Hairloss in menopause

Hairloss in Menopause

Menopause can be a time where we experience many different symptoms - including hair loss. Read about why this specifically occurs in menopause.

Why do we lose hair in menopause?

There are a number of factors that impact hair health through the peri and post-menopausal years. The following can all impact our hair growth and quality:

• Aging in general

• Having other health conditions

• Genetic factors

• Environmental factors

• Medication

Do hormonal changes make a difference?

Yes! The changes in hormones in peri-menopause play a role. The main issue through these years is a shift in hair growth activity, leading to hair thinning. From a hormonal perspective this can be due to decreases in estrogen, the relative increase in testosterone compared to estrogen, and/or cortisol.

Testosterone and hairloss

Androgens (think, testosterone), which are already pretty low in women, decrease gradually as we age and with menopause. They play a role in modulating hair growth and in sebum production (this is how they impact acne in younger women!).

Even though androgens are decreasing, estrogen decreases more, leading to a relatively higher level of androgens in the system. This can show up as androgenic alopecia in a “female pattern” hairloss with thinning at the front and temples.

Estrogen and hairloss

Estrogen dropping can also impact the growth cycle of our hair as estrogen is involved in prolonging the growth phase of our hair follicles. When it drops, this can partially explain the decrease in growth and thickness of hair through menopause.

Cortisol and hairloss

Lastly, cortisol - one of our stress hormones - has also been shown to impact hair growth. This can happen at any age but cortisol does tend to increase in the late stages of perimenopause in some women.

Interestingly, this is especially true if they have had more severe hot flashes. This tends to impact our skin barrier and repair mechanisms as well - which can also impact our hair.

For many, it’s likely a combination of a few factors! Treatment isn’t always easy, but we always look at the whole person to come up with a plan to support you. Book with one of our naturopathic doctors to get started today!