Hair Loss After Hysterectomy: Causes & Treatment Options

A hysterectomy can feel overwhelming for many women. Sure, it’s one of the most common procedures among women every year.

But knowing that it’s widely performed doesn’t make the anticipation any less stressful, the surgery any less significant, or the recovery period any less taxing.

Recovering from a hysterectomy is serious business, full stop. You might deal with fatigue, discomfort, and possibly some side effects. For instance, it’s possible that you may experience hair loss, most likely due to  the stress of surgery on your body or hormonal changes.

And while hair loss of any type can be very distressing, the good news is that in many cases it may be temporary, reversible, and treatable.

Below, we've explained what hysterectomies involve, how hair growth may be affected post-op, and treatment options for hair loss if it happens.

A hysterectomy is a fairly common surgical procedure wherein the uterus is removed. According to the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), 14.6% of women aged 18 years or older had hysterectomies in 2021.

Women who get hysterectomies are no longer able to become pregnant and will no longer have a period. 

Women may have to have their uterus removed for a variety of reasons, including: 

• Chronic pelvic pain

• Vaginal bleeding that does not respond to medical treatments Endometriosis — a chronic condition where the same type of cells that normally line the uterus grow outside of it, often on the fallopian tubes and ovaries — that doesn’t respond to other treatments

• Fibroids (noncancerous tumors) that can grow on uterine walls

• Uterine prolapse or dropped uterus, which happens when the uterus descends from its normal position into the vaginal canal

• Endometrial, uterine, cervical, or ovarian cancer

There are also several types of hysterectomies:

• Partial hysterectomy where only the upper uterus is removed and the cervix remains.

• Total hysterectomies, where the entire uterus (including the cervix) is removed. 

• Radical hysterectomies, where the entire uterus, cervix, and part of the vagina are removed.

The ovaries and fallopian tubes may also be removed in any of these procedures if deemed necessary.

A hysterectomy can be performed in three different ways:

• In a vaginal hysterectomy, the uterus is removed through an incision made at the top of your vagina.

• In a laparoscopic hysterectomy, a laparoscope (thin tube with a small camera) is inserted into your abdomen through a small incision. Then, through additional small incisions the uterus is removed in small pieces.r. 

• In an abdominal hysterectomy, your uterus is removed through a roughly six- to eight-inch-long incision in your abdomen.

Depending on the type of surgery performed, the effects will look a little different for each woman. For instance, if your ovaries are also removed, you will begin to go through menopause right after your hysterectomy is performed. 

Some women can also experience hair loss after a hysterectomy.

There are a few reasons why hair loss might occur after a hysterectomy. Below, we unpack the relationship between hysterectomy and hair loss.

1. Stress 

Hair loss or hair thinning after a hysterectomy is typically due to a condition called telogen effluvium, which happens when a major stressor to the body disrupts the normal hair growth cycle. Any major surgery, including a hysterectomy, can be physically as well as mentally stressful and can often trigger this type of hair loss.. 

2. Hormonal Changes

Premenopausal women who undergo ovary removal may lose hair due to the hormonal changes caused by the resulting menopause.

During menopause, the body stops producing two hormones integral to menstruation and pregnancy: estrogen and progesterone. Estrogen deficiency, in particular, leads to many of the symptoms associated with menopause, including:

• Mood swings

• Weight gain or weight loss

• Hot flashes

• Vaginal dryness

• Migraine attacks

Because estrogen and progesterone are also connected to hair health, you may begin to suffer some hair loss when these hormone levels decline during menopause.

Additionally, reduced levels of these hormones may make you more sensitive to the effects of testosterone, a male sex hormone (androgen) that’s present in both men and women.

The body converts some testosterone ito dihydrotestosterone (DHT), another androgen. DHT binds to androgen receptors in hair follicles, causing them to shrink. This miniaturization can eventually lead to little or no hair production in the affected follicles, contributing to a condition called  female pattern hair loss (aka female androgenetic alopecia FYI: Some women also undergo hormone replacement therapy (commonly called HRT) when they enter menopause, and that can affect hair health and growth as well. 

3. Medications

Some medications have been associated with temporary hair loss. Most of the time hair loss related to medication is due to the drug disrupting the hair growth cycle leading to a telogen effluvium. However, some medications, e.g. chemotherapy medications can trigger a different type of temporary hair loss called anagen effluvium. Thus, for example, if you are undergoing chemotherapy for cancer around the time of your hysterectomy, you may experience hair loss.

Depending on what type of hair loss you’re experiencing, it could last for a few months before stopping and reversing, or it could be progressive and go on indefinitely. If the hair loss is due to telogen effluvium it typically starts suddenly about 2-4 months after surgery, is transient, and will resolve on its own over time. Some treatment might help to speed the process and restore hair faster. If the hair loss is hormonally based (female pattern hair loss) it’s more gradual and is likely to continue over time. There are treatments available that can reduce the hair loss and promote hair regrowth.

It’s best to start by talking with a healthcare professional who can help determine the underlying cause(s) of your hair loss and then develop a plan for your specific needs.

But here are a few ideas you can bring up and learn more about in the meantime.

Hair Growth Medications

Because hair loss can have more than one post-hysterectomy cause, there are several ways to approach hair growth treatment. While plenty of non-medical “experts” will champion common supplements like vitamin D, medical advice typically leans on two treatments:

• Spironolactone, a prescription diuretic medication that’s FDA-approved for heart failure and high blood pressure that also has anti-androgen effects. It is often used off-label for post-hysterectomy hair loss and thinning caused by female pattern hair loss (androgenetic alopecia in women). Spironolactone can slow down this type of hair loss by reducing androgen production and blocking androgen receptors in the hair follicle.

• Minoxidil, an FDA-approved OTC topical medication option you may know as Rogaine®. While there are some unanswered questions about how exactly minoxidil works, we know that it’s a vasodilator — meaning it widens blood vessels — that ensures nutrients and oxygen get to your hair follicles. This is one of the ways it’s believed to reduce hair loss and promote hair regrowth..

Healthy Hair Habits

Medications can work wonders, but protecting your hair from breakage can also be beneficial for hair health, as damaged hair can make hair loss even worse.

To keep damage at bay and get your locks in good shape, we suggest the following:

• Use good products. You should use a conditioner every time you shampoo to keep hair hydrated. Check out our moisturizing shampoo and conditioner.

• Be careful with hot tools. Blow dryers, straighteners, curling irons, and other hot tools can damage your hair. If you’re going to use one, try limiting it to a couple of times a week and keep it on the lowest setting possible.

• Avoid hairstyles that put tension on your roots. Tight ponytails or buns can lead to breakage because they strain the roots.

• Address nutritional deficiencies. Staying hydrated and eating a balanced diet with biotin-rich foods — like eggs, lean proteins, nuts, and seeds — can promote  hair health. Biotin, a water-soluble B vitamin, is also available in supplement form, as with our biotin gummies.

Some women feel an understandable sense of loss after having a hysterectomy, while others feel freedom. Both are valid. It’s also completely normal to feel frustrated by the recovery symptoms, including hair loss.

While we can’t tell you how to stop hair loss after a hysterectomy — that’s something a dermatologist or other healthcare professional can help you with — we hope that you feel more informed.

Whether you’re pre- or post-surgery, remember the following as you navigate this process:

• Major surgeries, including hysterectomies, can lead to telogen effluvium — a type of hair loss triggered by physiologic stress that typically goes away on its own. Medications like minoxidil may help speed up the recovery.

• Many women go through early menopause after a hysterectomy, particularly if the ovaries are removed. Hormonal changes from menopause can lead to hair loss, which is amenable to different treatments. 

• It’s also wise to embrace healthy hair care habits (like keeping it hydrated and protecting it from damage) to keep the hair you have safe. 

If you’ve undergone a hysterectomy and are noticing thinning hair, you may want to talk to a healthcare professional. They can give you customized advice on how you can get your hair back on track with hair loss treatments. Reach out today to get started.