Can Steroids Cause Hair Loss? Understanding the Risks

While steroids aren’t a direct cause of hair loss, they can increase shedding in those genetically predisposed to thinning. It can also depend on the type of steroids you’re taking. Anabolic steroids are structurally similar to testosterone, but they’re not the only kind people take.

People use steroids to increase muscle growth and body performance, but they contain various potential side effects, including an increase in hair thinning. IMARC found that over 40% of Australian men have hair loss (one of the highest rates in the world), so you should find out how steroids impact hair loss before you decide to start using them.

In this article, we’ll outline which steroids can cause hair loss, how they interact with your hair, and how Hairy Hair can help if you’re struggling with hair loss.

How Do Steroids Work?

Anabolic Steroids

Steroids are medically prescribed to remedy some health issues, but are misused to gain lean muscle mass. They are commonly referred to as Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids (AAS), which are man-made testosterone hormones. They are utilised in topical cream, injected, or orally consumed.

The Australian Secondary Students’ Alcohol and Drug Survey identified that 2% of young people aged between 12 and 17 years old have ever used non-prescription performance-enhancing drugs.

Some people require AAS to treat several conditions, including:

1. Low testosterone levels

2. Estrogen-positive breast cancer

3. Muscular atrophy

Corticosteroids

Another steroid is corticosteroids. They are used to eliminate inflammation and control the functions of the immune system. They also treat allergies, skin diseases, and blood disorders.

Certain corticosteroids, including prednisolone sodium phosphate, result in hair loss, but it is not typically drug-related. Hair loss is less likely with corticosteroids compared to anabolic steroids. Hirsutism (excess hair) is, nevertheless, a side effect of prednisone, which is another corticosteroid, according to Johns Hopkins.

Corticosteroids are also used to control scalp hair loss stimulated by the autoimmune system, such as alopecia areata. They reduce inflammation around the hair follicles to prevent erratic shedding.

What’s the Connection Between Steroids and Hair Loss?

Steroids don’t initiate the shedding of hair. But if you already have some kind of shedding or if you have a family history of it, steroid-related hair loss can occur. If you are not prone to balding conditions through genetics or hormonal imbalance, you are less likely to lose any hair through steroids.

So how do they impact your hair? Anabolic steroids attempt to replicate natural testosterone within your body, but they stimulate the formation of dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This hormone produces male-pattern hair loss and diminishes hair follicles, resulting in permanent hair loss.

If you use these steroids repeatedly, it can increase the levels of DHT, and you may need to use a drug to reverse the elevated levels.

Other Contributing Factors

Steroids may accelerate your hair loss as described. Still, there could also be other causes based on your genetics or lifestyle that are responsible for increased shedding along with steroid use:

• Genetics: Genetics have different variations that influence hair loss and are passed on through your family tree, meaning shedding is unavoidable.

• Stress: Increased stress levels can cause a temporary hair loss known as telogen effluvium. A physical event, such as sudden weight gain or loss, or an emotional one, can cause this stress.

• Diet: A poorly balanced diet can lead to nutritional deficiencies like zinc, iron, and vitamin C, which can starve hair follicles of the nutrients they need for healthy growth and an overall healthy lifestyle.

• Overtraining: Steroid testosterone will help you train longer and harder, but failing to rest after exercise will result in telogen effluvium
• Supplementation: Apart from steroids, bodybuilders will typically ingest a combination of vitamins and minerals, which, if found in excess amounts, will cause thinning as well as more severe diseases.

Can You Prevent Steroid Hair Loss?

Some steps can be taken to minimise the risk of hair loss, but depending on your genetics and predisposition to shedding, avoiding hair loss may not be possible. 

Lowering the dosage of steroids and monitoring your cycle can help reduce the strain on your hair follicles. A DHT blocker such as finasteride is a hair loss treatment medication which can limit hair loss risk, but only by a doctor’s prescription and under their supervision.

Can Steroid Hair Loss Be Reversed?

Whether hair will grow back from steroid use depends on person to person. Hair loss can be reversible in some individuals and will only revert once you stop taking the steroids. Depending on how long you have been taking the steroids, permanent damage can be done to the hair follicles, so new hair growth won’t be achieved even when you stop using them.

Treating baldness when you first notice it will give you the best chance of halting it. It might take a few months after quitting steroids for hair changes to occur, as the follicles can only heal and become active again as hormonal imbalances are sorted out.

You may experience some regrowth in 3-6 months, but complete regrowth can occur after a year or longer. Some treatments will help encourage hair growth and improve thinning areas for patients with more advanced or permanent hair loss.

What Are The Treatment Options For Steroid Hair Loss?

In case you are suffering from hair loss caused by steroids, you have a number of hair restoration treatments that you can utilise:

• Minoxidil: Available over the counter, minoxidil stimulates hair follicles by dilating blood vessels in the scalp, delivering increased oxygen and nutrients. When properly nourished, hair follicles are more likely to produce strong, resilient strands less prone to breakage.
• Finasteride: Finasteride is a DHT blocker that can help people predisposed to androgenetic alopecia (male pattern baldness).
• PRP Therapy: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy uses your own blood and isolates the beneficial plasma from it before injecting it into your scalp. The growth factors in the plasma promote hair regrowth from dormant follicles that would otherwise remain idle and not produce strands.
• Hair Transplant: Some people succeed with hair transplantation in cases of greater hair loss. This procedure involves extracting enough healthy donor hairs to implant their follicles in balding areas. It can be an expensive medical treatment, including recovery time, but permanent results can often be achieved in one sitting.

How Can Hairy Hair Help With My Hair Loss?

Hair loss from steroid use can be alarming, but many people can regrow their hair by discontinuing use. Even more advanced cases can be countered with early intervention and proper treatment. Tackling the root cause of your hair loss problems with targeted treatment will give you a better chance at preventing hair loss in the long run and creating regrowth.

Talking to a medical professional can help you understand your options and find the proper treatment. With Hairy Hair, we offer comprehensive hair loss treatment with convenient access to Australian GPs who are experts in hair loss. Get in touch with a professional today to start your journey towards healthier hair and a happier you.

Our hair growth treatment features a potent combination of ingredients designed to combat the leading causes of baldness. It acts as a vasodilator to help increase nutrient delivery to your follicles while aiming to lower DHT levels, providing a well-rounded approach to tackling hair loss. 

To get started, all you need to do is fill in our short online form. Once we have some more information about you and your hair loss, we’ll create a personalised treatment plan based on your needs. After a call with your hair loss expert, we’ll have your prescription ready to ship right to your door. With regular check-ins and a dedicated support team, we’re here to help you achieve your hair goals.