Menopause – your hair
When women reach a certain age – one thing is for certain, we will go through the menopause.
Symptoms vary from mild to severe and our hair can be compromised, with hair loss or thinning. The body goes through lots of changes during this time and hormones fluctuate, having an impact on our hair.
Many of the unpleasant symptoms, including hot flushes, mood swings and insomnia are felt by many women. Some symptoms are so severe that people think they are losing their minds and panic attacks are common during this time.
Women go to the doctors to get help and support and sometimes are prescribed hormone replacement therapy drugs. This can balance hormones again and eradicate some of the stronger, most unpleasant symptoms, however, there are always risks involved with any drug and it should be thoroughly explored and discussed with a GP.
One of the other more common side effects, is hair loss or thinning.
This is caused by oestrogen and progesterone levels dropping, this causes an increase in androgens which can damage the hair follicle, making it weak. This can also make hair grow in unwanted places, such as the face or chin.
A visit to a GP should be the first place to start when diagnosing hair loss, to rule out any underlying health problem. High stress or anxiety levels will contribute to hair loss also.
So what can we do about it?
There are basic steps we can all take, such as reduce stress (not always possible) eat a healthy diet and keep active. Drinking water can really help too, it keeps us hydrated and helps circulation.
Avoid over processing with chemicals or extreme heat which can weaken the hair further. Keep your hair well-conditioned and have regular deep treatments.
It’s worth noting that some medications can cause thinning or hair loss so it’s always worth speaking to your GP to discuss alternatives.
As a final note, hair loss is mostly a temporary thing and as you go through the menopause, the symptoms will usually subside.
