Had my son 11/15/12. Got the Nexplanon put in on 12/27/12. My hair has started falling out in the beginning of March, and has not stopped since. Freaking out. I have lost about 1/3 of the hair on my head. It isn't very noticeable, but my hair definitely thinner. Is anyone having/had this experience?
Hair loss from Nexplanon?
Question posted by yajmme on 11 April 2013
Last updated on 31 January 2023 by sm_98
The information on this page reflects personal experiences shared by our community members. It is not reviewed for medical accuracy and should not replace professional medical advice.
26 Answers
sm_98
31 Jan 2023
This symptom seems more common than doctors want you to think… I got Nexplanon in late Aug of 2022 and by the end of Sep 2022 I started noticing a little more hair loss than normal. I shrugged it off for a while until it got so bad that I could no longer ignore it (which was by late December 2022). I was losing wayyy more hair than the 50-100 strands we are estimated to lose everyday. It was more like 300-500 and I was getting bald spots all over but especially at the crown. I got blood tests done and they all came back normal & my scalp was looked at by a dermatologist and she said the hair loss was most likely stress related. In fact, I asked several doctors if it could be the Nexplanon and they all said no. Well, then I started doing my own research and it seems like A LOT of women are experiencing this problem.
But of course Nexplanon doesn’t want doctors to openly disclose that because then who would want to use it? I have no family history of female hair loss and no deficiencies. I’ve tried supplements and hair serums for a month now and nothing is helping. It HAS to be this freaking nightmare rod! So, I’m getting it out in less than a week and I’m so excited.
Honestly… Don’t listen to anyone who says there’s no way your hair loss is linked to Nexplanon. The hormone released by the rod is literally linked to hair loss. Good news is, the hair loss is most likely very temporary and should subside 1-2 months after the rod is removed. I’m seriously hoping to look back in 6 months and see some real progress… Take care of yourself, get it removed, and know that you are not alone!
Sgibaldi007
4 Jan 2023
I experienced hair loss on nexplanon as well. I had it for 3 years and my hair was fine. My biggest issue during this time was frequent period but that stabilized and I thought “this BC is the best!” Then in May 2022 I was due for a nexplanon renewal. After I got the new one I completely stopped getting my period which is apparently normal. By October 2022 I noticed the hair loss. As a woman, Im used to hair being all over the bathroom so it took me a while to notice and then one day I inspected my hairline and realized I saw more of my scalp than ever before. Since then I’ve been monitoring my hair loss and it’s a lot. The scalp on my crown is becoming more and more visible and I noticed my hair follicles are more spaced apart. I got the nexplanon removed today— Jan 2023 so I’ll have to report back with an update if I begin to notice hair growth. Praying it comes back strong.
AllisonD
5 March 2021
My hair loss was not caused by pregnancy. I’ve never been pregnant nor had children, and I lost a massive amount of hair while I had the Nexplanon. Don’t let your provider tell you it’s not the implant bc it’s more common than they want you to believe. I’ve always been complimented on my thick hair and have never been able to see my scalp through my hair. I can now clearly see through my hair straight to my scalp as it has gotten so thin. It isn’t just shedding, I have been losing clumps and I literally can’t keep up with how much hair is on the floor of my apartment. I had it taken out a few weeks ago and am hoping it comes back. I’m devastated. I only had it in for a total of 7 month and lost a significant amount of hair right in the front area behind my widows peak. Also the removal was not a pleasant surgical experience.
andylynell
15 Dec 2020
yes i had the nexplinon (nightmare rod) put in sept.2020 and now dec.2020 i have lost more than half of my hair ..at first it was BAD depression and mood swings and my heart felt like it was pounding out of my chest , i thought i was having strokes it got so bad i thought about writing a will , i just knew i was going to die the rate it was going , at around that time i had gained weight which has never been a problem but gained 15 pounds and my hair started coming out its been huge hand fulls i hate taking a shower just to see how much more has came out ive always had long thick beautiful hair now its going bald in some areas and hair just falls out i dont even brush it because i have no more to lose its been a nightmare i would have never done this if i would have known TAKE IT OUT i am tried at home but i dont have the balls to just cut myself so this week its coming out im ready to start feeling better and have my hair back i pray to God all we can do is out iit in his hands
Cdavis76
30 Nov 2020
Yes I have lost my hair . Still have the thing in me sometime this week I will ask the doctor who put it into take it off so they might have to stop at growing
MommyShark
7 June 2020
Yes it does because I had it for and year mines fallen out
IsabellaSue
18 Feb 2020
Hello! I am 19 years old, she/her, I got Nexplanon inserted 1/11/19 and had it in for about 9 months. I was bleeding off and on for 5-6 months. My hair was noticeably thinner by touch by October, I had it removed 10/15/19. Now in the middle of February my shedding has gone back to normal. It took 4 full months after removal and I have lost 40% of my hair I would guess. It was a painful experience mentally. I am sad that my hair is thinner but so happy its stopped. My biggest piece of advice is to get it removed asap and live happy and healthy.
Things that I did to help:
1- See a doctor if you can, just as precautionary step to make sure its nothing bigger.
2- I started taking a multivitamin. B12, iron and vitamin D are very important for hair. I also started taking biotin. I don't know if this helped my shedding but will be for better future hair health and growth.
3- I was a vegetarian during that time so I put fish and meat back into my diet, mostly to build up strength after bleeding for so long. This is the most helpful thing I did was just taking care of my body and eating properly. Once I started eating meat again the shedding slowed.
4- I wore my hair back and in braids everyday. If I wore it down I would pull at it and just freak out and cry. Doing things to keep yourself distracted is key. I became obsessive and depressed, don't be like me. Try to minimize anxiety.
The biggest tip I can give is to live a healthy lifestyle. Sadly its something you have to wait out, but you will not go bald. Stay happy ladies!
Mantho02
9 Feb 2020
I am also experiencing the same thing. I had the Nexplanon inserted on 12/18/19, now I have clumps of my hair just falling out. I am African American and my hair is super thick. I’ve dyed it, bleached it and never experienced anything like this! I’m going to the gyno to have it taking out. I just had my son in September: was experiencing shedding my not clumps of my hair falling out. I’m also nursing so I thought that was the problem... please let me know if you’ve taken yours out!
Alyssialinton
19 Jan 2020
I got the nexplanon aug 30 2019. By the end of September I lost my eyebrow fast foward to January I have bald spots all over my head. The only thing that has changed in my life was the birth control. After calling the dr they asked me to come in asap to get it removed.
I got it removed last wed and I feel so much better off of it but I'm still loosing hair. :(
ayebaybay
6 Jan 2020
I got my second nexplanon put in 12/14/2019. My hair has been thinning, but most noticeably the part in my hair is continuing down the back of my head. Friends say you can't really tell, just looks like a part. I suspected the Nexplanon, as it is the only change in my life and the thinning began a month after insertion. Doctor acted indifferent this morning when I asked her to take it out, proceeding to tell me, "Some hair loss is normal." Thnx ole wise one. Anyway, got it removed today and plan on updating. I hope my hair stops falling out :) My advice is to get it removed ASAP. Based on what I've read, hair loss will continue unless the Nexplanon is removed. I am assuming you have not has it removed yet, based in your post?
Cgtootoo
29 July 2019
I also started noticing hair loss 4 months after my first implant, 3 years ago.
I just got my second implant, which was much more painful and still painful 3 months later. Now I’m noticing ache around my jawline. That’s new. I’m concerned for my hormones. And I’ve researched Nexplanon in the past and not seen hair loss as a side effect. Today I researched deeper and found that it may have once been called Implanon and some of the VERY long list of side effects are: hair loss, crying, depression, lumps in breast, weight gain, increased appetite, so many other things!!! I have experienced many of these side effects. I’m going to get this out ASAP.
Adwoa Anima
29 July 2019
I had the implant in may 2018. I experienced a lot of shedding but took it as postpartum shedding. But after a year and hair still falling off, I had it removed in July, 2019. I literally cried at the salon yesterday when I saw my shed hair on the floor. One the the worst decisions I could ever make was to get the nexplanon. I now have to cover my hair with wigs till my hair bounces back.
mama34
9 June 2019
YES NEXPLANON DOES TAKE YOUR HAIR OUT!! I had mine put in, in 2014 or 15 and the first time or the second time it didn't bother my hair BUT NOW it is coming out strand by strand! Its gross when there is are strands of hair on your shirt every day or night when you wake up! The only reason I got it is because I'm too old to take the pill or get DEPO... SO THEY SAY. I'm gonna see about getting this mess out of my arm and get my tubes tied, since I hadn't went through menopause yet! My children are grown anyway and we're not trying to have anymore kids.
Kre999
9 Aug 2018
This also happened to me! I lost about 1/3 of my hair about 3 months after starting nexaplon. It seriously altered my life for the longest time. I would lose big clumps of my hair in the shower and whenever I brushed my hair. I started getting thinned spots of hair on the sides of my head & I became very self conscious about them. I was so afraid of losing my hair that I stopped running (scared to put my hair in a ponytail) & used wayyyy more dry shampoo bc wetting my hair was such a horrible process for me. Clumps of hair would even fall out every time I ran my fingers through my hair. I tried everything to reduce the hair loss when it started, using diff shampoos, hair care, diets & medications. I was even put on a depressant pill by my doctor who thought the shedding was due to severe stress, although I was generally a very care free person.
It took me about 5 months to realize that the nexaplon may have caused the hair loss & when I got it removed the shedding finally stopped about 2 months later. Today, it has been about 6 months since I got it removed, & my hair no longer falls out & you can see where my hair is now finally growing back!! REMOVE IT ASAP!!! Also... when I got it removed, I went to a planned parenthood & the physician there said she had seen several other women with similar issues of hair loss & that it was not all that rare of a side affect!
LindzLu26
9 Aug 2018
Wow!! So what do you use for contraception now?? Did you switch BC?
michelle9501
4 Oct 2018
same here, I've had it for a year now , my hair its being shedding for about 6 months now, I'm so scare every time I'm going to wash my hair because I know that I'm about to loss a lot of hair, 2 weeks ago my boyfriend noticed a freaking bald spot which I wasn't surprised because of the amount of hair that I would shed daily, I saw it coming, I made an appt to have it removed on December I wish it could be sooner than that tho.
Mom729
12 Nov 2018
Same thing, I had mines since Nov 2015, I have lost so much hair am mad, I recently took it out about a week ago. I Kept listening to everybody talking bout fake hair pulling my hair out and genetics, I knew it was that implant.
Tonigala69
30 May 2018
I started Nexplanon after having my baby in January 2018, so i had the implant inserted March 29, 2018. I always had beautiful full hair I noticed some hair loss after the implant and figured it was maybe just the extra hair that grew during pregnancy and now it was just falling out or shedding like normal. Days later, in the shower, my hair started to just come out too much as i washed it. When I combed it wet, strands and strands would come out so now I became nervous. I had a full panel of blood work done to see if maybe the hormones were too strong or if something else was wrong with me, which I knew was not the case since I was super healthy during my whole pregnancy, but I ran the blood work regardless to just rule out any other possibilities as to why my hair was just falling out at every touch. Low and behold, my blood came back clean..nothing wrong with my thyroid, all was perfect.
Now my hair started coming out faster and faster and more and more. I called my doctor a couple days ago and now waiting to remove it as I have lost about half of my hair now. They made such a big deal iver the bleeding as a side effect, of which I have not experienced and did not even get my period in May..the hair loss has been my major side effect and has traumatized me. I only hope my hair lost will grow back
LindzLu26
27 June 2018
Hey!! Your story is identical to mine, time and everything, only difference is I haven’t had a baby. But I got my Nexplanon in mid Feb and I’ve lost 50% of my hair. I put it up in a ponytail and you can see gaps all on the sides of my head. I’ve tried everything. My diet, oils, shampoos, not washing it as much, washing it more, you name it. And it STILL come out in full strands. Have you found anything different?! I want to follow your journey and see if removal worked for you!
michelle9501
4 Oct 2018
following too
Related topics
Further information
- Nexplanon uses and safety info
- Nexplanon prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Nexplanon (detailed)
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