testosterone and curly hair?

Jay RN · Nov 4, 2007

I found this question very intresting. I just noticed 2 weeks ago that my hair turned curly or very wavey after I had 4 inches taken off. My hair was long and streight a year ago. I finished nursing school 1 year ago also. I'm 29 years old, have never had a child and wonder why I now have curly hair. I think it is God's Blessing... I like the way it looks. I'm not sure why it happened?

Myxel67 · Nov 4, 2007

i found this question very intresting. i just noticed 2 weeks ago that my hair turned curly or very wavey after i had 4 inches taken off. my hair was long and streight a year ago. i finished nursing school 1 year ago also. i'm 29 years old, have never had a child and wonder why i now have curly hair. i think it is god's blessing... i like the way it looks. i'm not sure why it happened?

perhaps cutting 4 inches off reduced the weight pulling the hair down and allowed the curls/waves to form. i've always had very curly hair, but it curls more when it's not too long. one of my brother's had beautiful blond straight hair. he hit puberty and it got darker and curly. my hair actually got straighter when i was pregnant. my mother told me she used to have very curly hair too, but after bearing 14 children, it was straight as a board.

:balloons:

luvmy3kids · Nov 4, 2007

When I was little (0-8) I had stick straight hair. When I went through puberty my hair started to curl a bit. Now... 3 kids later (age 33)... if I shower at night and go to bed with a wet head... I wake up looking like Carrot Top the next morning. My hair is curly with spiral curls all over and it takes me FOREVER to get it straight.

I always contributed it to hormones. I just don't know what kind.

Jen

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Nov 4, 2007

Excessive testosterone and /or testosterone sensitiviy can cause straight hair to go curly and/or frizzy.

In fact hair texture change such as this is often the first symtom noticed by women who develop thyroid disorders, polycystic ovarian syndrome, female androgenic alopecia, and other problems which influence and are influenced by excessive testosterone, testosterone sensitivity, a marked drop in estrogen or a combination of these things.(Women who develop thyroid disorders often become overly sensitive to normal testoserone levels, and develp androgenic symptoms).

I know because I was having female problems which no local doc could help me with. I went to see the former chief of endocrinology from the Cleveland Clinic. He explained all of this to me. I also purchased his book, which explains female hormone problems very well.

If you have generally hormone sensitive hair follicles (high number of follicular 5-A Reductase enzyme receptors) even small fluctuations in hormone levels can change hair texture.

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Nov 4, 2007

I'm pretty sure your hair stylist gave you some inaccurate information. The testestosterone levels in the body do not change significantly for women as they get older-- the estrogen levels do. When you are young higher estrogen levels help to mute those undesirable male secondary sex characteristics such as facial hair, but once after those begin to drop in middle age the testosterone already present in the body is more readily expressed in those secondary sex characteristics.

The above is true under normal circumstances, but as we all know, everything isn't always normal.

Ask an endocrinologist if testosterone influences hair texture. They will tell you it does- the hairdresser was right.

My Cleveland Clinic endo treated me for a hormonal/endocrine disorder. One of my earliest symptoms was straight hair turning wavy and frizzy. The endo told me this is often the first symptom noticed by women who develop these disorders.

elizabells, BSN, RN · Nov 4, 2007

I've met a couple of women whose hair got curly after puberty or babies. Mine stayed the same giant mass of coorifice waves through puberty, so we'll see what happens if I have kids. I've also heard tell of patients whose hair grew back in a different texture/curliness post-chemo.

Sunshine0425 · Nov 4, 2007

I have polycystic ovarian syndrome, and my levels of testosterone are high. My hair has become very curly wavy over the last few years since being diagnosed with this. I thought it was very interesting. I love the curly hair, but could do without the excessive hair growth elsewhere.!!!!!

TrudyRN · Nov 4, 2007

I find my hair has gotten thinner and more wiry with age. Also straighter, somewhat. I am also growing a beard and have a fine, faint but definite moustache. God must be having a good laugh, as I was quite pretty in my younger days.

My sis's straight hair curled after her pregnancy.

Mom and her sis's hair have both thinned terribly and they have chest and chin hair, too.

leslie :-D · Nov 5, 2007

thinking aloud here....

if elevated testosterone levels were r/t curls, wouldn't all our brothers be kink-heads? :confused:

leslie

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Nov 5, 2007

No- depends on genetic factors, and an individual's follicular sesitivity to the metabolites of testosterone.

Men who are particularly follicularly sensitive are often balding, but have a lot of body hair.

Women are more likely to develop texture change -usually curlier and frizzier. They may often have coorifice facial and body hair, as well as oily skin and hair, plus acne. Other symtoms of testoterone sensitivity or excess in women include, uncomfortable scalp sensations, sweating more than previously, increased body odor (especially in armpits) and excessive ear wax. These may or may not be present.

Women with very testosterone sensitive follicles develop androgenic alopecia.

Badwoollyhair · Sep 5, 2008

I'm 28, and over the last year my hair has gone from mostly straight, with lots of frizz when it rains to pretty curly all the time. When I got it cut last week the hair stylist told me that increased testosterone levels from getting older can cause curly hair. Is this true??? I know I've got higher levels of testosterone pulsing through me because I've had those darn chin hairs popping out! Ugh!

I have hair that goes from silky and wavy to VERY nasty frizzy almost pubic like. This seems to happen when I am not on the contraceptive pill which leads me to believe me that there is some hormone in the pill that effects the hair. When I am on the pill my hair is lovely. Any ideas??

Bad woolly hair. :sniff: I have no other problems such as chin hair, coorifice hair or excessive oily skin, just the mad hair thing. Can anyone help or suggest anything. :jester:

chenoaspirit, ASN, RN · Sep 6, 2008

I always had straight sleek shiny hair until about 3 years ago when my hormones went haywire (endometriosis and cysts). I finally had a hysterectomy. Now my hair is fuzzy and wavy and wirey. It doesnt even look like the same head! I dont know if is hormone related, but it sure is coincidental.