Between 50 and 60, the estimated percentage of women suffering from hair loss rises from 50 percent to 80 percent. The natural biochemical transition known as menopause plays a crucial role in female pattern baldness. If you’ve reached this phase of life and worry about your thinning hair, you can benefit from a basic understanding of how menopause influences hair loss and what you can do about it.
Hormonal Changes and Your Hair
Every human body produces sex hormones associated with both men and women. Androgens such as testosterone trigger the appearance of typical male secondary sexual characteristics, while estrogen and progesterone account for female reproductive abilities and features. However, as a woman reaches middle age, her body produces less estrogen and progesterone while her androgen levels remain unchanged. This altered hormonal balance results in menopause, in which women grow infertile and stop having monthly periods.
Unfortunately, estrogen and progesterone help you maintain healthy hair growth and retention. As you enter the preliminary stage of menopause or perimenopause, the drop in these hormones allows the hair to fall out faster than new hair can replace it. In women, this problem tends to cause thinning throughout the scalp rather than the receding hairline seen in men.
Other Hair Loss Factors in Menopausal Women
Although hormonal shifts play the most significant role in menopausal hair loss, other health factors can contribute to or aggravate the problem in menopausal women. Certain drugs commonly taken by middle-aged women offer a case in point. If you take blood thinners, beta-blockers, antidepressants, anti-seizure drugs, thyroid medication, or medications prescribed for autoimmune diseases, you may face an elevated risk for hair loss during the menopausal years. Other risks may include chronic stress and a family history of menopausal hair loss.
How to Fight Back Against Menopausal Hair Loss
While you can’t reverse menopause, you can take positive action to minimize the effects of this life transition on your hair. In some cases, the same medications men use to battle hair loss also work for menopausal women.
Minoxidil, or Rogaine, comes in different strengths to suit both men and women. When used as directed, this topical medication can help promote the regrowth of lost hair. Other drugs can reduce unwanted facial hair growth during menopause or minimize additional hair loss.
Self-care can help you retain more hair during this transitional period, starting with stress reduction. Consider pursuing meditation, getting more sleep, and exercising regularly to fight stress and optimize your hormonal balance.
Dietary changes can also help. Eat foods rich in monounsaturated oils, folic acid, and vitamin B6. Get plenty of omega-3 fatty acids by eating more fatty fish, almonds, walnuts, and flax seeds.
Suppose you’re unhappy about the hair loss you’ve already sustained. In that case, you can explore restoration strategies. Modern medicine offers techniques ranging from laser treatment and micro-needling to hair transplants. Ask your doctor for advice and referrals.
Menopause can affect many aspects of your life, including your hair. However, you still have the power to minimize or compensate for those effects. Contact Custom Hair to learn more and explore your options.
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