Is Menopausal Hair Loss Permanent?
Alright ladies, let’s dive right in and talk about menopause! Menopause is a natural aging process that happens to all women at a certain age. It typically occurs between the ages of 45 and 55 but can happen some years before or after.
During menopause, the ovaries stop producing reproductive hormones. This transition means that, as a woman, you can no longer get pregnant. At the end of your menopausal transition, you won’t have a period anymore, which is great, right?
Although the end goal of menopause can be exciting, going through it can be a little rough on the body and mind.
Some symptoms of menopause include irregular menstrual cycles, fatigue, mood swings, and excessive sweating during the night. Menopause can strain sleeping patterns and give you those awful hot flashes.
As scary as it may seem, menopause isn’t something that you should fear, but you can prepare for and welcome it when it arrives. The whole journey can be empowering and beautiful.
Can Menopause Affect Your Hair?
There are many aspects to menopause, but let’s focus on one symptom of menopause that can cause a decline in your self-esteem and may make you feel alone, even though you definitely aren’t. This is menopausal hair loss.
We know the last thing you want to be worried about when you’re already going through a life-altering transition is potentially losing hair, but menopause and hair loss can sometimes go hand in hand.
Over half of women suffer from menopausal hair loss. It really is that common, although it isn’t something that is talked about often enough.
What Causes Hair Loss During Menopause?
When your body goes through menopause, hormones are all over the place. Your body is experiencing something that it has never gone through before. A hormonal imbalance can affect all aspects of your body, including your hair.
During menopause, there is a decrease in the production of progesterone and estrogen. The more progesterone and estrogen you lose, the smaller your hair follicles become. When your hair follicles become smaller, this can disrupt your typical hair growth.
Progesterone and estrogen hormones not only aid in hair growth but also help with keeping your hair attached to your head for a longer period.
Is Hair Loss Caused By Menopause Permanent?
Although you may be anxious and confused, please don’t panic. Hair that is lost due to menopause is not lost permanently. Since your hormones won’t be fluctuating wildly forever, your hair will eventually return to its normal growth cycle.
You can put some of your worries at ease now that you know this stressful situation won’t last forever and things will be back to normal at some point. The hair lost can grow back with time but try and lean into patience, as it takes some time to get your hormones back to normal after menopause. Your hair cycle won’t be back to normal overnight.
A woman isn’t considered post-menopausal until they’ve experienced 12 consecutive months without a menstrual cycle. Even after 12 months without a period, you can still experience some menopausal symptoms. They will decrease slowly and, over time, will go away altogether.
Am I Experiencing Hair Loss Due to Menopause?
It may take some time to realize that you’re experiencing hair loss, as shedding some hair is normal. Hair loss caused by menopause can be a slow process that you may not notice until your hair is significantly thinner. Hair loss in women occurs at a slower pace than it does in men.
It may start with noticing more hair in your hairbrush or your ponytail looking thinner than usual. Your hair may even be breaking off more often than it used to. Typically hair loss in women is most noticeable at the crown of the head.
If you notice that you are losing hair and know you are going through (or about to go through) the menopausal transition, then that is more than likely the cause, but you seek a doctor's opinion.
It is good to make sure to rule out all other health concerns before deciding that menopause is the cause of your sudden hair loss. This way, you will know how to handle it moving forward.
What Can I Do About Menopausal Hair Loss?
Although there are no ways to completely stop the hair from falling out during menopause if you are prone to it, there are ways to reduce the amount. You can take certain actions to keep your body healthy.
Keep on reading for ways to reduce hair loss during menopause.
Stress
Stress is bad for our bodies no matter what age or stage of our lives. It can make you feel exhausted even when you’ve slept all day. Stress can make you irritable and run down.
Your body is changing during menopause, and your hormones may feel out of your control; this is normal. This may cause your stress to be at an all-time high, but there are tried-and-true ways to mitigate your stress levels. And they can feel incredible!
Did you know that stress can also have a negative effect on your hair? Stress has been linked to hair loss, as stress can disrupt your hair's growth cycle. When your hair’s growth cycle is disrupted, hair can fall out and break off more often.
It is important to reduce stress if you want to minimize hair loss during this time. Less stress equals less hair loss. It’s a win-win.
We all know it is impossible to live completely stress-free as nothing in life is perfect, but decreasing stress is important for our bodies and our hair to be healthy. If you notice something specific that is causing you unnecessary harm mentally, try to find a way to alleviate it.
A good way to relieve stress is to schedule time just for yourself. It is essential to your well-being to have time away from your concerns just to relax. You can schedule a massage, meditate, take a yoga class, and discover what brings you bliss and joy.
Exercise
Get your body moving! Exercise is vital in keeping our bodies healthy. Exercise can support our overall health and well-being whether we are experiencing menopause or not. Exercise can make you feel better starting from the inside out - and who doesn’t want that?
Exercise can help regulate your hormones. When your hormones are regulated, it will help decrease the hair you lose during menopause.
Exercise is also a great way to reduce stress, which is a crucial factor in decreasing menopausal hair loss. Exercise increases dopamine levels in the brain, which then decreases stress. Dopamine also helps with decreasing feelings of sadness and improving your mood.
Diet
Eating healthy throughout your life is always a good idea. A balanced and healthy diet is great for your body and hair. The healthier food we eat, the healthier our bodies will be.
During the menopausal transition, it is essential to have a healthy diet to aid in hair loss reduction. Focus on foods rich in nutrients and have plenty of protein. Protein helps the hair follicles grow and thus aids in menopausal hair loss.
Keep it balanced. A healthy diet does not mean eliminating the foods that make you happy. It just means keeping everything in moderation. It would be majorly depressing if you couldn’t indulge every once in a while!
Also, make sure that you are also drinking plenty of water. Our bodies need an abundance of water to stay healthy. You need about eight full glasses of water a day to stay hydrated. Water also helps with hair growth as it hydrates the hair from within.
What Else Can I Do To Decrease Hair Loss In Menopause?
If you are not getting enough vitamins through your food intake, you can add some supplements to your diet. Ask your doctor what you should take to help with your hair loss. They can run a blood test and see what you may be lacking.
Keep nourishing your hair! Try to avoid products with damaging chemicals and opt for a more gentle choice for your hair products.
Stay away from using heated products too often. If you use a hair straightener or curler every day with already compromised hair, it can cause it to break off.
Manage Menopausal Hair Loss With Better Not Younger
You may lose some hair during menopause if you are a part of over 50 percent of women who experience this. You may be worried about what your hair will look like, but the good news is that hair loss during menopause is not permanent.
Better Not Younger focuses on products to address hair loss concerns. Support your hair health at any stage of life with products that help you build the foundation for a lifetime of volume, thickness, and healthy results you’ll love.
Try to take action and keep up with your balanced diet, exercising, and de-stressing routines to decrease the amount of hair you can lose. Remember, do not panic! That only adds to the stress; everything will be as it was again.
Menopause can sometimes be lengthy, but when it is all said and done, you will feel and look better than ever!
Sources:
Estrogen - StatPearls | NCBI Bookshelf
Menopause FAQs: Understanding the Symptoms | North American Menopause Society
Nutrition of women with hair loss problem during the period of menopause | PMC