Overcoming Menopausal hair loss: signs, causes and treatment

Menopause is a biological process which all women will experience at some point in their life. During this time, women will experience a number of physical changes, with hair loss possibly being a prominent one. Many women will notice a change in hair pattern, potentially experiencing hair thinning, breakage, and loss during menopause. To help raise awareness for World Menopause Day, Nioxin (the top salon brand to help you achieve thicker and fuller hair) talked with trichologist Mark Blake about menopausal hair loss, how to identify it, and how to treat it.

What hair changes should I look out for?  

During menopause, women's hair density, volume, length, and hair fall may change. As the thinning spreads through the top of your scalp, the parting may become noticeably thinner. Other indicators include hair that has stopped growing or has begun to recede around the temples and front hairline, as well as each individual strand of hair appearing thinner.

The causes of menopausal hair loss 

Androgens are a group of hormones that include testosterone and androstenedione, and some women’s hair follicles can be quite sensitive to these. As menopause approaches, oestrogen levels begin to fall and the balance between oestrogen and testosterone is disrupted. DHT is a metabolite of testosterone which has been connected to hair loss. As oestrogen and progesterone maintain hair in the growing (anagen) phase, should the balance of these hormones be disrupted, the density, volume, and length of the hair may change.

How to overcome hair loss? 

There’s no harm in trying new solutions that could potentially help your hair to look thicker and fuller. What’s important is finding the right solution that works best for you. Below is a list of steps which will hopefully help you get the beautiful hair you want and deserve.

First Step

• A healthy lifestyle: eating a well-balanced diet
  
• Keeping hydrated: drink plenty of water to flush out toxins from the body
  
• Exercise regularly:  a great way to improve mental and physical health
  
• A good sleep schedule: give your body the time it needs to relax, repair, and regenerate overnight 

Second Step

• Relieve stress: the chemistry in your brain can have either a positive or negative impact on hair growth 
  
• Care for your scalp: shampoo and condition your hair and scalp as much as you need to! Massaging your dermal papilla (which is the part of your scalp where the hair is created) will help blood flow to this area which is required to promote hair growth
  
• Exfoliate your scalp: don’t just do your face! 
  
• Derma rollers: use them gently on the scalp to help promote hair growth 

Third Step

• Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): speak to your GP as HRT may be one of the best defences to overcome menopausal hair thinning and loss
  
• Trichology: Investigate on a medical level and book an appointment with a trichologist
  
• Speak to your hairdresser: you can always ask your stylist for advice on what is best for your hair

No matter the reason, if you’re experiencing signs of hair thinning, or hair loss, our team of experts are here to help.

Nixoin is available online and in selected salons. If you’re not sure what products or style would be best for your hair, get in touch to speak to our expert stylists who will recommend the best solution for your hair. We would love to see your results so make sure you tag @SupercutsUK so we can re share on our channel!