Hair loss during menopause is a common concern for many women. Menopause marks the phase in a woman’s life when her menstrual cycles end, and she is no longer able to have children. This is a natural stage of aging, but it also brings about several physical and emotional changes. One such change is the experience of hair loss.
Why Does Menopause Cause Hair Loss?
During menopause, the body’s production of female hormones, particularly estrogen and progesterone, decreases significantly. This hormonal shift can lead to various symptoms, including hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, and even changes to hair health. Hormonal changes can weaken hair follicles, leading to hair thinning and loss, a type known as androgenic alopecia. This is one of the most common causes of hair loss in women.
Similar to men, women experiencing hereditary hair loss have follicles that are sensitive to the androgen hormone DHT, which forms from testosterone. Before menopause, estrogen helps to balance testosterone levels, limiting DHT’s impact on hair growth. However, as estrogen production declines during menopause, it loses its protective effect, allowing DHT to affect hair follicles more significantly. As a result, hair growth phases shorten in sensitive follicles, causing hair strands to become finer and eventually leading to almost invisible, thin hair.
It’s important to note that hair loss is a natural physical process. Even someone with healthy hair growth can lose up to 100 hairs per day. The issue arises when the fallen hair stops being replaced, leading to thinning areas or patches.
Factors Contributing to Hair Loss During Menopause
Several factors can contribute to hair loss during menopause, including:
Genetics: If there’s a family history of hair loss, you’re more likely to experience it during menopause. Hereditary hair loss affects women as well as men, though it usually occurs later in life for women, around the onset of menopause.
Stress: Stress can weaken hair strands, and for many women, menopause is a period of heightened emotional stress.
Diet: Nutritional deficiencies or an unbalanced diet can result in hair loss.
Medications: Some medications, like blood thinners and antidepressants, may contribute to hair loss.
How to Combat Hair Loss During Menopause
There are several approaches to help address hair loss during menopause:
Natural Solutions for Hair Loss
Adopt a Balanced Diet: Consuming foods rich in protein, iron, and essential nutrients like sulfur-containing amino acids (such as cysteine) can promote hair health and growth.
Reduce Stress: Finding effective ways to manage stress, such as regular exercise, meditation, or speaking with a therapist, may help reduce hair loss.
Avoid Aggressive Hair Treatments: Heat styling (such as blow-drying or using curling irons) and chemical treatments can weaken hair, making it more prone to falling out.
Medical Treatments for Menopausal Hair Loss
If hair loss seems hereditary or more pronounced, consult a physician who can perform a trichogram to assess follicle health.
Some medications may help, like Minoxidil, which can be applied directly to the scalp. Minoxidil stimulates scalp circulation, essential for reactivating hair growth, and its use can promote fuller hair growth.
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is another option for some women, alleviating many symptoms associated with menopause and sometimes aiding in reducing hair loss.
Nutritional products and dietary supplements tailored for women’s needs can also support hair health. Vitamin B is particularly beneficial for hair growth.
A Permanent Solution: Hair Transplant
If hereditary hair loss has reached an advanced stage, or if you are experiencing emotional distress due to hair thinning, a hair transplant may offer relief.
In this minimally invasive procedure, skilled surgeons extract hair follicles from the donor area (between the ears, at the back of the head) and implant them into areas with thinning hair. Hair from the donor area is typically resistant to DHT, making it an ideal source for transplant.
At Novesthetica, our team has years of experience in this field. We offer a free consultation to help determine if a hair transplant is the right treatment for you. We provide tailored solutions for each case, offering personalized advice and hair transplant procedures.