Table 1.

Influence of hormones on the hair cycle in different stages of female life.

Stage of Life	Main Hormones Involved	Effect
Puberty	Androgens	Transformation of vellus hair into terminal hair in the pubic and axillary regions
Reproductive age	Androgen excess (e.g PCOs, NCAH, Cushing’s syndrome, hyperprolactinemia)	Hirsutism
	Unknown/unexplained role of sex hormones	Female pattern hair loss
	Hyperthyreosis	Alopecia areata
	Hypothyreosis	Diffuse alopecia
Pregnancy	High levels of estrogen, progesterone, prolactin, and growth factors	Increases in the hair growth, in the hair diameter, and in the anagen/telogen ratio
Puerperium	Decrease in estrogen and progesterone	Postpartum telogen effluvium
Menopause	Estrogen depletion	Female pattern hair loss Facial hirsutism