How Menopause Impacts Your Hair

Some menopause symptoms are more known or talked about than others. Hot flushes and mood swings are among the most commonly known. No two transitions through menopause are alike and everyone will experience a different combination of symptoms including their severity and duration. Something that is also commonly reported is effects to a person’s hair during this time. Changes in a person’s hair present a physical element to menopause, but also can have emotional impacts as well. Knowing why this happens and what to do should it become noticeable, makes a big difference in preparing for looking into solutions.

Why Does Menopause Affect Hair Fall?

Every strand of hair has its own lifespan and shedding hair allows for new hair strands to grow. The main cause of changes to hair are hormonal fluctuations in hormones during menopause. women who have previously been pregnant also frequently report a change in their hair, which is also caused by hormonal fluctuations. As a person enters perimenopause their body will begin to decrease the amount of the hormones oestrogen and progesterone. These hormones have a direct relation to each hair’s lifespan on the head before it is shed. A reduction in oestrogen levels can also trigger an increase in androgens. These androgen hormones can shrink follicles which leads to the reduction in new hair growth overall. Difference in hair texture is also common during this time, hair may become drier or more prone to break.

This means that someone may notice an increase in shedding as more hair is being lost than grown. women in perimenopause and menopause might begin to notice more hair being shed in the shower or when brushing their hair. When there is a significant increase in shedding, it is important to consult with a healthcare professional to assess if this is directly related to menopause.

In addition to shedding, women also report larger and more noticeable hair fall. This might be a larger clump of hair coming out when running fingers through the hair or during brushing. Hair fall in this instance is most likely to occur towards the forehead and on the crown of the head. Women report thin or even bald spots in these areas when they are going through perimenopause and into menopause.

Holistic Approach

Beyond the hormonal reasons for hair fall, there are other factors resulting from menopause that should be considered. All causes of menopause symptoms should be treated with a holistic approach which is individualised for each person. This is vital due to other factors that can lead to changes in hair.

Stress

Dealing with menopause symptoms and other aspects of life is decidedly stressful and stress also has physical impacts on the body. Increases in stress levels also affect hair growth and retention. A compounding factor to stress during menopause is sleep disturbances. It is important to mention changes in sleep patterns to a healthcare professional to discuss mitigation and treatment options. There are also resources to stress reduction strategies in the content library as well.

Treatments

A licensed healthcare professional should be consulted to learn about what treatments are best suited for each individual. Each person has their own needs and circumstances and there are plenty of non-evidence based treatments for hair fall. Exploring a few possibilities is meant to help build a general understanding.

Topical Natural Treatments

These can be categorised in two groups; natural and medical. There is some clinical evidence that does support the use of natural topical treatments for hair fall. Ayurvedic practitioners will have many suggestions for treating hair fall naturally. These treatments may include ingredients found in nature such as caffeine, peppermint and rosemary oils, and castor oil. These are usually combined in a serum and applied directly to the scalp to stimulate hair growth and blood flow to the scalp.

Topical Medical Treatments

The second group are topical medicines that are cleared to be used for hair growth. The main medicine is minoxidil and is used for hair regrowth but should be used with the guidance of a healthcare professional.

Lifestyle Factors

As with almost all menopause symptoms, there is a connection to lifestyle factors that can be adjusted to help. These are not meant to be an additional point of stress, but to add another aspect of a holistic treatment plan. In addition to a well-balanced diet and regular exercise, some hair-related lifestyle factors can also be adjusted.
Switching to a plant-based or gentler line of hair care products may be helpful as well as avoiding any products with harsh chemicals like dyes, curling, and straightening gels. Not using heat on the hair is also shown to help reduce hair breakage as well as gentle brushing with a softer brush.

Professional Evaluation

A healthcare provider can help determine the root cause of your hair concerns. There are other reasons why women may experience hair fall that are not related to menopause such as iron deficiency and thyroid issues. Certain medications can also exacerbate hair fall. Consulting with a healthcare professional is crucial to determine causes to provide personalised recommendations, suggest appropriate treatments, or refer you to a specialist for further care.