Hair Loss and Menopause
Did you know around 40% of women around the menopause will complain of hair loss? Many women start to notice a change in their 30s and 40s.
Hair loss can be very distressing and shocking, evoking loss of confidence and self-identity. The stress of hair loss is further worsened with not knowing if the hair will grow back or if it will continue to get worse.
Hair loss presents in different way, often influenced by the various causes. It can be a subtle loss over time, or obvious with clumps falling out in the shower or brushing hair.
What are the causes?
🩺Genetics-you may notice a family link with hair loss on both female and male members,
🩺Natural ageing- Hair undergoes ageing like skin. Not only do the number of hair follicles decrease, causing generalised hair loss over the entire scalp, but hair also becomes finer, giving overall appearance of less coverage.
🩺Hormone changes- Lack of oestrogen and progesterone which occurs, for example around menopause can disrupt hair stimulation and growth. Other hormonal changes such as rise in androgen levels can cause hair loss and in some, a receding frontal/temple hairline. You may even notice redistribution, with excess hair appearing on the upper lip and chin.
Hormonal imbalance can also cause the scalp to be dry, brittle and break easily.
🩺Severe stress on the body- Including illness, anxiety, and sudden weight changes, can cause hair shedding. The stress of menopause symptoms can further worsen this.
🩺Chronic medical conditions- such as thyroid disease and anaemia (low iron) and some medicines can cause hair shedding
What things can you do to help?
⭐ Hair Care– Use nourishing conditioners and avoid excess washing or chemical products, which can reduce natural oils, dry hair out, making it more brittle and prone to breakage. Similarly using heating tools such as hairdryers, straighteners and products such as hairsprays can dry hair out.
Some women find thickening shampoos improve hair appearance.
Avoid excess sunlight exposure, through wearing a hat can help prevent hair loss through UV damage.
⭐Keep hydrated– Like skin, hair follicles need hydration to keep healthy.
⭐Eating a healthy varied diet- Iron and omega 3 could help improve hair density. Some studies show vitamin E and zinc supplements may also help. What are the best products for menopausal hair loss? This is tricky as many products provide temporary relief. Be careful of clever advertising as there is still not enough good quality evidence to support the use of most supplements.
⭐Stress management– Stress itself can cause hair loss and the loss of hair can cause stress. This can result in a vicious cycle. It is important you feel supported and practices such as mindfulness, relaxation, and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) may be beneficial.
What treatments for hair loss are available?
Treatments should be directed to the cause of hair loss.
💊If you have chronic hair loss, a blood test may help identify conditions such as low thyroid, low ferratin or iron levels. Treatment can be aimed at replacing these.
💊If you are on regular medications, you may wish to check with your local pharmacist or doctor if they have hair loss side effects.
💊Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) can be used to replace the hormones responsible for menopause symptoms such as hair loss. HRT can slow down or even stop hair loss in some.
💊Some medications (topical and oral) are targeted to hair growth. Such include Minoxidil, finasteride, caffeine, tretinoin. Some can be bought without prescription, and some are only prescribed and initiated by specialists. It is important to be aware that many of these take months to show effect and may need to be used on an ongoing basis otherwise hair loss will return.
💊Laser- this can help stimulate hair growth but should be carried out by an experienced therapist with specialist training in this area.
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