Menopause and Hair Loss: What You Need to Know
Less than 20% of women say they know what to expect in the menopause, according to a U.S. survey.
This means that many women are entering the menopause without knowing what’s about to happen to their bodies.
The menopause is a biological process which happens to every woman of a certain age. It can occur between your early 40s to your late 50s.
From mood swings to hot flashes, there are numerous physical changes which you may experience during the menopause.
However, some symptoms are more commonly known than others. Let’s take a look at the Menopause and Hair Loss.
Menopause and Hair Loss
Over 50 percent of men experience male pattern baldness.
And yet, hair loss among women is surprisingly high. In fact, according to studies, over 40 percent of women over 40 years old show signs of some level of hair loss.
A lot fewer women experience hair loss due to the menopause. Moreover, it is often less obvious compared with men.
For example, women frequently experience thinning of the hair, rather than baldness. The hair thinning can show up either on the front, top or sides of the head. However, occasionally the hair can fall out in chunks too.
And yet, it’s also important to be aware that hair loss is not necessarily a result of the onset of menopause, such as particularly high levels of stress.
If you want to get to the bottom of the cause of your hair loss, you can have a diagnostic test to determine the cause. Just contact your doctor for more information.
Why Does Menopause Cause Hair Loss?
However, for menopausal women, hair loss is usually caused by a hormonal imbalance.
In menopause, the body produces a reduced quantity of estrogen and progesterone. These are the hormones which help the body to grow hair.
So, rather than hair loss as such, the fall in these two hormones results in the slowing down of hair growth.
Moreover, the drop in these two hormones also results in the increased production of androgens.
It is this hormone which reduces hair follicles, which also further worsens hair loss. However, this process also causes women to develop increased facial hair on the chin.
What You Can Do About Hair Loss?
The emotional pressures of hair loss and thinning are extremely upsetting for most women.
That’s why it’s important to know that hair loss during the menopause is not permanent.
Furthermore, you don’t have to simply accept that you’re going to lose hair during the menopause.
By following our tips, you can make sure your hair stays strong and radiant throughout the changes your body is going through. Let’s discover what you can do.
1. Overcome Your Stress
During the menopause, it’s common that you’ll experience high levels of anxiety and stress.
However, you can reduce the effects of a hormonal imbalance with a few gentle exercises and breathing practices.
Many women pick up yoga or tai chi during the menopause to relieve stress. Moreover, you could also try out mindfulness meditation, which has been proven to reduce stress.
If you have a particularly high-intensity work life, then you could consider reducing your hours or switching to a calmer environment.
2. Physical Activity
We all know that regular exercise and physical activity is good for us. But doing it is another thing entirely.
And yet, during the menopause, keeping healthy with plenty of exercises is especially important. Physical activity is known to reduce mood swings, improve weight loss and insomnia.
If you want to avoid a hormonal imbalance during the menopause, it’s important you keep a regular fitness routine. Even walking for twenty minutes per day has numerous health benefits.
3. A Healthy Diet
Along with physical activity and exercise, what we put in our bodies is also hugely important to fighting hair loss during the menopause.
You need to ensure you’re getting plenty of fruits and vegetables as well as whole grains. However, there are some foods you should definitely turn to if you want to reduce hair loss.
These include:
- Mono-saturated oil (e.g. olive oil)
- Green tea
- Vitamin B6
- Walnuts and almonds
- Tuna and salmon
If you maintain a healthy and balanced diet, you can help to fight off hair loss during the menopause.
You can discover more? Read about how to eat a healthy diet to encourage hair growth.
4. Stay Hydrated
Hydration is one of the most important things to living a healthy lifestyle. Make sure you get plenty of water in particular.
Although OJ and sodas are ok, as part of a balanced diet, it’s important to stick to water as much as possible.
It’s the fastest and most effective way to stay hydrated.
5. Keep Your Hair Natural
You should also be staying away from hair dryers and straighteners if you want to avoid hair loss. Also, extensions and other hair styling techniques should be avoided. Instead, keep your hair natural as much as possible.
Wash your hair with natural shampoo and nourishing conditioner to encourage hair growth.
And whenever you do any activities, make sure you protect your head hair. For example, when swimming, wear a swimming cap. And when you’re out in the sunshine, wear a hat to keep the sun off your head.
How You Can Fight Hair Loss in the Menopause
Few womenknow the relationship between the menopause and hair loss. But, now you know what to expect from your hair during the menopause.
In addition to the above tips, you should also consider hair loss supplements. If you want to discover more about hair loss products, check out our online store here.