What’s Really Going on When Curly Hair Starts Losing Its Curl?

In an attempt to get to the bottom of it all, I spoke with reproductive endocrinologist Nicole Ulrich, MD, and dermatologist Shari Lipner, MD, from Weill Cornell Medicine and New York-Presbyterian, about what causes hair texture change, how hormones impact hair texture, and what—if anything—can be done about it.

How do hormones actually impact our hair?

First things first: What’s actually going on during these major life events that causes our hair to change?

According to Dr. Ulrich, the relationship between hormones and hair “seems to be incredibly complex” and can vary throughout our lives. Hormonal impact also varies depending on where on the body the hair follicle is located, she says. “For example, head hair and body hair can respond to the same hormone in different ways.”

Here’s what we do know.

Estrogen: High levels of estrogen are typically associated with thicker, fuller hair. Says Dr. Lipner, “When estrogen and progesterone levels drop, hairs become thinner and more brittle and fragile, and the scalp becomes drier.”

Androgens: As Dr. Ulrich explains, androgens—including testosterone—are known to impact body hair follicles, often making the hair “curlier and coarser” while increasing pigmentation.

“We call this terminal hair growth,” she says. “We see this effect during puberty with the growth of terminal hair in the pubic area and armpits. This effect also leads to terminal hair growth on the chest, back, and face in individuals with higher testosterone levels. However, we know that, depending on a person’s genetics, androgens may have different effects on head hair, leading to thinner hair and balding in some cases.”

Changes at puberty: “Puberty is known to cause changes in the texture of head hair,” explains Dr. Ulrich. “This is thought to be related to hormonal changes.” However, she reiterates that the exact reason this happens is not completely clear.

And it’s not limited to women. Soren Roi, a barber in NYC, recently shared his experience on Instagram with a dramatic texture change at puberty.

Changes at pregnancy: It’s a fairly well-known fact that hair can get thicker and longer during pregnancy due to hormonal changes.

“Pregnancy keeps hair in the growth phase longer and increases hair diameter, making hair grow faster and appear thicker,” says Dr. Ulrich. “We think this is related to higher estrogen levels in pregnancy. Estrogen also has an antiandrogenic effect, opposing some of the effects androgens have on hair follicles.”

Quintero, the celebrity hairstylist, says he’s witnessed clients who “had trouble growing hair past a certain point then become pregnant and have most luscious hair.” However, he adds, “anywhere from three to six months after giving birth, women typically experience hair loss.”

According to Dr. Ulrich, that hair loss is a result of hormones returning to their pre-pregnancy levels, resulting in a “temporary period of head hair loss as the growth phases of the hair follicles recalibrate to the non-pregnant state,” she explains.

Change at menopause: “During the menopausal transition,” says Dr. Ulrich, “the body’s production of estrogen declines, and head hair spends less time in the growth phase. Female pattern hair loss is likely related to genetic factors and may be hormonally triggered, but the exact causes aren’t clear.”

But what if you’re not pubescent, pregnant, or menopausal?

While Dr. Lipner says that “hair texture does not generally vary significantly over a person’s life,” she adds that “the hair follicle can undergo some structural changes every three to five years.”