Does Menopause Cause Hair Loss?

The hair follicle, a complex mini-organ with its own blood supply, requires a great deal of metabolic energy to reproduce itself, and it’s one of the most sensitive among all of the organs. That means it is easily affected by even subtle shifts in energy, which can lead to hair loss.

The long-standing belief is that the hormonal imbalances that occur during menopause — when the body produces less estrogen and progesterone — trigger the production of androgens (male hormones), leading to hair loss. This is caused by an increased sensitivity to testosterone, the androgen, which turns into or DHT (dihydrotestosterone). Over time, the DHT causes the hair to miniaturize, until the hair is barely visible. This is known as post-menopausal hair loss.

Before a woman has her last period, she may be “estrogen dominant,” meaning she has too much estrogen relative to her body’s progesterone production. This happens when the estrogen begins to overstimulate the body and the brain. “Estrogen dominance” may occur for 10-15 years, beginning as early as the age of 35, until menopause officially begins. All of these symptoms are exacerbated by stress of many kinds.

Progesterone Therapy for Hair Loss

Plenty of medical professionals use progesterone therapy for hair loss in menopausal women as a “go-to” treatment. Since progesterone is a precursor to testosterone, it can help inhibit DHT (that tricky little devil that causes the follicles to shrink) and stop more loss from occurring. Of course, progesterone isn’t the only cause of the loss, and there are other things that might be triggering the loss. We will look at those next.

Is Menopausal Hair Loss Permanent?

We’re constantly researching ways to re-trigger those dormant follicles as they relate to menopausal and post-menopausal hair loss. In most cases, the hair loss is not permanent. We recommend a comprehensive, holistic approach that includes: lifestyle, diet and scalp health.

How to Stop Menopausal Hair Loss?

There are many things you can do right now to help improve your hair health and quality.

#1: Reduce Stress

To help with the mood swings and anxiety, be proactive about relaxation. Make it a part of your day; learn breathing and meditation methods to help you. The more stress you have, the higher the cortisol levels in your body. That means the estrogen and progesterone will stop interacting with your cells as they should, leading to oxidative stress, thinning and hair loss.

#2: Manage Your Weight

Extra weight means more stress on the body, leading to further imbalance. Incorporating some exercise into your daily routine will leave you feeling stronger and happier, and more in control of your life. Managing your weight helps prevent some of the other symptoms of menopause. All of these factors are important for maintaining hormonal balance, which promotes healthy hair growth.

#3: Estrogenic-Inducing Foods

Certain foods contain higher levels of phytoestrogens (naturally-occurring plant compounds that are structurally and/or functionally similar to mammalian estrogens and their active metabolites). Foods such as soy, peas, cranberries, prunes, apricots, sage, oregano, flaxseed and sesame seeds are high in phytoestrogens. This doesn’t mean you should never eat them, but keep them to a minimum.

#4: Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamin B plays a key role in the metabolism of estrogen in the liver. If estrogen isn’t metabolizing properly, a buildup of it can occur, leading to lower levels of progesterone, thus an imbalance. Foods that have Vitamin B include tuna, salmon, beef liver, ground beef/high-quality muscle meat and cottage cheese. Vitamin C and Zinc are known to be helpful in regulating the production of progesterone.

#5: Glucose Control

Insulin resistance has been linked to low progesterone absorption, so it’s important to keep those glucose levels under control. Watch those refined carbohydrates, and instead choose lower glycemic-index foods. You might want to get help from an endocrinologist or a registered dietitian.

#6: Gut Health

Research shows the gut microbiome not only supports the production of nutrients needed for hair growth, but it also supports all of the hormones that control the transition between the anagen (growth), catagen (maturity), and telogen (resting) hair phases required for healthy hair growth. We recommend a high-quality prebiotic and probiotic to keep your gut in good health.

#7: Drink Water

Our bodies must be hydrated to function properly. Load up on water, and pass on the juices, sodas, and flavored drinks that contain sugar and chemicals that are harmful to your body. While the amount of water needed varies from person to person, shoot for eight, 8-ounce glasses of water a day.

#8: Scalp Health

A healthy scalp is critical to healthy hair. When there are chronic inflammation and hormonal imbalances, our vessels and soft tissue begin calcifying and become fibrotic. Some people express calcification and fibrosis through hair-thinning scalp calcification. This simply makes it more difficult for the follicle to break through and survive, due to hypoxia, poor blood flow, and nutrient loss.

#9: Microneedling

Microneedling, which uses nano-needles to create shallow perforations on the skin to create a controlled injury, is the best scientifically validated method to help with calcification. Improvement from micro needling occurs because of the body’s natural healing response to minor, superficial trauma. It is non-invasive, requires no medications, surgery or painful injections.

 Hopefully, these causes for hair loss in women will ease your worries and help you change your routine to reverse hair shedding.

#1: Stress

For many of us, stress has become a significant factor in our daily lives. Unfortunately, when left unchecked, stress can lead to many health-related issues, including hair loss. According to experts, the average human scalp has about 100,000 hair follicles. At any given time, each of your hair follicles is in a different phase of this cycle: Anagen phase (growth), Catagen (transition) phase, Telogen phase (resting), and Exogen phase (shedding). If your hair loss has been triggered by stress, managing your stress could be the key to returning to a healthy rate of hair growth. So, next time you’re starting to feel that stress level rises, remember to take deep breaths and look for healthy stress relievers. Your hair will benefit and so will you.

#2: Weight Loss

I have personal experience with this one. When I recently lost about 35 pounds in three months, I started to notice I was losing more than my normal amount of hair on a daily basis. I was eating a balanced diet, but it was restrictive in calories and resulted in fairly rapid weight loss. The research shows that rapid weight loss can cause hair loss by causing your hair to go into its resting phase, also known as telogen effluvium. According to Dr. Anthony L. Komaroff, “The stress to one’s system from sudden or excessive weight loss can throw hair follicles into their resting phase. This is when many hairs are shed…This resting phase usually lasts two or three months. Hair growth returns to normal after that.”

#3: Childbirth

Known as one of the most physically and emotionally charged times in a woman’s life, it’s no wonder that some of us experience sudden hair loss during and directly after childbirth. According to the medical experts, this is often due to hormonal shifts brought on by pregnancy. During the nine months of active pregnancy, our hair stays in its growth, or Anagen, phase, and does not get shed like it normally would. Therefore, when hormones shift again postpartum and the hair enters its resting phase, the excess hair is shed, which can seem alarming. However, it is usually temporary and a natural part of the childbirth process.

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#4: Hot Oil

How many of you love a good hot oil treatment for your hair? I know there’s something extremely relaxing about the heat and feel of it as it sits on your scalp. While there are some great benefits to it, you may want to be careful when indulging in this activity. It has been found that excessive use of this and other chemical treatments, such as permanents and dyes, can cause scarring to your hair follicles, which may result in hair loss.

#5: Hair Styling

As may be expected, if you engage in excessive hair-styling techniques that put extreme stress and pulling on your hair, such as tight braiding, pigtails, or cornrows, over time, that could result in some hair loss. So, the next time you try one of these styles, you may want to give your hair a little grace and loosen the braid just a bit. Your scalp and hair will thank you.

#6: Genetics

Sometimes, the cause of our hair loss is as simple as genetics. Experts at the Mayo Clinic state, “The most common cause of hair loss is a hereditary condition that happens with aging. This condition is called androgenic alopecia, male-pattern baldness, and female-pattern baldness. It usually occurs gradually and in predictable patterns — a receding hairline and bald spots in men and thinning hair along with the crown of the scalp in women.” If you find yourself experiencing the same hair loss as others in your family, this may be the cause.

#7: Scalp Health

We all love a good dry shampoo or leave-in conditioner, right? While they have some great benefits for our hair, excessive use may cause inflammation and/or clogging of our hair follicles. Because most hair loss is related to the condition of our scalp and follicles, clogging them can lead to hair loss. The key to preventing this loss is to find a hair-care regimen that works for you and one that also promotes a healthy scalp. Shampooing, rinsing, and scalp treatments can help prevent this loss and lead to a healthier you.

#8: Shrinking Follicles

According to experts at WebMD, 30 million American women experience a hereditary condition that causes hair loss, affecting about 50% of all women. It is known as female-pattern baldness. According to WebMD, “Typically, each time a normal hair follicle is shed, it is replaced by hair that is equal in size. But in women with female-pattern hair loss, the new hair is finer and thinner — a more miniaturized version of itself…” What eventually happens is the follicles shrink and can even quit growing altogether. You should visit your doctor or dermatologist if you think you may be experiencing this type of hair loss, as they can help determine a treatment regimen.

#9: Menopause

While many women may experience increased hair loss when going through menopause, experts say this may be more an effect of aging than the actual menopausal process. For many of the reasons above, as women get older, they experience changes in their hair follicles around the ages of 50 to 60. This could be due to hormone changes, stress, diet or other health conditions.

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#10: Vitamins

We all know that good nutrition and proper supplementation are keys to a healthy lifestyle. They are also vital to the health of our hair. Nutritionists have found the most influential nutrients which can be linked to healthy hair are Vitamin B12, Biotin, Folate, and Riboflavin. Many of these can be found in the food we eat, as well as in well-rounded multi vitamins.

#11: Medications

Some medications may cause hair loss, especially if stress on the hair follicles is a known side effect. Prolonged stress may result in hair loss. It is always best to consult with your doctor about prolonged medication use of any kind.

#12: Diet

Finally, indulging in a healthy, well-rounded nutrition routine is crucial to overall health, including your lustrous strands. One commonly misunderstood part of our diets is fat. Some have found that a lack of healthy fats in a person’s diet may lead to hair loss. Experts state that adding healthy fats to your diet is extremely important for hair growth. Fat helps the body assimilate vitamins that are essential for healthy hair. Focus on eating unsaturated fats like Omega 3s.