Unfortunately, thinning hair is all too common for women going through “the change”. But why does menopause cause hair loss? And how can you treat menopausal hair loss? Whether you’re experiencing perimenopause hair loss or thinning hair during menopause, keep reading for the answers to your questions on menopause hair loss and more.
Index
The Link Between Menopause and Hair Loss
Like gray hair, menopause is a natural part of the aging process that occurs for women around the age of 50. During menopause, the ovaries gradually produce less reproductive hormones like estrogen and progesterone. These fluctuating hormone levels cause many changes in the body, like hot flashes, mood swings, weight gain, insomnia, and even hair loss.
So why does menopause cause hair loss? When we’re younger, hormones like estrogen and progesterone help to extend the growing phase of the hair cycle, allowing your hair to grow more quickly and for longer periods of time.
But with the decline of these hormones that comes with menopause, the growing phase of the hair cycle shortens considerably. As a result, hair grows more slowly. And since your hair is growing more slowly, it isn’t able to replace the hair that is shed as a normal part of the hair growth cycle. As a result, your hair may appear much thinner after a while. This is the process of menopause hair loss in a nutshell.
But don’t panic! For most women experiencing menopausal hair loss, there is nothing medically wrong. While it’s a good idea to check with your doctor to make sure that you don’t have another issue that’s causing your hair loss, menopause hair loss is a natural part of aging.
However, menopausal hair loss doesn’t mean you have to give up on your hair for good! There are plenty of ways that you can treat and disguise the appearance of menopause hair loss (but more on those later).
What Are the Symptoms of Menopausal Hair Loss?
Women experiencing menopause hair loss tend to lose hair differently from men. Whereas men see pronounced areas of thinning in a classic horseshoe shape, women will experience menopausal hair loss as all over thinning. Because thinning hair during menopause is more uniform and subtle, you might not even notice it at first.
If you’re worried about menopause hair loss, here are a few signs to look out for:
- Widening part
- Increased scalp show-through (especially near the hairline or part)
- Smaller ponytail
- More hair on your pillow, hairbrush, or shower drain
- Hair looks limp and is more difficult to style
- Hair breaks off more easily than usual
In rare cases, some women with menopausal hair loss experience pronounced thinning at the crown or the sides of the head.
The sooner you notice these signs of menopause hair loss, the easier it will be to treat it. So if you’re going through the change, keep an eye out!
How Common is Hair Loss During Menopause?
Believe it or not, menopause hair loss is incredibly common. Among postmenopausal women, as many as two-thirds suffer hair thinning or bald spots. Menopause hair loss is common across all ethnic groups. Thinning hair during menopause is also thought to be linked to genetics. So if you have a family member who experienced thinning hair during menopause, you’re more likely to develop it too.
Other Contributing Factors to Menopause Hair Loss
For women experiencing menopause hair loss, the hair loss is almost always the result of fluctuating hormones. However, there are other factors that can cause thinning hair during menopause. For example, stress, medication, illness, and vitamin deficiencies can also contribute to hair loss. These factors can also actually worsen menopausal hair loss.
So if you suspect that you have menopause hair loss, it might be a good idea to check with your doctor to make sure there’s not another underlying issue.
What About Perimenopause Hair Loss?
Perimenopause is the time period leading up menopause itself. During this time, hormone levels begin to change in preparation for menopause. Perimenopause usually begins when a woman is in her mid-40s, though some women skip perimenopause altogether. Since perimenopause hair loss is also rooted in hormonal changes, the symptoms of perimenopause hair loss are similar to those of menopause hair loss. Additionally, you might notice that your hair becomes more dry or dull.
So what can be done about perimenopause hair loss? Since perimenopause hair loss has the same basic contributing factors as menopause hair loss, we recommend treating perimenopause hair loss just as you would treat menopause hair loss, and follow the tips outlined below!
Especially if you are experiencing hair loss a lot before menopause, we recommend that you have a look at this article about hair loss in women in general.
Can You Prevent Menopause Hair Loss?
So what can you do to prevent thinning hair during menopause? Here’s what we recommend:
Preventing Menopause Hair Loss Tip #1: Keep an Eye On Your Hair
As we mentioned before, it’s important to react to early signs of menopause hair loss. Keep an eye on your hair, and if you notice any changes, make an appointment with your dermatologist.
Preventing Menopause Hair Loss Tip #2: Avoid Products with Harsh Chemicals
As we age, our hair becomes more fine and delicate. That’s why it’s so important to choose products that won’t harm the integrity of our already-compromised hair. Instead, look for gentle hair care products with natural ingredients that nourish your hair from the outside in.
Preventing Menopause Hair Loss Tip #3: Be Gentle with Your Hair
With your hair growing more slowly, it’s important to take care of the hair you already have on your head. That means being extra gentle with hot tools and dyes! Overstyling and over-processing can cause hair to break off, which will make your hair appear more thin.
One easy change you can make to help prevent menopause hair loss is to swap out your regular comb for a wet brush or a wide-tooth comb. The Wet Hair Detangler Brush has soft silicone bristles that gently detangle your hair with far less breakage than a traditional brush.
How to Treat Menopause Hair Loss
If you’re experiencing menopause hair loss, your first task is to visit your doctor for a diagnosis and make sure that there isn’t another underlying cause of the hair loss, like a vitamin deficiency.
If your doctor diagnoses you with menopausal hair loss, they may recommend hormone replacement therapy or other treatments that can help reduce menopausal hair loss as well as other symptoms of menopause. Hormone replacement therapy can be helpful for women with menopausal hair loss or perimenopause hair loss, but there are also risks involved.
Additionally, you may want to consider a physician who specialises in hair restoration. A hair restoration specialist may recommend the following medications and treatments for menopausal hair loss:
Minoxidil: Minoxidil is a topical medication that increases blood flow to the scalp and hair follicles, which may help to reverse menopause hair loss. However, minoxidil may come with some unpleasant side effects like skin irritation. For this reason, it’s restricted in many countries. Rosemary oil has been shown to provide similar benefits to minoxidil, and without any serious side effects.
Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy (PRP): During PRP Therapy, blood plasma is injected into the scalp. This is thought to promote healing, and in some research, has been shown to treat hair loss.
Laser Therapy: During laser therapy, a technician uses a low-energy laser to stimulate hair growth on your scalp. This is thought to decrease hair thinning from menopause, though it hasn’t been scientifically proven.
6 Ways to Deal With Thinning Hair During Menopause
There are also some lifestyle changes that you can make to help deal with menopause hair loss:
1. Eat a Hair-Healthy Diet
A poor diet can contribute to menopause hair loss. To make sure your intake isn’t to blame, eat a diet heavy in proteins and other nutrients crucial to growing healthy hair. Why protein? Well, our hair follicles make our hair from the protein we eat. So if we’re not getting enough protein in our diets, hair growth can suffer.
Additionally, your hair follicles require adequate vitamins and minerals for healthy hair growth. To make sure that you’re getting the right mix of nutrients for hair growth, consider adding a supplement like Hair Formula Gummies or Tablets to your diet. These hair supplements contain all the vitamins and minerals your hair follicles require for regular hair growth. Plus, the chewable gummy-formula taste delicious, so it’s easy to remember to take them consistently!
Read More: Do Hair Growth Supplements Work?
2. Nourish from the Outside
Another way to make sure that your hair is healthy (and help to treat menopause hair loss) is to strengthen your hair with hair growth supporting products from the outside. We recommend swapping your regular shampoo and conditioner with our Grow Perfect™ Duo, which are formulated with clinically proven Anagain™ and rosemary oil to fight hair loss and maintain a healthy scalp.
To boost the effects, use Grow Perfect™ Hair Growth Serum that is formulated with naturally-derived ingredients that are clinically proven to increase hair growth, reduce hair loss, and improve overall scalp health.
3. Protect Your Hair from UV Rays
Just as the sun can damage your skin, so too can it damage your hair. If you’re experiencing menopause hair loss, you’ll want to take extra special care of the hair you do have by protecting it from the sun. Wear a hat when you’re outdoors, or use a UV protection styling product like our Sun Defense Hair Mist.
4. Sleep on Bamboo
Another easy way to care for your hair when you’re experiencing menopause hair loss? Switch to a bamboo pillowcase and duvet cover like our Silky Bamboo Pillowcase and Silky Bamboo Duvet Cover! Bamboo is far smoother than cotton, which means that it’s less likely to rub on and dry out your hair while you’re sleeping.
For extra overnight protection, apply our Moisture Hero™ Pre-Shampoo Balm to your ends, then style hair in a protective style like a loose braid before bed.
5. Reduce Stress Levels
Stress can also contribute to menopausal hair loss, which is why it’s important to keep your stress levels in check. Exercising, meditating, and other healthy, stress-relieving activities can help to fight menopausal symptoms like mood swings, weight gain, and insomnia, and may even help to reduce thinning hair during menopause.
6. Change Your Hairstyle
If you’re experiencing menopause hair loss, it is likely that the same haircut that has always worked for you may not look so good anymore. So your next task is to visit your hairstylist for a new haircut that’s more flattering for fine hair.
Hairstylists often recommend that women with menopause hair loss try a shorter haircut, which can easily add volume and texture to thinning hair. You can also ask for highlights or lowlights to create the appearance of more depth and dimension in your hair.
Self-doubt and what to do about it
It still seems to be taboo to talk about hair loss during the menopause. This is one reason why women often feel alone with their problems and doubt themselves a lot. It can be very emotionally stressful and often leads to frustration or even shame. However, as already explained, it is important to emphasize that hair loss during the menopause is natural and normal. So here are a few suggestions on how to get through this phase of life better.
- Take time for yourself: Treat yourself to a little me-time and do what makes you feel good at the moment.
- Share your feelings: You can consider whether you want to talk to someone close to you or an outside, neutral person such as a therapist.
- Accept yourself as you are: It is easier said than done to accept yourself as you are. But at the end of the day, we have to admit to ourselves that our bodies change over the course of our lives.
