maybe it was from coloring my hair myself? More recently I thought-maybe it was from the grilling accident of 2009? When I went to my hair stylist this past week she seemed concerned.
“Is everything OK?” She asked as she combed out my just washed hair. I nodded yes. “Are you sure? Are you feeling OK? Stressed? Not sleeping?” She probed. I looked at her in the mirror and paused. “I am tired. The kids haven’t been sleeping well. I would like more work too… Why?” I asked. “Because you are losing a lot of hair. The baby is almost a year. You should not be losing this much hair. I don’t want to freak you out but when I was coloring it there were whole sections that are gone. It’s so thin. These spiky pieces…” She went on and on. She told me about women with thyroid problems and my heart raced.
WHAT THE HELL?! I’m going bald?
I began to think about all the hair I had seen floating around my bathroom the last few weeks. I talked to my mother who said, “I didn’t say anything but at lunch today I could see through your hair.”
Heart seizes. Again. WTF?!
So I googled. ‘Hair loss and women.’ ‘Thyroid symptoms’. ‘Thyroid problems in women’. I don’t have any symptoms except hair loss. I’m one of the healthiest people I know. I vaped dazed8 disposables to keep myself calm.
Then I had a thought. What if it’s my IUD? My body has never agreed with any birth control/hormone option I have gone with and the Mirena is a low-dose hormone IUD versus the no hormone, copper Paraguard IUD. I googled ‘Mirena and hair loss’.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
The search was scary, sad, heart-wrenching and my gut instinct went wild. I wanted to claw at my abdomen and get the thing out of me stat. The idea that I now have to search for another form of birth control pisses me off. I’m so sick of dealing with this issue. It’s been almost fifteen years of this and no option has ever been a good one for me. I just want it gone. I want my hair back (six months post-removal is the typical time frame for regrowth) and I want Mirena to come clean. I’m looking forward to trying BatanaBio.com hair oil and see good results. I never read about hair loss in my research and brochures. My doctor didn’t discuss this as one of the side effects. I’m angry, sad and feeling futile.
This topic of birth control seems to always bring this about in me. Anyone else out there feel this way? Anyone?
How horrible! I've been doing a lot of research on this because the IUD sounds great, but I'm not so good with hormones.There is an IUD without hormones. But get your thyroid checked before you go through getting the Mirena removed. Good luck!
Hi, there are thousands of women out there with Mirena side effects,most common hair loss,cysts,weight gain,I started a help site for women with side effects feel free to drop by,net.All the best.www.mirena-side-effects.com
Wow! That's terrible! I had no idea and you're right, they should come clean. I also have a lot of problems with hormone birth control and here's my plan. 1. No more pill when we get married in March.2. Have two kids.3. He gets snipped. 4. I like this idea way better than me experiencing anymore hormonal birth control or my own surgery. He's onboard.
timely post. I'm heading to the doctor's office today for ongoing sinus infections/headaches. I did a little research after reading your post and come to find this is also a side effect of mirena. I wouldn't have even thought to mention it. Now i will, and promptly schedule a follow up to have it removed (even if they try and convince me that it is not the cause of my problems). Now I understand why I have felt like shit for months. Thanks for the post.
I just had my Mirena IUD out yesterday, after experiencing hair loss, weight gain, abdominal pain, and cysts. I had it for 3.5 years and even though it's really soon, removing it seems like a great decision. I immediately felt a huge relief from abdominal pressure that I had just come to think of as normal. Now I'm really hopeful that my hair will grow back! Best of luck to you!
Um, I just got the mirena. Why am I reading this NOW?
Me too!! Because there were very few side effects on the leaflet I didn’t really do any further research. I have had the Mirena 5 weeks now and I am having it removed today as I have been shedding loads of hair on a daily basis which is very distressing as my hair has already thinned over the years due to an underactive thyroid gland. After doing the research now I realise this is a common problem. I feel very let down by my doctor who didn’t advise this and are aware of my thinning hair.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I've had the Mirena for ~6 weeks and have lost 10-20% of my already thin hair – and the hair loss is not slowing down! My baby was 5 months old when I had it inserted, so I don't think it's just "typical" post-birth hormones. I've got to get this out of me before I go bald!
I have had the mirena for about 5 months now and I am going next week to get it taken out. I have been losing my hair and is now to the point where I can really start seeing my scalp. I have had everything else checked and the implant is the last possible cause. I read all the brochures and talked to my Dr. Hair loss was never mentioned to me. I wish it would have been.
I had my Mirena removed in Oct 2011 after having it in for six months. My hair is just now starting to grow back in and thicken. It's going to take a while until it's really back to normal, but at least it's growing again. There's hope, ladies!
Thank You!
I get mine out in 5 days….after having it for 4 months. I’ve lost so much hair…I am hoping it will grow back!!!!!
Hat shopping tomorrow.
Cant wait till that blasted thing is out!!!!!
Hi,girls … Its so sad to read all these stories 🙁 , I've had mirena for nearly 5 months ,and last saturday I had it removed … i have lost more than half of my beutiful hair ,and they are still falling out ,I can even see my scalp and this makes me cry 🙁 Pam ,I'm glad your hair is growing back , this is encouraging not only for me I think . I'm patiently waiting the day when they stop to fall in clumps to come… Mirena is evil!!!
I am not familiar with this birth control method, though what i know is that birth control pills take by lot of women cause hair loss. Although hair loss happens once the woman stops taking the pills, when she starts it or when she switches to another brand. She should be cautioned especially if she is genetically predisposed to the problem. For this case, it is best that other birth control options be considered to prevent any incidence of hair loss from happening.
Thanks Veronika! I’m not predisposed to hair loss but the Mirena seems to cause this and a host of other problems with quite a few women.
I have had mine in since 11/11 and just had it removed at the end of 6/12. I have lost half of my hair and my hairline looks as if it is a mans hair receding. I’m just sick. For those of you who experienced this did it grow back and how long did it take? Thanks so much!!!
Michele, It does grow back. It took about six months for me to notice a difference and my hair sylist too. She’s the one who alerted me to it and the spiky broken patches. After a year I was totally back to normal. It’s awful isn’t it? I could see through my hair. Did you have any other symptoms? I found that the weight gain was gone in a month and the forgetfulness and feeling like I was being shocked left then too. Keep us posted!
I still can’t believe this isn’t a listed symptom!
Victoria,
You just made me feel so much better. My hair stylist was the one who noticed about 1.5 months ago too! (she isn’t going to recognize my hair when she sees it or lack of it in August). My hair is fine and takes forever to grow so I’m so upset. Seriously it will probably take 3 or so years to get back to where I was.
Another HUGE symptom for me were and are still (though not as bad but it’s only been a week since the removal) super sore breasts, to the point that I winced every time my 4yo or husband hugged me. Interestingly enough, the hair thinning started when the breast tenderness started. I was fine the first tow months after getting the IUD and then this. Also I had had the mirena in before (put in about 8wks post partum) and was breast feeding the entire time it was in, but my breasts were killing me I thought it was just from the breast feeding, but now I wonder. My hair thinned out then too but I was told it was d/t having a baby, but it wasn’t this bad. I breast fed for 14 months and gained 25 lbs while breast feeding……IUD? I really wonder now! I’m glad to hear the weight also came off you. I’m up 10 lbs from when I got it in. I haven’t changed eating habits much but notice that I ‘m always starving, so I do pick more. Did your hunger go away?
I’m really upset that Bayer does not list this as a larger side effect and that all of the MDs have been brainwashed into telling us that it does not act on anything but the uterus. I’ll repost in the upcoming months. Thanks so very much for your quick response, and to anyone else reading this, good luck. 🙂
Michele, I’m so glad! I had mine in at the same time as you- 8 wks post partum with my second and was still nursing. The same breast tenderness too. My hair stylist also commented that initially she thought my hair loss was post-baby. I gained massive weight while nursing and training for a marathon. It was a nightmare. After I stopped nursing the symptoms multiplied, the hair loss more extreme and then the feeling of being shocked started happening.
OMG!!! How Weird!!! I can’t believe how similar the symptoms are! I wish I would have realized that the IUD caused all of this three years ago, b/c I would have never put it back in! I was hoping to be less hungry and immediately drop the weight, but I’m still starving and fat. 🙁 Tomorrow will be 2 weeks out so I’m going to pay attention to how long my breasts continue hurting and maybe the hair loss will stop when the tenderness stops. This is so annoying b/c if we wanted these symptoms we should have just got the depo shot. I’d really love to see if some type of a law suit is taking place forcing Bayer to re-label the side-effects or re-study them. I’d sign up just to force them to take a closer look at this and save others the trauma of hair loss, feeling horrible and the stress. I’ll re-post in a couple of weeks and let you know where I’m at. Just curious, did it take 6 months for the weight to start coming off and the tenderness to go away (do you remember?) 🙂 Thanks!
I have had the Mirena out for about 5 weeks now (after having it in for 5 yrs). My hair used to be thick and strong. Now I have lost about 50% of it and my eyebrows have thinned to a point where they are almost gone! All because of the Mirena. Did you experience the loss of eyebrow hair too??I am desperate for them to grow back!
Thanks 🙂
If you are losing your eyebrows too, I’d get your thyroid checked. It most definitely could be the mirena, but hypothyroid also makes your eyebrows fall out and it’s easily treatable!
Thanks Sydney. I have had my thyroid checked (was normal) and saw the dermatologist. We are now testing my iron levels too. She thinks the Mirena may have been involved. Here’s to hoping for answers!
Did you ever find out what is happening with your eyebrows?? Mine are falling out so fast!! It has been 3 months since my iud was removed!
I am experiencing the same thing with eyebrow loss. It has been 4 months since I got off birth control and my eyebrows are falling out so quickly. It has been about 3 months since they started falling out and I am having no regrowth and they keep getting thinner. Have your eyebrows improved at all?
I had the Mirena put in around 5 months ago and I have an appointment to get it taken out tomorrow. My whole experience with Mirena has been negative. When discussing a new birth control that was strong enough to help with my cramps, but didn’t cause migraines like the estrogen birth control that I tried, my doctor immediately recommended Mirena. The insertion was extremely painful as I am only 18 and haven’t had a child. My doctor decided not to tell me how much more painful the insertion process is for young women without children. I had severe cramping for about two and half months after the insertion, but my doctor told me to wait 6 months to see if the cramping would subside. Fed up, I went to a different doctor who told me that the insertion process probably ruptured the ovarian cyst that I had (which is why I had so much pain) For the next couple of months I felt better about the Mirena knowing it was not at fault for the cramping I was experiencing. That was until I started losing my hair. I get anxiety before taking showers knowing that I will stand there pulling out clumps of hair from my hands. My hair line is receding and my nails have become brittle and flimsy. I have always been really healthy and my hair and nails have always been strong. I can’t wait to get this thing out of me. I just want to be normal again. I’ve also realized that the Mirena was most likely the cause of my depression. I could never figure out why I was so depressed, which worried everyone around me. I’ve also gained weight in places I’ve never gained weight before, even though I’m constantly working out and eating healthy. I am too young to lose my hair and have problems with my weight. I am so angry at my doctor for not disclosing all of these side effects. A product like this should not be so easily distributed to the public. Anyone looking to get the Mirena should be a lot more hesitant than I was.
Keely – Thank you for coming forward and talking about how the Mirena worked (or didn’t work) for you. It’s so important. I can’t believe your doctor approved it for someone so young but then again, my sitter had the same experience as you. She had gorgeous long hair and it started to fall out. If I hadn’t mentioned to her what was happening with me she wouldn’t have believed the Mirena was to blame. She got it out too. Please keep us informed on how things work out for you if you wouldn’t mind.
OMG…I feel so much relief after reading this. I’ve had the Mirena in for several years now and have been so depressed about my hair falling out in clumps, bleeding after sex, weight gain I can’t seem to get under control, and several cysts in my breasts that come and go (and FREAK me out). I am making an appt now to have it removed. There is a method of permanent BC with springs in your fallopian tubes that scar tissue grows around…anyone heard of this? Any thoughts?
You’re referring to Esure. It’s a form of sterilization and is permanent. I thought about this portion and frankly wish I had taken that option over the Mirena.
I briefly considered Essure but after all my issues with birth control/horomones and three pregnancies I was done. It was no longer going to be my turn or responsiblity to think about birth control. Jokingly, my husband said when I got my Mirena out, “If I knock you up a third time, I’ll get fixed.” Three weeks later I was pregnant with our third despite birth control and he got a vasectomy a few months later.
I had the mirena removed in April then had a pap and had to have to have a biopsy for cervical cancer. I too am losing hair, not clumps but I can tell my strands are shrinking. I am a hairdresser soI can tell thedifference. you can see my scalp. I think this is part of the side effects from my mirena removal.
I had an IUD inserted a couple months after my last baby was born. I noticed the post-baby hair fall out and thought nothing of it, until I realized that my hair never stopped falling out and still is, 21 months post-pregnancy. I have had other health problems, including achiness and stomach issues, which have been ongoing for many years, and so when my hair kept getting thinner and thinner, I decided to finally go to the doctor about it. That sent me on a 6 month long journey to find out what was going on with my body, with the doctors even thinking at one point that I had Lupus (scary!!!) But come to find out, I have Celiac Disease, and have now been gluten free for 5 months. BUT that doesn’t explain my hair loss. After exhausting literally every option out there, I finally googled Mirena and hair loss, and I think I may have finally found the culprit! Please o please let this be the reason! Another thing that I can’t explain but that I’ve noticed since having my baby, is that my scalp is creepy crawly itchy all the time. I’ve been to a dermatologist and my scalp is completely clear, but I wonder if it’s just another reaction to Mirena?????
My biggest worry is what if the OB says it’s not a listed side effect and blows me off? Has that happened to any of you?
Yes! Like you have had your hair pulled back too tight! Itching and aching! I started losing my hair about a month after having mirena implanted 6 wks post partum. Weight gain, starving constantly, abdominal pain and bloat like I was 6 months pregnant again. I have Never had such long, painful, heavy periods in my life. Cramps so severe I had diarrhea, periods lasting 10-14 days. Have 10 days off, start another period. Not a single positive side effect. I had it removed a week ago. I went back to Nuvaring for birth control as I didn’t have a bad experience with it previously. Actually I’ve never had a bad experience with birth control so I was really surprised by my body’s reaction to mirena. Hopefully things get back to normal soon. I also feel anxious every time I step in the shower or brush my hair. My heart sinks with every handful of hair. 🙁
Oh, I remember those types of periods. It will ease up and get back to normal but I swear it takes time. The weight loss was the first thing to happen, then about a year later my hair seemed back on track. Thank you for commenting and telling your story.
Oh, and dizziness and headaches every afternoon. Those have completely resolved in the last week. I am also using the Bosley revive system. I thought the shedding was improving after about a week of the shampoo but then I had mirena removed and it seems to have gotten worse again over the last few days. My OB says the estrogen in Nuvaring should help my hair regrow. I’m hoping it helps decrease the mirena crash also. Bosley also has vitamins available I may order. I’ve read great reviews on them too.
Thank you all for speaking up! My doc said she wouldn’t expect these side effects with mirena bit when my thyroids came back normal I knew! Its so nice to have some reassurance!
Just wanted to post an update. My hair has finally stopped falling out like crazy. I still have a little more than usual but not like last month. Interestingly enough is that my breast tenderness has completely gone away. I noticed it at about the same time the hair loss really slowed down. I definitely feel more like myself and am not as “pissed off” all the time and moody as I was. My hair dresser said she could see little bits of the beginning of hair regrowth and in her words “it looks weird you have regular long hair and all these little spikey things starting to grow from your scalp.” So I’m super happy it is going to grow back, I guess it will just take 2 years to get to what it used to look like. My OBGYN still doesn’t think it had anything to do with the Mirena… She has one and never had a problem. I’m still struggling with trying to get rid of the 10lbs of belly fat I gained since it was put in. Hopefully that will come in a couple more months. I’m just thrilled to be getting whatever was in the mirena out of me. Also, on the site with the petition to Bauer to get rid of the mirena I noticed someone wrote that it was made of silicone and she thought she was having effects from that too? Anyone have any thoughts? I hope everyone is feeling better!!
Hey Michelle
How long did you have your Mirena in for and how long did you have it out before you started getting the regrowth?
I had mine in for around 2 years and am now almost 3 months after the removal. My hair loss has been around my fringe area, not the temples but in the centre of my forehead which is horrid as its what i see every time i look in the mirror. My middle parting literally goes out into a V when it hits my forehead as there is a bald spot there. So i wear my hair on a side part to hide it. After having it removed I think my hairline got worse and thinned even more!! I look every time i pass a mirror for signs of regrowth and to see if it is getting worse.
I went to my doctor last week who of course said its not connected to the Mirena and that the hair loss is scarring alopecia and will likely fix itself and grow back in….I have blood tests booked for thursday to check thyroid, iron etc etc but I doubt this will come back with anything as I believe the Mirena is the culprit!
I know everyone is different but I should like to know how long you had yours in and how long after removal did you see the regrowth?
Hope your hair is still recovering x
Oh my gosh…had no idea so many of you were having the same hair loss problem! so disturbing! I noticed my hair loss (and breakage) about 8 months into having my Mirena put in. I have also lost my sex drive and was very iron deficient in Jan 2012 ( which I hear is another side effect!) It will be 2 yrs this coming December that I got the Mirena…..Getting it removed this Friday! It was like a light bulb went on for me about it being my BC. For those of you that have gone off the Mirena because of hair loss how long did it take before you noticed your changing for the better?!?! Thank’s
Hi,
I have had the Mirena in for almost 3.5 years now.
i spotted for almost a whole year at first, and hated it, wanted it out, but thought to myself and read everywhere to just give it a chance.
I did and i actually love it! i hardly have a period at all now!
However, within these 3.5 years i have noticed my hair falling out, didn’t give it much thought, but then within the last year, it has become very thin and noticeable! I’ve always had nice long hair, now its lifeless, and thin! I will be 37 this year, i dont want any more children! besides this hair loss i really do love the mirena!
I totally agree! I lovED the Mirena, until about 5 minutes ago… I have just been beside myself with the grief lately over how my hair has been falling out… Last year when I was in a bad relationship (really bad) I noticed the hair loss. I then went through a bad breakup, and it was just coming out in my brush! This was after having one in for 9 years (actually my 2nd, back to back).. I assumed it was because of the stress of the bad relationship, and after I severed my ties w this person (got sober), got happy, and had changed my environment, it has seemed to stop, but now I see that it had only slowed. My new husband reminds me that there was always a lot of hair in the drain of his old house. Recently, i was working 60 hrs a week, stressed out, and not sleeping well. when I ran my hand through my hair in frustration one morning, and out came almost a clump, I assumed it was the stress of work, like the same stress I had had with Mr. X, and quit my job that morning. The great stress seals the quick loss, but the slow loss is daily, and a lot. It falls out all day, AND at least 10x a day I feel as if I have a bug crawling on me, but no, it’s just another hair falling out. I bought about $200 in vitamins and supplements in the last 2 months, and have totally changed my diet and eating habits , thinking I needed more protein, or iron, or this, or that, all with unsuccessful results.. and after doing unending research, and thyroid investigation, which really didn’t and doesn’t seem like my problem, it just hit me in the middle of the night just now… “Hormones? What about the Mirena???” I Googled it, and BAM. Here I am. I feel positively ill. I’m terrified every time I wash or brush my hair. I WISH I had known about this before I got this 3rd one put in, which was only 2 months ago. THANKS ALOT, MIRENA!!!!! >:(
Oh, and I almost forgot, dizziness (quite often upon standing), and lack of a sex drive (which is SO not me). And as of late, these weird ONE PULSE head aches that, if your drew a line from my left ear in toward my head, and if you took your finger and placed it to the left of your left nostril and drew a line in, toward the inside of my head, the point where the two lines would meet is where I am getting a STAB of pain about 8x daily… I CAN HARDLY WAIT TO HAVE THIS THING OUT OF ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CALLING DR. 2MORO!!!!
Oh holy cow! I’ve been losing hair for about 18 months. I have a TON of it, so no one can really tell yet except me. I’m on my second Mirena and absolutely love it – but I had no idea this could be related. I didn’t have any hair issues with the first one. Now I’m very curious…
I had my Mirena removed yesterday after I too started noticing unusual hair loss (my dr. had never heard of such a thing).I first thought it was postpartum hair loss, but after a year, I knew something was up. I did not realize that this was a side-effect until I Googled Mirena and hair loss and realized that I was not alone. I hope the shedding stops soon. I am back on the daily pill…good greif.
I also bought some prenatal pills because they are high in iron. I read on one post that Merina can cause iron deficiency, and iron deficiency causes hair loss. It can’t hurt right?
Good luck to all dealing with the issue.
Heredity, hormones, sterss, diet, illness, poor hair care all are factors in Haarverlust.Stress, diet and illness are more temporary conditions and usually the hair loss is reversed if derived anxiety-producing conditions, if the diet is improved, when hair care improves and when an illness to be cured or controlled bekommen.Vererbung and hormones are different matters, however. Heredity is an irreversible condition. They are a product of your parents, and hair loss is often inherited. Hormones are tricky, hidden things, however, and they have different effects on an individual lot Basis.In a male, testosterone remains. There are also enzymes working on testosterone which product a substance called DHT. DHT is now known to circulate in the blood and to other conditions, of which the shrinking of hair follicles. When hair follicles shrink enough, they are by not able to produce and push a new hair. As old hair dies, it is then not ersetzt.Bei women hormonal imbalances can also cause hair loss. Pregnancy, childbirth and menopause all significant hormonal change and imbalances with both physical and psychological effects. These changes can also cause hair loss, both temporary and regrowth unbefristete.Haarausfall and products have been around for centuries. In ancient times, a variety of herbal and oil-based remedies and is invented by Egyptians, Aztecs, Mayas and Indians, all with some degree of effectiveness for some people. Modern medical research has focused on ways concentrated again to open and stimulate dead hair follicles so that hair growth can occur again, of course, as well as keep the healthy follicles healthy. Thus, a number of products available that have both prescription and over-the-counter. You are on the radio and television, and all advertised on the Internet. You just need a google with hair loss, and there are literally thousands of sites and products for the Untersuchung.Eine ingredient in many hair loss products is minoxidil. Scientific studies have shown that in about 80% of the participants, with this drug are effectively slows hair loss and in some, so that a renewed growth auftreten.Wahrscheinlich the best known is Rogaine, available at any pharmacy, in versions for men and women. To do the most scientifically produced products have separate products for men and women, because, of course, hormones in each are different and from different Ebenen.Ein another product with minoxidil is Provillus, and again, studies have shown to be effective. The difference between Provillus and other similar products that azelaic acid does have an additional ingredient which appears to enhance the follicle repair in both men and women is included. Provillus has been the subject of numerous studies, as well as other products, and the level of effectiveness may be higher for both men and women sein.Provillus available, and treatment is a combination of a topical liquid applied to bald spots and a pill or capsule to be taken in conjunction with the liquid. The critical key to effectiveness, according to its makers, is the addition of the azelaic acid, however, is the right amount of acidity recommend this important piece Behandlung.Wie with most hair loss products, the makers of patience. It may take 3-6 months for improvement to occur, but there is a money-back guarantee of up to 180 days if you are not convinced that for him / her arbeitet.Medizinische research is far from finished is in the exploration of products to stop hair loss and promote regrowth of permanent loss. As this research continues, existing producers will undoubtedly alter their products entsprechend.Glfccklicherweise is a lot of money poured into research suffer, hair loss, take heart!
omg! this is so helpfull, i was so worried about my hair loss i thought i had some type of disease but never thought the mirena would be the cause untill i google mirena and hairloss and there it was my answer! i will make an appiment to get it taken out no later than this week im done my hair is half of what i use to have and its so sad and depressing! but you ladies so much for sharing your exoeriences it is very very helpful for all of us with the IUD.
I am on my 2nd Mirena (to prevent endometrial polyps). Lots of hairloss with the first, but was growing my hair so assumed I was just seeing more in the shower. However, I’ve always thought it looks thinner on top. Replaced after 4 years 3 weeks ago and hair is coming out at an alarming rate in the shower – section around the front and parting does look thinner, it’s handfuls. I now think that hairloss has been a feature throughout the last 4 years. I have also lost my sex drive and felt depressed quiet severely on and off. It’s hard as I’ve always blamed it on life circumstances – how can you tell what is causing it if life is difficult anyway?! However, given the way in which all these symptoms have got worse since replacement 3 wks ago (mood, loads of spots and awful hairloss), I feel it can only be the mirena. Trouble is, I’m looking at hysterectomy as an alternative due to repeated polyps – think that’s why I’ve underestimated side effects of mirena till now. Thinking seriously of removal and hope I still have some hair by next week, it’s scary….
This is a tough one. Would another firm if birth control, like the Nuvaring, work for the polyps? One reader mentioned iron deficiency as a mirena side effect and that can cause hair loss too. I wonder if iron supplements would help. Still doesn’t answer the spots and depression problem or loss if sex drive. I had all those too.
Hi Victoria hi all,
I have been doing research of my own on Mirena and was shocked to read sooo many women think that Mirena is to blame because I do too!! I had the normal pp hair loss after baby then got the Mirena for the first time, my hair continued to thin, & I became depressed before my period, like oddly depressed like someone died it was a horriblefeeling. I just knew the Mirena had something to do with it, I just wish I would have taken it out sooner I had it for a little over 2 years. Once it was out I felt better right away.. I actually read quite a bit online before I actually took it out myself, it was really easy and I didn’t feel anything! I took it out in July and got pregnant in September. I am 7 weeks now and my hair is still falling out but it’s off and on and seems to be getting better with regrowth! As others have said here about there stylists mine said the same thing, the thinnest she had ever seen my hair!. I am guessing after it comes out it takes time for the hormones to level out?? I can’t talk to a doctor about it because they don’t believe it and that’s the sickest and saddest part of it all. Maybe we should get a petition and have women sign it then hand it over to the right people so they can add more warnings!!!! I will never get Mirena or use another hormone altering birth control ever again!
Why did it take me so long to find out what was causing my hair loss. Both my Dr. didnt seem to think it had anything to do with the IUD, One blamed stress and the other blamed my thyroid. All my blood work came back normal but I was still having hair loss. My OB said my loss of sex drive was due to having two small kids and being tired all the time. I just had it removed, very painful because the string was past my cevix. I too am have extreme breast tenderness, almost like being engorged. Hope it doesnt take too long for my hair to grow back. Really with the Dr could have figured it out before the 4 year point and all the extra money I spent on Nioxin.
These doctors don’t know anything but how to deliver a baby, perform paps, and hand out drugs etc… It’s the truth. They don’t seem educated on all of the side effects of all these med.s They would be more educated if they would listen to the patients and then put 2 and 2 together. Thank goodness for the internet and the wealth of information on here!
Hey the breast tenderness for me lasted about 5 weeks after removal when I had my first period thank god. I was in agony, but when I had my period it was like a pressure release went off and my breasts felt normal again!
Geez, I’m so glad I found this. I’ve had this evil thing since my third child was 6wks old, that was 3 yrs ago. My hair has thinned so much and is breaking now. I’m so over this. My hair used to be so thick. Makes me want to vomit. I’m getting this thing out ASAP!! All my blood work is normal and my naturopath said the IUD is causing all my symptoms. Adios Mirena!!!
Hi Ladies… I too was wondering what the hell was going on with my hair and the SERIOUSLY blinding migranes that I NEVER suffered from no matter how high my stress was. Yes the past 3 years have been rough as hell but wow!… I didn’t put two and two together until my husband said babe your hair is really thin… ever thought it was your bc?
And then I googled…. Jesus its riddled with stories of women going bald and hair loss. I’ve spent I don’t know how much in vitamins, hair treatments and everything else… I damn well done with this crap. I’m just so worried about the Mirena crash I’ve been reading about…. ugh and then it freaks me out to be stressed like I can feel my hair falling out by the minute. My OB was an ass about removal and said it would cost me 106 to get this thing out.. and now I’m worried about getting pregnant again after it comes out.. I’m litterally full of anxiety over the possible ramifications of getting it out and of leaving it in and looking like a cancer patient.. I just want to cry!!
Please read and then sign 🙂
https://www.change.org/petitions/mirena-birth-control-and-hair-loss-put-hair-loss-as-a-side-effect-on-the-warning-for-mirena
Could you go to Planned Parenthood for more affordable removal? I have heard of some just taking it out by the strings but that seems dicey to me. I now have the Paragard copper IUD (which my gyn talked me out of and then gave me the Mirena) and its worked out fine. Slightly heavier flow and some cramping but not as bad as people said.
I took my Mirena out myself. I had it for 2.5 years I was at the end of my cycle and when pulling out my tampon I decided to feel for the Mirena string and found it so I pull very lightly and it came right out, I didn’t feel A THING! I did lots of reading of many other brave women who did the same thing that’s how I knew I could do it too. I am 12 weeks pregnant now. I will NOT be ever getting the Mirena put in again after I give birth.
Hi Lex
Regarding the Mirena crash, I must say that since my removal about 3.5 months ago my hair loss did increase. I had it in for 2.5 years and noticed hair loss for the second half of having it in, but it was a very gradual loss that I kept in denial about untill my fringe area was getting that thin that I knew something was up. And then googing I realising it was the sodding Mirena. Anyways back to the crash, so yes my hair loss has been quite scary over the past 3 months since removal and over the last few days I notice my temples are also looking extrememly thin….but I am now trying this shampoo by Bosley that was recommended to me on here. It washes away DHT etc to help prevent loss and rebuild the hair. So I am hoping that will help stop anymore loss and that my hair folicles will reboot come the 6 month post removal mark. And few people have said thats how long it took before they noticed regrowth, so I am hoping that will be the case for me also. I wish I had known about this shampoo sooner, not that I know if it works yet as I litterally only just started it a day ago, but if I were you I would get it and start using it so that if your body does experience the ‘crash’ it may help limit the hair loss that comes with it? Good luck!
Lex
The crash sucks but it is temporary and you will feel so much better when it is out! I am prone to anxiety and I felt very fragile for a week but then it was over! You can do this!
Laura
Well, I have to say, I am more than saddened by the idea of having to get my Mirena removed, but after reading the posts, I dont have a choice. Im just glad, 3 months into it I have figured out why my hair is half – HALF the thickness it was. Today has been the worst. Took a shower and literally, for two hours pulled out handfuls of my hair. I too have had the dread of taking a shower so…. I went longer in between hair washes just to avoid this. Aside the hair loss, this method has been absolutely the best… I am so over the trial and error of birth control! The pill caused memory loss and severe agitation, Im maxed out on Depo as FDA placed a cap on it which I have well exceeded. I have absolutely no idea what to try now. Thank you all for the information.
I am glad we could help. I’m sorry that this is happening to you too. Sign the petition and look into taking iron pills since this IUD can cause some iron deficiency which can equate to hair loss somteimes. Your hair will come back. It did for me and others. It takes time though. Good luck. Thank you for reading. Hang in there. I know there isn’t a good option of BC out there after you have tried everything.
I came home from work and immediately took it out. Then came an array of emotions, namely anger…. defeat. There has to be a better alternative! I looked into to copper no horomone IUD… same possible side effect of hair loss. Smh
I have friends who had better luck with the Copper IUD and no side effects, so I hope that happens for you. That was the last alternative for me. Luckily, my husband had promised if this didn’t work it was on him. Truth be told, even a vasectomy makes me wonder how full-proof that is no matter how many times he has been tested. But my hair is back, I no longer feel like I’m beging electrocuted, anxious, forgetful or have the massive migraines and other side effects from the various other BC’s. Keep us posted. I know I was angry too.
I have had merina in for about 5monthd as well and have been extremely moody, lost half my hair and counting, wake up w a headache behind my left eye every day now. Plus odd abdomen cramps and twitched of slight pain when moving certain ways. It’s still in but it is coming out ASAP I’ve never felt less like myself in my life. After dealing w pp after the baby and like every other lol, going back to work way too soon after having the baby, hair loss was JUST what I didn’t need. So angry. No one ever discussed this w me and I read the pamphlet thoroughly. Nice to finally see I’m not crazy.
Please sign this peition. Not many are signing it but we are having hundreds of complaints of Mirena causing hair loss. We can’t make a change if we don’t sign and ban together! Thanks to all!
https://www.change.org/petitions/mirena-birth-control-and-hair-loss-put-hair-loss-as-a-side-effect-on-the-warning-for-mirena
I just wanted to take the time to update you ladies. First and foremost, a huge thank you to Victoria for bringing this to my attention!! As I said earlier, after reading this blog, I immediately removed the Mirena… myself. For those of you debating on doing this… Im an RN and had no qualms about doing the removal myself as that is how the IUD is built… Your doc would essentially remove it the very same way, only it will take more time (and money). I am ESCATIC to report that less than 48 hours later, the falling out of my hair CEASED!! Literally stopped coming out all together! I am having the expected bleeding and I have also noticed a decrease in my appetite (not that i really gained much weight on it, maybe 5lbs). The second part of this update… Like many of you, My doctor was PISSED that I removed the Mirena. He spent 20 minutes on the phone chastizing me and arguing that there was NO WAY that the hair loss was due to the Mirena. He went on to explain how the Mirena “only works on the uterus and is not a system wide horomone release.” He demanded that I come in for the run of the mill blood work and thyroid tests. I told him that if I didnt notice a chage in hair loss over the next week or two, I’d come in. Obviously, at this point, its not going to be necessary. I am still debating on the Copper IUD. I did a little research on it and found women who suffered hair loss from it too, along with its main side effect… more intense periods. Im at a loss for what to do concerning birth control. I WOULD LOVE and appreciate ANY suggestions!!!
Thank you ladies so very much and the best of luck to all of you!!
I had my Mirena put in over a year ago. It caused major chest/back acne and my face became an oil slick. I decided those were bearable side effects. After my bf noticed my hair loss 6 months later, I had it removed right away. My hair immediately began growing back but over the last few weeks is thinning again. The gyn and dermatologist think I’m crazy to think its Mirena related and chalk it up to female pattern baldness. I’m only 31 though and my mother had a fantastic head of Asian hair. I really hope that they’re wrong and that it just takes awhile to normalize. Any thoughts? I signed the petition (though I found hair loss listed as a possible side effect on a UK website).
I am im 27 years old and had the iud put in to help thin the lining of my uterus not as a form of birth control. i have been having way to many periods from years of not having them regularly. this has cause my walls to become very thick i tried pills rings and now iud. pills and ring make me puke and cramp and have lots of pain but that was it. with the iud i had no puking but the pain was more intense and the third week in i was showering and no joke hand fulls of hair was falling out of my head. i just wanted to cry i could not figure out y did research on side effects of iud and nothing but this morning i desided to research iud and hair loss and was shocked to see all of these post. even though i am truely sad for all of u as much ad my self i am also glad im not crazy. i am twenty seven had thick long hair that has never been died permed or any other harmfull stuff done to it so i should not be losing it litterly by the handful.
You should get it taken out ASAP.
The worst thing I have ever done was have the Mirena put into my body! I only had it in 3 weeks and that was when I noticed my hair coming out in brush fulls! I had it removed 5 weeks later on Oct 1st, it has been 7 weeks later and I am stil loosing hair, I do have lots of new hair regrowing but the ratio of loss is not keeping up to the regrowth, afraid that I will loose most of teh hair at this rate. Would give anything for my hair to stop shedding, not only do you experience the hairloss but the stress of loosing your hair adds more stress and gets one very depressed. Anyone elas still loosing hteir hair this long?
I only had my IUD for 6 weeks when I decided it was the worst decision ever. I wanted birth control and Mirena seemed like the easiest thing for my life. After a few days of getting it put in…I could tell a difference in body and especially my hair. I HAD long thick hair that I had been growing since 2005 and all of a sudden it completely changed in texture and was coming out in handfuls. I looked online and to my surprise, hair loss is one of the side effects of the IUD….I wonder why my DOCTOR decided to leave that one out when discussing it at the office. I made the earliest appt I could to get it removed. And when I told the doc why I wanted it out after only a month and a half she TRIED to convince me that it WASNT the IUD and that having my baby (4 months ago) was to blame. Despite her efforts to keep me from getting it removed, I KNOW it was the best thing. My hair is STILL coming out but its getting better. I wish I was aware of this BEFORE I got it…I wouldn’t have got IUD to begin with.
Hey ladies
So glad I found this blog! As I have been panicking that the Mirena was not the cause for my hair loss even though I had it removed about 2.5 months ago. I had the Mirena for about 2.5 years in total and to be honest I loved it! This was however until about 3 months ago.
I had noticed my hair thinning over the past year but kept being in denial, O your imagining it type thing. However I started to notice my hair line in the middle of my forehead getting thinner. Standing infront of a mirror under a light was quite shocking but again I would be like its because your stood under a light! As time progressed the thinning continued to the point where I was freaking out, even considering hair transplants to fill in my fringe area no matter what the cost! As on my centre part at the start of my forehead there is like a bald spot where my hair should be.
One day I was googling women’s hair loss and saw a possible cause being hormones and birth control. Alarm bells still didn’t start ringing until I googled Mirena and hair loss and boom I see masses of info and women in similar situations as me. I had it out straight away, of course the nurse was like its not a known side affect that she has heard of but believed me when I told her about what I had found on the net! So she said have it out and see how you go.
So now its been about 2.5 months since removal and I am still obsessing in the mirror and panicking that maybe it wasn’t the cause and maybe its something else as I don’t see any regrowth yet. Or maybe I had it in for too long and so the hair loss might be permanent for me, as I have seen stories where some women say hair growth appeared 8 weeks after removal. If thats the case why no hair regrowth for me, is Mirena not the cause then?
So seeing that it can take 6 months for any regrowth makes me breath a sign of relief for now in hope that mine will sort itself out. I think I will go to the health food store to see what supplements I can get to help!
Thanks so much for this blog, I am feeling much more positive again! x
You are welcome! I am so glad that you have regrowth! It took me a while but after a few months it started to come back too. Sign the petition so that this is listed as a real side effect.
Hey Victoria
Sorry you misread, I do not have any regrowth yet and so am still kind of freaking out, is the mirena to blame or not. It has been 2.5 months since my removal and no signs of regrowth yet, I hope that it will happen!!! I feel more hopeful after reading this. So yours took a few months before you saw regrowth? Thanks
Sorry Liz! Yes, it took a few months for regrowth to happen. After a few months I didn’t notice it but my hair stylist did. She said there were tiny spikey bits coming up underneath my longer hair. It was such a relief. Honestly, it took a year plus for all that to grow out and feel like my hair wasn’t see-through anymore! Good luck! Keep us posted!!
Thanks Victoria, I will do and for sure will sign the petition. I look forward to the day I wake up to stubble fingers crossed and will let you and everyone else know when that days comes! 🙂
Hey Victoria
So went to my doctor who of course said there was no connection as this type of hair loss is not hormonal. I did say about all the internet coverage on the topic but he just frowned and didnt really comment on it. I have blood tests booked for Thursday to check everything but I know it wont bring back anything as I truly believe Mirena is the culprit. He mentioned referring me to a dermatologist who all they would do would give me steroid injections at the site where the hair loss is, which I really want and so have another appointment tomorrow to try to push him to do this. He said to come back in a couple of months but wtf I dont want to wait that long for it to maybe get worse, give me the steroid injections now!! Getting up at 4am just to look in the mirror as I cant sleep is not right. Im freaking out again though as the hair loss has definately increased since having it out. Did you hair loss increase when you had it initially?
Thanks for your messages, Im clinging to hope at present 🙁
I had the mirena put in April and have experienced severe hair loss the last 6 weeks. No other side effects to indicate thyroid problem. When I asked my ob about mirena and hair loss he Simply played it off like I was crazy because I had read it on the Internet. I went today and had it removed so now I am really hoping that my hair will grow back I had very beautiful hair and now I can see my entire scalp in the front. I have also started taking the Shen Min hair regrowth vitamins which I have used in the past and they are very good if taken correctly. The reason that I got mirena to begin with is because the other forms of birth control give me melasma on my face and now does anybody know where if there is any other birth control that I could use and doesn’t contribute to melasma.
I’ve already mentioned this but I switched the awful Mirena out for the Paragard copper IUD. Since it’s hormone free, I’ve lost weight and my skin cleared up. My periods are heavier but not as bad as others described.
Hello ladies,
After researching Mirena extensively, I decided to try it as a birth control option. According to the brochure and various websites, there were little to no side effects. I have never been pregnant and they told me it may hurt a little more than for someone who has had a baby. Well… Imagine my disappointment when I experienced 2 and a half months of severe cramping. Also, my partner gets poked by it every time we have sex so we are limited to 1 position. Now, as if this wasn’t bad enough, I have been noticing clumps of hair falling out of my hair every time I have a shower. Upon closer inspection, my already thin hair has lost almost 1/3 of it’s volume. My pony tail is teeny tiny now… I have been racking my brain trying to figure out what to do and it is only when I googled “causes for hair loss” that I saw with horror that hormonal fluctuations could be the culprid. Well had I known that I would have never had that thing inserted. My friend has had no problems with it despite the fact that she has never had a child. This led me to believe I was in the clear. As soon as the holidays are over I will be booking an apt to get it out. My fiancée will have to get snipped or use condoms as I am not willing to alter my body chemistry anymore.
As for the the hair loss, I have already made an appointment to see a traditional Chinese doctor as well as an ayurvedic practitioner to try to kick start my hair follicles into overdrive. I researched it online and apparently these treatment s do make a difference. I would like to have my hair back in less time than 6 months. I will keep you ladies posted.
I have noticed by reading various posts from different forums that the doctors seem to dismiss the hair loss complaint as normal or not at all related to the Mirena. I have noticed that docs don’t like to acknowledge information unless it comes from sources which they deem scientific(medical journals and the like) so I have decided to tell my doctor that my reason for removal is abdominal cramping instead if hair loss. It is a fib but I certainly don’t want to be chastised or have to deal with get trying to convince me to leave it in. I also read that a lot of people took matter into their own hands and removed the IUD themselves. I may try that if I can’t get an appointment soon. I would be nice to ring in 2013 Mirena free!
I just signed the petition. I hope it helps!
Just took it out!! It was easy and relatively pain free! IUD in the garbage where it belongs. Thanks for all the advice ladies, I feel very empowered. Now I can go to sleep with the knowledge that hormones are no longer seeping into my bloodstream.
Just a reminder to all. I took my Mirena out myself, it was too easy and felt great knowing it was gone! I felt better emotionally really fast and my hair stopped falling out so much and is growing back lots! p.s I had my Mirena in for a little over 2 years.
Hey Dena
How long before your hair loss slowed after the removal? And also how long before you noticed the regrowth? I had my mirena removed just over 3 months ago after having it in for just over 2 years. At first after the removal I noticed a massive increase in hair loss at the front of my hairline centre forehead but now I think it has stopped. Not sure if I have any regrowth yet though so was wondering how long you had yours out before you noticed it?
Hey Dena
How long before your hair loss slowed after the removal? And also how long before you noticed the regrowth? I had my mirena removed just over 3 months ago after having it in for just over 2 years. At first after the removal I noticed a massive increase in hair loss at the front of my hairline centre forehead but now I think it has stopped. Not sure if I have any regrowth yet though so was wondering how long you had yours out before you noticed it??
Hi Liz,
It got better right away for me then regrowth was also there. It’s been 6 months now I am pregnant. My hair is not coming out much but has grown back a lot and thicker but the new hair it still not all that long but at least it’s there! Even before I got pregnant my stylist said she saw regrowth already. I hear there can be a Mirena crash for some but it should slow and hopefully stop eventually. I will not be getting the Mirena after baby is born like I did last time. Try the shampoo that help with regrowth they really do help, if not a lot a little 🙂 Please keep everyone posted on your hair journey post Mirena!!
I had the Mirena removed in February and started shedding profuselly in March. It has now been 9 months and the shedding is slowly decreasing, but it is a very slow process and not completely back to normal yet. I have lots of regrowth, but my scalp is still visible through my hair, where I have lost so much. I have become obsessed with other peoples hair. Without being dramatic, it has been the worst year of my life!!!
Hey Linda, sorry to hear of your experience. I know what you mean about other peoples hair, i examine everyones hair, even in the street! I hope your regrowth continues!
What shampoo is it you are referring to? How long did you have the mirena in for may i ask?
Thanks for your response!
Bosley, let us know how it goes if you decide to use it!
Thanks! So I just ordered the Bosley shampoo, excited about it after reading the reviews on it. Had a bad day today in that my hair suddenly seems thinner than ever on top, I cant tell if it is getting worse or I just have days where my paranoia goes crazy and I cant stay away from the mirror. Question though regarding the Bosley shampoo, i only ordered the shampoo, is that ok or should I get the conditioner also? Im really fussy with conditioner, my hair can be quite unruly and so I dont really want to change it. Is the shampoo enough to have an effect? From reading about it it seems that it is the shampoo that produces the anti hair loss etc?
Hi Liz, I had my Mirena for 18 months and have also noticed most of my hair loss is from the middle front. Since removal, I have had lots of tests including Testosterone, but all have come back normal, except my Ferritin levels which were below 70. I now take Iron twice a day. The Dermatologist said I have Telogen Effluvium, which I believe has been caused by the hormonal shock of having the Mirena removed? After many months of shedding, my hair now feels like it has more volume and my hairdresser says it feels thicker. However, I can still see my scalp under a light and still think about it 75% of the day 🙁
Hi Linda
I have had blood tests done, also nothing came back. My doctor says I have scarring alopecia at the front of my head in fringe area but that he suspects it will fill back in by itself…..translation he doesnt have a clue. He has said about referring me to a dermatologist who would biopsy the area and probably give steroid injections to the area….but he wont refer me yet as he says it is not bad and I am thinking it worse than it is. Soo annoying, its because Im in the UK and so on the NHS you have to go to a doctor and complain about an issue 10 times before they will do anything about it! I also focus on it alot during the day, worst is if you go into a clothes store and try something on in the changing rooms, the lights in there above you in the mirror properly make me freak out! I cannot tell if the hair loss is slowing, I think it has. I still seem to loose sooo much every day but then I think I have always been that way as I have quite thick hair and supposedly your supposed to loose 100 hairs a day normally. How on earth we maintain long hair with that rate of hair loss is beyond me as it doesnt grow that fast to replace it!?
I see some short hairs in the area of hair loss but they are very fine and whisky so they dont make the area look fuller? My hair dresser says that she can see my hair follicles, ie its not just a smooth area so they are still there. The whole thing is rediculous and I never thought I would have to deal with something like this from some stupid device that does not warn poor women against it!!! Makes me so angry and I wish i could turn back the clock. I just hope in time it will fix itself, and 1 day I will wake up having forgotten about it and then look in the mirror and be like, o its sorted itself!
I think realistically hair recovery takes a long time, but when this horror started in March, I was convinced I would be bald by Christmas, but i’m not! I’ve had many sleepless nights and nightmares, but seem to be feeling better now. I do still have days when I think perhaps my hair wont fully recover, but it does seem to have more body now. So here’s hoping for 2013 🙂
Hello ladies,
Went to the Ayurvedic (traditional Indian medicine) today and he told me that my hair should most likely come back to it’s former glory within 6 months and that the te-growth should start back within 1 month. In the meantime my hair is still really thin and ugly so I went to get a hairpiece. I figure if it’s good enough for Jessica Simpson and Beyonce, it’s good enough for me. I love the new look and feel much more confident. It was expensive but it looks so real, I really felt it was the best thing to do for me. Glad to put all this behind me. I am 5 days Mirena free and my morale is much better and my energy level has gone up as well. Best of luck to all of you.
Mirena is evil I have had it out now going on 3 months and my hair falls out like crazy daily. My OB said it was #50 on list of symptoms so they do not have to disclose it. I think otherwise I think they need to put hair loss as #1.
I hope my once thick hair comes back soon. Im soo depressed about how much i have lost. Forget about using the straightner these days…it makes the scalp show more 🙁
Hang in there everyone, it is aweful! It took my hair 2 months before it it stopped falling out after 9 weeks of loosing it daily, I only had the IUD for 5 weeks! I lost almost 1/2 of my hair, it is now about an inch long everywhere, you will see spikes growing through and your hair returning to your temples. I do also take Hair Skin and Nails and I use the Nioxin line, and Omega 3…..my hair is is growing faster than the 1/2 an inch expected per month. It is going to be months before my hair returns to normal, but I am on the road back 🙂
Hey all
So update….reminder i had mirena in for just over 2 years, I am now 4 months post removal, hair loss was mainly in my fringe area.
Ok so now 4 months post removal and unfortunately I think I definately experienced the so called mirena crash. Whilst the hair loss was mainly in the middle of my forehead before, since getting it removed the shock of it on my body obviously sent me into ‘Shed’ mode but I think now finally the loss of hair daily has reduced right down. For the past few months since removal I could quite literally sit there gently stroking my head and with each touch 20 hairs would come out and it would just keep doing it. Now maybe 2-4 hairs comes out. But the damage has been done, as in my hair has receeded now on my temples as well and my fringe is soooo thin, its impossible to style as its so whiskey, to thin to form a fringe now so I am clipping it to the side. Very upsetting, been crying alot over the past week and its causing problems in my relationship. He says my hair looks fine and has not changed, and gets annoyed at me for being so miserable all the time about it. He just does not realise how traumatic it is for me to be loosing my hair. As a female to loose your hair, well I dont need to explain to you all how it feels!
I do seem to have regrowth but it is only the odd few hairs and not enough to make the areas not look balding. There is also some fuzz as it were but those hairs don’t seem normal, they are too fine to be like my normal hair. I am hoping that each day more and more hairs will come through. I am so scared of loosing more as I really don’t think I could handle it very well at all.
Using Perfectil hair and nails, and bosley shampoo, so either my body is rebooting and getting over the effects of the removal or the combination of these two things is working in stopping my shedding.
Doctors again next week, really want to be referred to a dermatologist for the steroid injections in my scalp, but last appt my doctor refused saying it wasn’t bad enough to warrant that. Well now my temples are almost bald, I am hoping he will refer me. I am not patient and I want the regrowth back asap.
Will update again with my progress. Hope everyone else is experiencing regrowth!!
Thanks for posting & please keep everyone updated! I am 8 months post removal and am getting all of my hair back but I am also 19 weeks pregnant. I will go through pp hair loss I know but I hope it’s not worse because of having the Mirena. I am hoping and guessing all of the Mirena effects are gone now that I am pregnant. I got pregnant very fast after removal and am lucky to have a healthy pregnancy now
Thanks Dena,
I will do, and I am so glad you have your hair back and I hope it stays. My hair loss now looks like post partum hair loss only I have not had a baby. But like I say tugging at my hair now hardly any seems to come out, major improvement. I am also liking the bosley shampoo you recommended. By the by do you have to use the conditioner also? At present I am just using the Bosley shampoo and a redken conditioner, should i be using the bosley conditioner or is it the shampoo that is the important bit do you know?
Hey Liz-
I am told that you should use the whole system that Bosley has. Have you noticed any difference in your hair using Bosley shampoo?
Well its still early days, only been using the shampoo for a week. My hair loss does seem to have stopped overall but I am really upset about my temple areas at the moment, I have lost so much there, and if i touch one of the few hairs i have left there it seems to just come out in my hands. Only just noticed this so am in freaking out mode again.
I will get the conditioner pronto. The rest of my hair still feels ok, i mean overall it is about 2/3 of what it was, just unfortunately that third of loss is all round my hairline. Part of me is blaming myself now for having it out, as this mirena crash, if thats what it is, has been the worst part. But then if I had kept the evil thing in then who knows it could have led to this anyway.
When you had regrowth, was the hair strands whispey and fine to begin with?
Hey all
So would definately recommend the Bosley shampoo, I have been using it now for 2 weeks along with perfectil hair skin and nails and my shedding definately seems to have stopped. I seem to only loose about 20-30 hair a day at most that I am noticing if that. So either these two products are working or my body is starting to reboot now that I am 4.5 months post removal.
Alot of my regrowth though, and also my roots from where I need my hair coloured, alot of the hair seems to be coming through blond, I am naturally dark you see. Also some of the regrowth the hair is bright white? Very odd as Im on 29 and none of my family started going grey untill late 30s, is this another side effect of the mirena I am loosing pigmentation in my hair, sigh!
I have now also seen a hair loss specialist who has recommended to me a course treatment of 4% minoxidil + azaelic acid. Belgravia centre in london. Minoxidl to regrow the hair and the azaelic acid to get rid of any androgens caused by DHT. Its not the cheapest of treatments but I am at the point now where I want to either speed up recovery and jump start my hair follicles so I stop waking up 5 times a night having nightmares about it. Anywho will let you know how I get on. Hoping you are all experiencing regrowth!
I had the mirena in for about 2 months and lost a lot of hair. I noticed when I had my hair up that my pony tail was really thin. Since having it taken out I was told by my doctor it is the Progestogen or something that causes the hairt loss. Really not happy about the way I wasn’t made aware of this. I was advised that it was amazing real sales pitch style.
I had almost the same experience with my hair stylist. Came home and googled Mirena and hairloss and knew right away that this was the cause. I scheduled surgery to have it removed and my tubes tied at the same time. Its a good thing I did! The mirena migrated into my uterus and had to be removed via DNC. Women beware! Thank God I have thick hair and am now safe. I am 41 and tired of hormones and/or foreign objects in my body.
I had the Mirena inserted in January 2011. I switched from generic seasonale to the Mirena to help with my heavy periods. I noticed almost immediately the acne on my chin. My period went away within 4 months, I lost 10 lbs, and I was extremely happy. By July 2011, I was noticing clumps of my hair falling out in the shower. I also was depressed and lashed out at people around me. I also had an oily scalp. I went to my GYN to ask her about these symptoms and she assured me that Mirena wasn’t causing them. I went to this GYN about 2 more times with the same symptoms and I was trying to CONVINCE her to remove it and she resisted!
I had it removed in September 2011 and I have never regretted it. I shocked my body into a shedding stage when I switched from the combo pill to a progestin only method like Mirena. My hair was long and thick when I took seasonale. Estrogen helps to keep hair on your head! I still struggle with hair loss as I am trying to find the right pill for me. I also tend to gain weight on the pill, which I lost weight with Mirena. I also want a pill that doesn’t cause hair loss either!
LADIES, YOU KNOW YOUR BODY BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE. IF SOMETHING FEELS OFF, GO TO YOUR DR. OR FIND SOMEONE WHO WILL LISTEN IF S/HE DOESN’T!
Hey LL
I was on the Mirena for about 2.5 years. I noticed after a year a small balding spot in the centre of my forehead right at the front of my parting. I ignored it and ignored it untill it really started to bug me, and then after researching the possible causes came across the Mirena link. I immediately had it removed and actually I am regretting it now.
Reason being after 2-3 months of having it removed I have suffered massive hair loss. Definately lost over half of my hair, it was coming out in handfuls. My whole hairline, in areas has receded. Sides of my head especially, and not just the temple area, lower than that.
In desperation I have have gone to a leading hair loss clinic, after doctos being useless…and angering me with their constant denial over the mirena being the cause! So I am now 5 months post removal and a month ago I started using 4% minoxidil + azaelic acid as prescribed to me by the clinic. They say I have suffered telegum alluvium after stopping the BC and also that it may have triggered androgenic alopecia. I refuse to belive the latter and that it is soley the Mirena to blame but none the less I am desperate to put it right and dont want to wait anymore incase it gets worse. So hence the treatment.
Part of me has even thought should I start another form of BC to help regrowth, just dont know. My shedding appears to have stopped now, if i run my hands over my hair i may get 1 or 2 hairs as opposed to 30 at one time. So heres hoping for regrowth now. Its like I have suffered post partum hairloss but no baby has come out of me, only this horrid little plastic thing that has done so much damage. Furious that this was inflicted on all of us by doctors!!!
Im 28 yrs old I have had a bad experience with the Mirena. I had it placed in July 2008. I do not think i can wait till July 15, 2013 I will probably have it removed before! The first thing I noticed with the mirena was bleeding after sex, this happened atleast once a year each year i’ve had it. My doctor said it was probably the mirena rubbing against my skin that caused a cut and thats why i would bleed. Still dont think this would be normal, should hve had it removed after the second time this happened. Also i have experienced sum hair loss not in clumps but still disturbing, and also hair loss on my eyebrows not sure if it associated with the mirena and have and app. W/ the doc to see if its from thyroid. And this being 5 years i have noticed so many other issues like feeling light headed, and dizzyness, having to vomit right after eating And after blood work doctor couldnt figure out why. Dont know if it was because of the mirena! Those symptoms have cleared. But everyday im loosing hair after reading all the other stories I just want to have it taken out, sick of all the tests and blood work and doctor says im fine everything normal! Didnt have any other issues like infections or weight gain. Also the doc said i would experience less or no periods at all, i still have my period as normal but february and march did not have a period. Would like to know if anyone has had same symptoms!
Hello Ladies!
Hair loss and breakage, heart palpatations, anxiety were the main side effects of my mirena. I had mine just under 2 yrs and am so glad I had it removed. Does anyone have any idea how long before your hair starts getting back to normal?? I had mine out 6 months ago and am still waiting for the breakage to stop!!
I had my mirena removed a year ago. Hair loss slowed down after approx 8 months. I still have light shedding, but not as bad as it was in the beginning. The hair is filling in, but doesn’t grow as quick as I would like it to. I understand it can take up to two years to return to normal.
Hey Ladies
So an update…reminder I had my mirena for just over 2 years, had it removed 7 months ago. Well the shedding has I think stopped, in that it is normal 50-100 hairs a day. So I hope I am through the Mirena crash now as that has been the worst of it for me. My hair thinned during the second year of Mirena but the worst hair loss I have experienced was 3 months after removal. But I dont regret getting the evil thing out, and dont let the fact that I suffered the mirena crash put you off! As I do have regrowth now. I think it had to get worse before it got better…sods law.
I am using prescription Minoxidil to help the regrowth but wether or not that is the reason I have regrowth all that matters is that it is there. Just goes to show the hair folicles are still there. I saw a dermatologist recently who said I suffered telogen effluvium which could have been from the mirena.
Will update again in a few months to see if it continues this way fingers crossed!
I too had to have my Mirena taken out just yesterday, 4/18/13, having it since 2010. I live a pretty healthy life style which includes good eating habits and jogging regularly. have never had issues with my hair or scalp. I noticed my hair stated falling out in 2010 but i was told it could be stress; i am not really a stressor but ok. I had a hair analysis done. went to a psychic. I even looked into + vs – ions due to working on my laptop for soo many hours. I’d tried everything. using process of elimination it had to be the IUD. My doctor thinks it is hormonal. I told him i have to use the best judgement for my body and had him remove it. the research i did prior to getting the Mirena did not include hair loss. Too much is blamed on hormones; unacceptable.
Keep us posted on how things work out for you post-Mirena. Thank you for commenting.
I had my mirena inserted in July 2011. I have always felt my strings so I never thought anything was wrong. So a few weeks ago, I go in to have it taken out and guesswhat my doctor could not remove it. I was so freaked out. My doctor sent me to have an emergency ulrasound. They found cysts on my ovaries, a uterine fibroid tumor, and the mirena embedded in my uterus!! I also have cysts on my left breast. I am going to have this mirena surgically removed soon. I do not know if this is all linked to my mirena or not but honestly I think it is. I do not recommend it to anyone. Save yourselves…….
Hi Jessica,
Please keep up posted on your surgery and how things are going with you. This is so upsetting. I had ovarian cysts too but until your comment I didn’t think about how they went away after I had my Mirena removed. Interesting.
You may have an opportunity to sue them, how ridiculous for you to have to go through this. Look up Mirena ans lawsuit regarding the Mirena getting embedded in the uterus and causing problems. Hopefully your fertility hasn’t been compromised in any way. Keep us posted!!
I had a mirena for 1 1/2 years and experienced hair loss. I was 48 and saw hair loss within first 5 months at temples. After misdiagnosis from G.P.. and Dermatologist – they call all hair loss they can’t explain as telogen effluvium – I became desparate and started hair laser to stop the shedding but still did not have diagnosis. This helped for a while and thenI saw women on internet complaining about hair loss due to mirena so had it removed. I finally found a dermatologist that confirmed it was from the mirena. He said it targets the temples and hair line and it accelerates your hair loss all over top of head from hairline to crown – he said the type of hair loss you would see 20 years from now when in menopause. He told me that after removal, the hormone is still in your body and it will take 6 months to clear, meaning hair shedding will continue. Right at the 7 month mark my hair burst into regrowth, the itching stopped and my hair shedding reduced each month to normal by 8 months later. My period returned at the 3 month mark. My hormones did take over and got me back on track, but since I was peri-menopause and now 50, my hormones started to gear down (estrogen and progesterone level drop) and my periods stopped that year and the hair loss came back!! my re-growth started falling out!
That has continued now for the last two years since I am now in menopause – in menopause, progesterone drops to 0 and estrogen down to low levels. This means I do not have enough of these two hormones to balance the dht that causes hair loss. My follicles were triggered into hair loss cycle by mirena. When we are on mirena, it unbalances our hormones, so that we cannot balance vs dht. This is not a problem for most women. Women who have hair follicles that are sensitive to dht, get the hair loss side-effect from mirena. When these same women hit menopause and their progesterone and estrogen have dropped and no longer have enough to balance off the dht in their bodies, they experience hair shedding. My dermatologist said the quantity of shedding will continue like this for the rest of my life.
I would have experienced hair loss as a symptom of menopause because I have a gene that makes my follicles sensitive to dht and therefore the follicle eventually balds. Since I went on mirena, it triggered a high quantity of follicles into the balding cycle and therefore when I entered menopause, I am experiencing a greater percent of my scalp in loss/regrowth cycle due to the mirena giving me a big unwanted head start.
Only two things to slow this shedding down. Reduce the amount of dht in the scalp and increase the amount of hormone to try to balance the dht. I have been using bio-identical hormone replacement for progesterone and estrogen which has reduced the shedding – not to normal but it is ligher. Secondly, I use a natural scalp treatment called Revivogen. It works to reduce the amount of dht on your scalp. The dht is strangling the hair follicle. I go for regular blood work and have seen my dht levels drop in half. It also stopped my scalp from itching which is also caused by dht. The only thing that works for regrowth is minoxidal. I started 6% minoxidal in January 2013 at the hairline and temples and I am seeing some re-growth.
I have lost about 30% of my hair due to the Mirena. I took it out once, and then got it again. I’ve now had it almost a year. I will be taking it out for good now. I’m not sure what I will do, but it certainly won’t involve any hormones.
I have had the Mirena for 4.5 years now and only found out last week that it’s the cause of all my problems!!!! If I wasn’t losing hair so rapidly, I would have pulled it out, out of pure frustration. I was so busy with my 2 kids that I always thought it was because of the added stress and pressure of being a working mom that caused and/or contributed to my symptoms. I was depressed, feel tired all the time, had mood swings which I never had, started struggling with acne, I even had re-accruing infections to the point that my husband thought I was having an affair!!!????, not to mention that I lost clumps of hair to the point that I considered shaving my head and getting a wig!!!!!! My hairdresser thought I’ve had another baby because my hair was thinning so rapidly…..
I know one thing for sure, I’d rather get pregnant again than keep on like this!!! This thing is coming out ASAP!!!!!!
Neither my GP nor Gyni explained or warned me against this, and when I went to my Gyni about my infections, he never even mentioned that it may be the Mirena….???
If anyone know of a hormone-free alternative, please let me know!
Thanks and good luck to all you out there who struggled like me.
I am soooo glad I came across this post. my hair has been falling out and I have been freaking out. I thought it was from getting my hair committed or my thyroid issues. I have always had good hair but it’s thinning badly. I washed my hair, deep conditioned it and stilll had hair all over the floor and in my comb.
I’ve called my obgyn to make an appt to have this evil IUD removed….I went to the doctor concerned about my hair loss and feeling tired all the time I just had blood work done today. I take a multivitamin every day and condition my hair with great products as I’m a hairdresser, But I’m worried I’m losing way to much hair! I’m only 30 my once long and thick hair is now stringy and lifeless….I’m so sad all I want to do is cry. My dr says no way is it from the IUD I beg to differ I have not heard back from obgyn yet but first thing tomorrow I’m calling!!!!
Glad I came across this! I’ve only had my mirena in since May (about 10 weeks pp) and I have noticed more hair falling out than usual. My hair is already fine/thin and to see such large amounts come out is scary. I too am extremely physically active and eat healthy and take multivitamins every day. I have been so tired and moody some days which is not the normal me. Also lack of sex drive which I assumed was from having a newborn(our first). But even when my husband and I have been intimate it is too painful. He says he can feel the strings which is uncomfortable for him. My Dr said sometimes men can feel it and it only means the strings may be too long. However, I don’t think either one of us should be in that much discomfort. Now I am nervous to be intimate because of the pain. Seriously considering having it removed even though it hasn’t been that long. I’d rather remove it now than have more problems later. Thank you all for sharing!
Thank you so much for sharing this! I have had the mirena for almost 9 years now (its my second one) , i have been very happy with it since i barely get a period instead of my super heavy flows … But recently my hair is shedding all over the place, so much i fear that soon am gonna wake up bold! 🙁 I have been taking Biotine intramuscular injections , and Biotine pills and treating my hair as gently as possible …. I thought of everything except the Mirena until i decided tonight to google Mirena and hairloss… I have lost over 50% of my hair and i hope that once i remove this thing i will be able to recuperate some of my lost hair… I am 41 and have had 4 children and definitely do not want anymore… My problem is that i got pregnant 10 years ago while having an iud (other than mirena) !!!
Hi ladies
So I thought I would post an update….reminder I had the mirena for 2.5 years, had it removed in sept 2012 after suffering an overall reduction in volume but majorly in the hairline at the front and temple areas of head…..which was at it worst 3 months after removal aka the mirena crash…..
So I gave up ont the whole minoxidil thing a few months back as it was causing major irritation to my scalp and i swear I was itching away hair because of it.
I had relaxed about the whole situation after researching about lace wigs…ie Beyonce, etc live in them so if I have to then why not….and also I heard about hair replacement options at Lucinda Ellery in the UK which made me challenge my whole depression on the issue………anyways so i have been in a better place about my hair loss
Reason I am reporting now is I have alot of hairs sprouting everywhere, even in my fringe area which i had pretty much come to terms with ok now hair follicles live their now, now i have loads of fluff and also some proper brown actual hairs…..amazing.
Also I have alot of short hairs all over my head…..where did this come from!!!! I must admit I had given up on the idea, after reading so many stories of women saying their hair grew back within months, and when it didnt happen for me I thought ok well then I must be permanent hair loss.
But now 8 months after removal and after loosing a hell of alot of hair on the mirena crash I am now seeing the light….will update in a few months time as I know how important it is to hear about others experiences and recovery from this horrid horrid thing!!!
I took mine Mirnea out and my hair is also growing back. I think what happens a lot is us ladies have our Mirena out after delivery and they want to blame everything on Post Partum hair loss NOT mine was coming out in chunks after Mirena MUCH WORSE THAN regualr PP hair loss and now it’s fine after this last baby, I will not pt Mirena in again EVER. Mirena was to blame for me losing half my hair 🙁 At least I have lots back, just not all
Hi Liz and Dena
Just wanted to thank you for posting your positive hair growth. It’s encouraging to read that. I’ve had my mirena out for 11 weeks now and I think the hairloss is beginning to slow down a bit. Kinda scared about going thru the crash thou. I know it happened to you Liz. Thankfully you are passed that now. Please continue to post how you’re doing over the next few months 🙂
Hair update after Mirena removal. I have almost all of my hair back and it no loner falls out by the handfuls. I also noticed certain times of the month on Mirena my hair would come out worse and that after my cycle ended (I always had a period on Mirena every month) I am totally convinced that Mirena was the cause of me losing lots of my hair, I will never recommend it to anyone ever just because you don’t know who it can effect until you have it inserted. The only good thing that came from Mirena for me and my husband was I didn’t get pregnant and we never really worried. I would rather have my hair!
I had my mirena out 10 weeks ago after having it in for seven weeks. I am 41 years old. I like everyone else experienced extreme hairloss. My hair is still coming out but maybe slowing down a little this week. I have a lot of burning and tightening in my scalp still as well. I am presently taking a lot of vitamins prescribed by a nutritionist. One of the vitamins prescribed is called Hair Effects which has saw palmetto, biotin,zinc,and copper in it. Saw palmetto is supposed to help rid your body of the testerone in it. I am also taking bio-identical progesterone cream 25mg a day and also washing my hair with a bio-identical shampoo that was made for me. It comes from a pharmacy in California and I live in Florida. I like everyone else take losing my hair to heart. I have long hair but thin hair. My temples are completely bald. I also had a number of other side effects from the mirena like weight gain,heart palpatations,acne, and hives. Thank God all of that has subsided and the only thing that is still persisting is the hairloss. Hopefully with all my supplements and bio-identical cream that will subside too. I see my nutritionist this week and will post again.
OHMYGOSH!!! My gyno recommended Mirena to me because of my recurring cysts and excruciatingly painful periods. I had mine inserted in March ’13 and since then have gained weight, am tired a lot, seems like i bleed or spot almost every darned day and worst of all my hair’s been thinning A LOT! I’m going to call and ask her to get this thing out STAT! Thank you all for the information…
Thank you so much. I had bad hair loss within 6 weeks of having the Mirena fitted and was suddenly weepy all the time, which was so unlike me. My baby was 9 months old when it was fitted and I had already gone through mild hairloss at 6 months when I stopped breast feeding but it was mild and was growing back at 7.5 months. I felt like I wanted to cry most of the time, even though I was enjoying a happy life as a Mum. I felt in a very dark place, just moody and crying. So I told my doctor that whilst there were side-effects that I could cope with as they weren’t big deals or I understood them to get better (bleeding, cramps, headaches), the hair loss and uncontrollable crying we’re not something I could tolerate. Of course, the doctor defended the Mirena and tried to convince me that I was generally tired, in need of a holiday etc. I replied that hair loss and depression were listed in the leaflet as side effects and she shut up and begrudgingly agreed to remove it. Now, not even 10 days later, I feel like a new woman. The crying stopped within two days and I am perky and bouncy again. No more tears! The hair loss has noticeably reduced already. Taking it out was the right decision. I deliberately didn’t tell the doctor what I had read online and I recommend anyone do the same – they don’t like patients self-diagnosing from the Internet. My gut says Mirena downplay the hair loss and depression deliberately but even so they are listed as side effects so your doctor can’t argue. Oh and I have got my libido back too. All these changes in less than 2 weeks after removal – it isn’t rocket science to work out that the problems were caused by the Mirena. Thanks for sharing everyone. I realised I was not going mad and your stories have me the confidence to follow my instincts and get it removed.
Hi Victoria
I had the mirena for 4.5 months and I had it removed over 4 months ago due to hair loss. My hair loss has got worse 3 months post removal along with a very itchy scalp! I have lost over half of my hair and have visible thinning at the temples and crown. You mentioned your hair eventually grew back…did you have overall thinning of your hair or did you have thinning in concentrated areas also such as at the temples? Your response would be much appreciated as it is difficult to find information on Mirena and its long term impact on hair loss. Thanks in advance.
Hi Miya,
For me it was all over thinning. Some women noticed more hair loss after the removal but then it slowly grows back. It took almost a yearfor me to see a difference after the mirena was removed. Keep us posted. o
Hi Liz
It’s great news that you’ve had regrowth.
I’m currently 5 months post mirena removal and still having hair loss which got worse 3 months post removal and still ongoing. This is worse in the hairline and temple areas.
How is your hair loss/regrowth now?
Mia
I had my mirena removed a year and nine months ago. Hair loss lasted a year, slowly returning to normal. My hair has almost all grown back now. Apparently full recovery takes two years. Hang in there 🙂
Hi Linda
Thank you for your response. I am now 9 months post removal and my hair loss is still ongoing…male pattern baldness 🙁
Was your hair loss mainly around the temples and hair line or was it all over?
Also, did you notice if your periods were different too? Less regular, shorter bleeding etc?
Thanks in advance 🙂
Hi Mia, I am sorry to hear you are still suffering from hair loss, but it is still early days and I very much doubt it is female pattern baldness. My hair thinned all over, mainly at the temples and hairline. The hairline was the last thing to start filling in, it began with a shadow where the hair was growing under the skin. It has now been 2 years and 2 months since removal and my hair feels much thicker, but I am very gentle with it and use colours with no amonia. My periods are irregular and heavy, but I take 2 iron tablets a day, recommended by my doctor. I know how distressing this is and how people forget to comment once their hair has recovered. I hope this helps
Hey Linda and Mia who replied to me above. So update on me, now 1 year 3 months since removal. Ok so over the last few months I seemed to be shedding a lot again, very frustrating. I do have a lot of regrowth, especially in the side burn area and all over, but my hair line and overall hair is still a hell of a lot thinner than it was. Its like my regrowth can’t quite keep up with my shedding….which I believe is chronic telogen effluvium….have stopped going to the doctor about it as was causing me way too much grief with them not having a clue and doing nothing about it. My new stress is obsessing over that I have frontal fibrosing alopecia…… very scary…..highly unlikely going by my age and that I have lots of regrowth and its a very rare condition, but hey hair loss can send you stir crazy can’t it. Its strange because the shedding had stopped for a long time, and lately its like going through it all over again.
The worst areas affected now are the sides of my head. I don’t mean the temple area, although that is a lot thinner, but its the sides of my head above my ears, so so thin can see through it if I hold my hair out.
Another thing I have noticed is my periods are so much shorter than before the Mirena. Like at most 2 days long if that. I never had long periods but now extremely light or I might get one day of heavy bleed and then 2nd day of not much and then finish. Could this all be related….not sure?
Will report back on developments as always….hoping that like Linda says, it takes 2 years for full recovery. In the mean time I want some lightweight extensions to thicken out my hair 🙁
Hi Liz
Thank you for taking the time to respond.
I am noticing some regrowth although the hair loss is till ongoing. I’m also noticing an increase in grey hairs.
I’m sorry to hear you’re experiencing hair loss again. It sounds odd that the length of your cycle has decreased to 2 days. Has this been the case since you had the mirena removed? How soon after having the mirena removed did you start having periods again? I wonder if its all hormone related…have you had your hormones tested such as oestogen, progesterone and testosterone to see whether these are within normal limits?
Hope things gets better for you soon!
Mia
Hi Mia
Thanks Mia I hope your situation gets better too. Its funny you say abut grey hair, I have a lot of albino white hairs since the removal. Like complete loss of pigment. Normal at 30? Nor my mum or dad had this. I am bottle blond though so my hairdresser says look on the positive, easier to do my roots…..every cloud 😉
My period came about a month after removal and has decreased ever since now steadying off at 1-2 days max. I did wonder about the hormones and no i haven’t been tested. They tested everything else but didn’t that as well since they believe the mirena is completely not related why test hormones……on the NHS see. I was going to go private but i have had it up to here with doctors so have avoided them for a few months now believing them all useless. I work away from the UK but when I am back next I might go and get this done. As if there is something off I will be annoyed at myself for not getting it checked sooner.
My regrowth is a lot but having shed again it is just not maintaining the loss. i.e. the ratio of loss to regrowth is not sustainable so I’m continuing to thin. Its so frustrating.
I try to make myself happier by looking at Beyonce and Gwen Stefani who by choice wears wigs a lot……hey if it goes that way.
Will update on improvements or changes as and when they occur 🙂
Hi Liz
9 months post and hair loss still ongoing! Do you have any updates?
Hi Mia
Update for you. Well I went to see this hair replacement specialist in London – Lucinda Ellery in London. They specialise in alternative solutions to women who suffer hair loss i.e. intralace & medi hair connections. Anywho they told me that the hair loss I have experienced does not fit any of the known conditions. A lot of the hair loss is in my hairline which makes me worry about this frontal fibrosing alopecia condition but apparently it doesn’t look like that because with that condition there is a smooth recession where as mine is just thinning, plus i am way too young to have it. I do have regrowth but i have more loss. So I still think that the Mirena has triggered chronic telogen effluvium but I am speculating.
What I am finally doing though is going to a top specialist doctor in London. I have been referred. His name is Dr Martin Wade and he is supposed to be one of the best hair loss doctors in the UK. Costing me a bomb as it is private and on Harley Street but even if it gives me some closure or prevention of any more loss I am finally prepared to pay it. I will be very interested on what his take is regarding the Mirena. Will let you know how it goes…..
O an my periods are still like 1 day long and for some reason my breasts are very sore like 80% of the time….still wondering if its all related…
Hey
Forgot to mention still having lots of albino white hairs. Thats not just on my head but body too. Very odd indeed. I was toying with the idea of starting the yasmin pill to see if that could help balance me out, hormones etc and supposedly it is the contraceptive pill that can promote hair growth? But holding off on that until I have seen this doctor next week to see of he can shed any light on all this and if he has had experience with Mirena hair loss cases.
I hope you start seeing an improvement soon. Its horrible I know and can really consume your life if you let it. I have to really stop myself sometimes from obsessing which probably makes me loose more hair…. vicious cycle!
Hi Liz
Have you had your appointment with the specialist doctor? What was the outcome? I’ve been diagnosed with poly cystic ovary syndrome. All my blood results were normal but I was diagnosed after having a pelvic scan. I’m being referred to an endocrinologist. I have no doubt that the Mirena caused this as I had none of these issues until after I had the Mirena.
Hi ladies! I commented here about 1.5 years ago, and unlike many of you, I have kept my mirena in, because I don’t want to go back to traditional birth control. My hair loss has seemed to stabilize, but it has NOT grown back at all. I still have times when I start to lose hair and my scalp gets crazy itchy and crawly.
I have some questions for you all, in hopes that we can do our OWN research. When I was trying to figure out why I was losing my hair, both of my doctors (d.o. and OBgyn, both women) were pretty adamant that Mirena had nothing to do with it, and most hair loss is unattributed. Yet there are maybe 50-100 women here (including me) that have had mirena and experience hair loss. There has to be a correlation. But I also wonder if everyone here has done any additional testing to rule out every other possibility for hair loss.
1. Have you had bloodwork done to rule out any other problems, including scalp issues, thyroid and other autoimmune issues?
2. Are you overweight?
3. Is your hair thinning evenly, or in certain spots?
4. Does your scalp itch or feel “crawly?”
5. When did your hair first start falling out?
6. Have your had your Mirena removed?
7. Has your hair loss stopped or grown back?
8, If you still have the Mirena, have you noticed continued hair loss, stability or new growth?
If you have any other questions to add, please feel free. I would appreciate your response!
I wanted to share my answers to your questions. I was on Mirena for 5 yrs, gradual hair loss began after about a year, at least that is when I starting noticing in pictures. Just had it removed in May and have noticed smaller, much thinner hair growth. I had all of my blood work run and it came back normal. I am 5’3 and 110 lbs. The hair loss was pretty consistent on my scalp, arms, eyebrows even! Also, I have had an itchy scalp. Anyway, getting it out helped me feel normal again. I suffered severe anxiety while using the Mirena, which has completely resolved.
The synthetic hormone released from the Mirena definitely causes your body to react in strange ways. I won’t ever go back to a hormone based birth control. Good luck to you!!
Informative post. Thanks for posting this article. Birth control pills are also one of the cause for hair loss. There are so many ways for treating hair loss and the effective way of treating hair loss is minoxidil. Provillus is hair growth product which contains minoxidil in it. Minoxidil is a FDA approved product for treating hair loss and it prompts hair growth.
I posted back in May 2013. Everyone needs to read the American hair loss associations website. It confirms that birth control pills can cause hair loss. It lists the types you need to stay away from because they are too androgenic (means too much testosterone) and can cause hair loss. Estrogen helps the hair to grow. Birth control pills with estrogen make your hair healthier, but when you stop this type of pill you will get shedding too. Bottom line: safer to use a non-hormone form of birth control so no risk of messing up your body’s hormonal balance. Look up on Amazon a book called: The Smart Women’s Guide to Hormones. It explains how our body works and keeping our hormones balanced is key to good health, no matter what age.
I have seen very good regrowth at the temples and hair line with minoxidal 5% Have used it since Jan 2013. Saw regrowth at 3 month mark. Use it twice a day by applying to scalp with a Qtip. Also just tried DS Labs product that is 5% minoxidal mixed with ingredients to improve the absorption of the minoxidal. I believe my hairline is slightly better since moving from pure minoxidal to this product. If you start Minoxidal you have to keep using it forever or the hair regrowth will fall out. Minoxidal can work even better if you block the DHT that is on your scalp. That is what causes the itching. As I said before I have been using Revivogen scalp treatment (don’t need the shampoo) and it stops the itching. My DHT scores are still higher than they should be for my age/stage. The only product left to try to bring down my scores is spironolactone that will block DHT. This is a drug taken as a pill that blocks testosterone. Testosterone mixes with an enxzyme and creates DHT which makes hair fall out. I have not tried it yet but my dermatologist says many women in her practise have seen a reduction in shedding. I am nervous to try since once you go on it, you will have to keep using so that you do not go back to big shedding. Not keen on a drug on-going.
Last thing, you need to ensure you have high ferritin (iron stores) levels. We need to be at a score of 70 so that our bodies have enough iron to run our cells. Low iron contributes to hair loss. I discovered this when I saw hair loss before I used Mirena. My ferritin score was 1. After taking supplements three months later I got it up to 30. My GP said that was the goal. Many labs will tell you that 75 and below is depleting. I now have my score up to 70 and I am seeing a slight reduction in shedding. Hoping for better results as I move the score up to 75.
I have had my mirena for 2.5 yrs. I have had a good experience until 5 months ago I noticed thinning in my crown. I was told stress. About 2 months ago, my sides and top front completely fell out. Bald spots! … no matter what I have done or have seen can figure why. As I search my mind, something told me to google mirena and hair loss. I found this and many more sites. How can I know for sure its the mirena? I thought maybe I had a reaction to weave glue or issues with my anxiety meds. But this search and your posts have convinced me that I need to dig deeper. I’m sad and depressed. I want it stop.
I’m so sorry that you are going through this and finding no answers. I felt really free from a lot of the issues and anxiety I had once I had the mirena removed. It was such a rapid difference with a lot of the symptoms after I had it removed. I lost 10 lbs of water weight in one month. Talk to your doctor is all I can say, though I know from myself and others that it mine didn’t believe that was the cause of the hair loss or the other problems. Keep reading and researching. Follow your gut. Keep us posted too!
Hello all,
I had the Mirena put in 4 months ago, with maddening itching and some grays appearing on scalp within a couple of weeks of insertion. It seemed to resolve but then hair loss/shedding began rapidly approximately 1 month ago, right after I had a severe cold (and took over-the- counter cold meds during a 48 hr period). At first I thought the shedding was a result of a shock to the body due to the illness and meds (and possible work/life related stress–had been having unusual anxiety symptoms and heart palpitations) but the hair loss has continued at an alarming rate. My hair has always been very fine and thin but this is frightening. Went to my OB last Thursday and had the IUD removed. Reading all of your updates has given me hope so thank you for continuing to share. I am a mom to a 6 year old and 2 year old boys…I just want to feel ‘normal’ again so I can put my focus back on them! I will be making an appointment with my naturopath this week and will keep you posted. Hugs to you all.
Thank you for telling us your experience! I had heart palpitations too. It was so awful and scary. Let us know how you are doing in a few month!
Omg!!! You just described my exact sentiment and feeling. This is my story down to my hair dresser! I am removing my iud in a month! Thanks for sharing your story.
I am losing my hair too!!! I have always had very thick and full bodied hair…until lately. It comes out in huge quantities…brush, shower, floor, bed. And what is really frustrating is it is getting all over baby. I have to check him frequently for my hair. I was told that after having a baby this could happen….but at rate is this rate i will be getting bald spots soon!!!
I have had my Mirena for around 8 years, my hair started falling out around the same time (now that l look back on it), but unfortunately lm not a clever as you girls seem to be. I noticed it gradually falling out and thought it was stress, but it just kept coming out, pretty much i’m bald on top. Still not thinking it’s anything to do with the Mirena l started treatment with Ashley and Martin, cost me over $4000.00 and no regrowth at all, l went to seminars and Dermatologists, you name it l tried everything and nothing worked. Mean while l had become very depressed and had not one bit of self confidence, pretty much had ruined my life and my marriage. I found a product called toppik, it saved me to some degree, it helped to disguise the hair loss. It’s only the last couple of days it had been mentioned to me if l had a mirena, so l started investigating. I’m now booked in to get this piece of shit out of me, l only hope it’s not too late for me as it’s been such a long time. Good luck to you all, my heart goes out to each and everyone of you.
WOW!!! Thank you ladies SO much! This has been the most helpful, insightful, and comforting information I have come across about this issue online. I too have suffered from not only hair loss from mirena, but also my iorn levels are high, which I believe is due to having no period for the full four years I had it in after my son was born. I didn’t put two and two together at first, I just noticed that my hair was coming out ALOT in the bath. I have always had fine hair, but I had a lot of it, never spots where I could see my scalp. This has been devastating for me and embarrassing. I am only 32, and I just knew something was wrong. My stomach was always tender and sore, as well as the itching scalp. I had it taken out a little over a year ago, and my hair is growing back, but it is still a process. I am relieved to read about your experiences, and thankful that you all shared them. I know I am not alone, and that is powerful!
I had my mirena for about 3 months I got it removed about 2 weeks ago and had paragard inserted. I am still losing hair!:( when will it stop?? Could paragard cause hair loss too?
I’m not sure about paragard making you lose hair but the hormones from the mirena take a bit to leave your system. It took 6 months for my hair to come back. Hair loss stopped in a 1-2 months. Hang in there. We have all been through it. I hope the paragard works well for you. I’ve heard good things.
I have had the Mirena placed 2 days ago after having laparoscopy surgery to look for endometriosis for severe back and ovarian pain. My gyn. suggested I have a mirena placed to help with symptoms of endometriosis however, as it turns out, there was no sign of endometriosis during surgery. Nevertheless, he still inserted the mirena even though he knew I was hesitant. I have never had positive experiences with taking any form of hormonal contraception. After reading these reviews I am extremely worried. I have very fine hair and would be devastated by any hair loss. Also, I have read some people gain quite a bit of weight as a side effect of the mirena. This is also a very big concern for me. I plan to have it out in a month once I heal after having surgery but I am worried about symptoms that may arise between now and then. May I ask, how long after insertion did symptoms begin for most people?
I can totally understand your questioning. For me, once I stopped nursing my daughter the symptoms began to appear. That was about 2-3 months after I had it put in. It was gradual at first and by month 4 & 5 the symptoms were going full force with hair loss and weight gain. The good thing with the weight gain was that three weeks after having it removed almost all the weight just disappeared. Good luck and keep us posted.
I had a Mirena coil fitted 4 months ago and have had nothing but problems. Hair loss, very bad mood swings, pain during sex and just about constant bleeding. Its not like me at all and my mood swings are coming between me and my partner! I went to my GP and explained all the problems, only to be told that “the coil wouldn’t cause these problems” as the hormone is localised to the uterus. I just don’t believe that with all the reviews I have now read. I am currently waiting on blood tests results for my thyroid as my GP refused to remove my Mirena coil before I had these tests done. If my bloods are clear, I’ll be having the coil removed straight away!
Yes I am my hair just started shedding after 2 years. I cut all of my hair off thinking it was chemical but it continued to shed. I end up working with a RN she told me that the IUD does this and that she had to get hers removed. My hair continues to shed by the root! Smh because I had the most beautiful hair.
I’ve had mine for 2.5 years and I want to rip it out. I just noticed a bald spot today in the back of my head and I have many symptoms the last six months that that I didn’t know what the issue was from…now I know.
I’m going through the same thing now the middle of my head my hair is almost completely gone and tender… Mirena has also caused me the bleed for 7 months str8 and I was told to stick with it, it takes getting used to. Well I’m going on a year my hair in the middle is gone, I have headaches just about every morning, and I can not lose more than 3 pounds no matter how much I diet, exercise or fast
Hi Kelly – can you tell me how long your hair fell out for and if it re-grew? I am going through the same thing now and hoping it will stop before I am completely bald!
I went through this same thing! Got my Mirena out 2 months ago. Still having shedding but I am trying to stay positive. I have lost 2/3 of my hair in 2 years of having it
Could you please remove my sir name from my post please. Thanks
It has been removed as the whole comment. I could not do it any other way so I’m pasting your comment on the Mirena below.
From Tracey: I have had my Mirena removed today, which as gross as it sounds I asked to see it as well to make sure it was all there. I did help having a letter from my regular doctor regarding my side effects and confirmed it wasn’t my thyroid. I have had it in for 4.5 months ( which I got for extremely heavy periods ) In that time I bled/spotted for 3.5 months straight. Had highly increased pmt/pms and just all round discomfort. I have had my first proper period and it was much lighter, 90% lighter in fact. However I have lost 1/3 of my already fine hypothyroid hair, I have a lot blonde hair over a large part of my face, big side burn area and even starting to go over my cheek bones. I had unusual anxiety that is different to anything I have experienced before. Palpitations in the chest, moody, cranky, snappy, pimples/acne like never before …… So good riddance I say. I have been using evolis shampoo for the last few weeks and I do think it has helped with the shedding. I can see new hair growth but it doesn’t make up for what I have lost. Had I have been told more about the side effects I would not have had this thing inserted, I did say to the gyno that I had problems with the pill when taking it in my 20s and it did not agree with me at all…. Don’t worry it’s localised they said and side effects are RARE !!!! I call bullshit to that, on reading the countless stories I have read on people’s experience with this thing it’s something that I wish I never did. Will let you know how my recovery goes especially with my hair !
I took out my Mirena 2,5 months ago. Had it for 2,5 year.
My hair is thin, im still loosing mutch and my scalp itch, is red, dry and hurts.
How long will this last???
Will it be bether?
I have thin fine hair in the first place so im so sad now.
Leetha, I’m so sorry to hear that you had a bad experience too. It took about six months for my hair to stop falling out. Mine is fine and thin too. It was so frustrating and sad. I felt like mine never fully rebounded from it either. I hope that things turn around for you. Let us know!
Hello – can anyone that suffered hair loss give an update if their hair stopped shedding and re-grew? If so, how long did the shedding last and how long did it take for your hair to re-grow? This is so depressing at this rate of hair loss I will be bald in a month 🙁
For me, the shedding lasted about 3-4 weeks after the Mirena was removed but it slowed down a lot after the first week of removal. It took about 6 months for regrowth to actually make a difference.
Mirena is the worst. I didn’t realize at first the hair loss until when I was putting my hair in a high ponytail and looked at the back of my head to ensure all was smooth that I noticed it. I could see my scalp where as I have always had a really thick grade of hair and never experienced this before. I thought maybe I was overworking my hair, brushing too much and stressing my hair by pulling it into a bun all the time. But then it didn’t really make sense, something wasn’t adding up. I haven’t changed anything about what I have been doing with my hair i.e. never permed it, never colored it and my buns were always loose. So I start reflecting on what has changed in my lifestyle and this IUD immediately popped into my head. Outside of my hair issue I did notice ( which I mentioned to my husband) how heavy my periods were after getting the IUD, lasting for 10 plus days that even he became concerned. The feeling of exhaustion and major cramping that prior to Morena I never had. So I start researching looking for any possible side effect and to my surprise I was not alone. Worst birth control ever, and for this to be my first try of any kind it do not make me feel enthusiastic of alternatives.
Sounds a lot like my story and I’m so sorry to hear it. I have friends who love it and have had two or more rounds with it but it is definitely not one size fits all. It was my worst birth control ever as well. I hope that things turn around. They should! Hair will take longer than everything else to return from what I gather but be patient. I ended up pregnant 3 weeks after mine was taken out and after our third child was born my husband got a vasectomy because we were officially done with having kids. Keep us posted on your progress!
I had mirena put in June 2010 and removed it October 2015. I was going to keep it for 7yrs but since June 2015 I started shedding a lot of hairs blocking the shower many hairs around the floor, carpets and huge quantities on my comb. I could see my scalp especially on the centre of my forehead. I was going bald and crazy. Immediately booked an appointment with my obgyn and although she removed it for me she insisted that my hair loss had nothing to do with the mirena. I was quite sure that IT IS the cause of my shedding. I googled hair loss and mirena and to my surprise hundreds of negative comments came up. So this was almost 9months ago. Since then I’ve been using Bosley hair products since January 2016. I’ve started to see minimal growth in the middle of the forehead. Still nothing compared to the amount I’ve lost considering I lost 2/3 of my hair, but at least it’s slowly growing back. Next Monday I’ll be going to a dermatologist maybe she can give me a sort of treatment as u want my hair to grow fast. I’m getting married in a year and I’m afraid I’ll walk down the aisle with a visible scalp 🙁
Oh no, I’m so sorry Alexandra. That’s awful. I can’t believe this isn’t listed as a side effect. Keep us posted on your progress and congratulations on your upcoming wedding! I bet by then things will have turned around.
Thanks for the wishes Victoria.
I really hope for my hair to grow back. I can’t explain how devastated I feel when I look in the mirror and see my shiny scalp 🙁
I’m considering of getting a wig if it won’t grow. I’m still shedding but not as it used to be. I count them daily even when I wash my hair. I get about 100-150 average. When I see a mirror I stop to look at it and check for small spiky hair. I’m getting obsessed. I will keep you informed.
My hair loss after Marena removal lasted months and took a couple of years to completely recover, but it did recover eventually!
Linda Dlimore. It’s been 10 months since I removed mirena. Hairloss is still a lot but I used to loose much more before, so eventually shedding is decreasing slowly day by day. I’ve started using minoxidil for the last month. Hopefully it will get better as loosing hair is tremendously frustrating.