For some women the Menopause is dominated by a reduction on hair volume, this can be for several reasons, but mainly it is due to hormones and genetics
Firstly the genetics:
Androgenetic alopecia is the medical term for genetic hair loss, and this is when the hair miniaturizes when influenced by circulating testosterone, you have to be genetically predisposed for this to happen, for this take a look at your family (remember what your mothers, fathers/grandparents) hair was like, were any of those thinning, if so it is likely you have the potential for your hair to thin genetically, but don’t worry ….most of us have this gene, but it is a spectrum, so this alone does not mean you are going to lose your hair!
How hormones affect hair in menopause:
There are two main hormones at play with a women’s hair Estrogen and Testosterone. Its easy to think of Estrogen as ‘good’ for hair and Testosterone as ‘bad’ but it is not that simple.
Estrogen is better to be thought of as a buffer to testosterone, the hormone that (if genetically predisposed) causes the hair to thin. Estrogen naturally reduces in the women’s body during the menopause, and so testosterone takes more of an effect as there’s nothing to counter it, this may start the genetic thinning process. This is usually not an overnight problem and may slowly manifest itself over years.
So what can I do about it?
Cosmetically, using good quality hair products and/or extensions to increase volume can be the quick fix you are looking for.
HRT may give some women a respite but have to be careful as this may hinder as much as it may help!
Be as healthy as possible and ensure your diet is rich in protein, hair thinning can be exacerbated by some long-term medications such as statins, long term blood pressure tablets etc.. so getting fit and staying healthy should be a priority, the fitter you are, the better your hair will grow, boring but solid advice?!
And medical products such as Regain 5% foam for women (Minoxidil) is an excellent product which is easily available from pharmacists and increases hair volume for most women who use it, but it takes 6-9 months to see differences and if you see those differences, you must carry on using it indefinitely.
