Common Menopause Skin And Hair Changes
These are the most common changes people can expect in their skin and hair post-menopause.
Sagging and loss of plumpness
Collagen is a protein that holds the bodys tissues together. And when estrogen drops, your skins collagen production decreases, too. Loss of collagen means the skin loses its youthful volume and tightness.
To combat this problem, many people take collagen supplements or eat high-collagen foods like bone broth. But the jury is still out on this strategy. We dont have enough controlled studies to prove that consuming collagen will help post-menopausal skin, Dr. Williams says.
Dont give up, though. You can help fight collagen loss at home with a simple facial massage. Dr. Williams recommends taking your favorite moisturizer or facial oil and giving yourself a facial rubdown each night. The massaging motion stimulates your skins collagen production, she says.
Dryness, flakiness and itching
If you see redness or rashes, see your doctor. A dermatologist can rule out issues like eczema, rosacea or allergic reactions and help you find a solution.
Dark spots
Those pesky dark marks, sometimes called age spots, often appear after menopause and theyre hard to treat at home.
Unwanted facial hair
As hormones shift, you may notice hair on the upper lip or chin. If you want it gone, the tried-and-true methods of tweezing, waxing, hair removal creams and threading will get rid of it until it grows back.
Post-menopause acne breakouts
Hair loss and thinning
Wigs And Head Coverings
If hair loss is extensive, you may find that a wig or head covering can give a life-changing confidence boost. Wigs are widely available on the high street, online and from the NHS Alopecia UK has a thorough and informative guide here. Be aware of the latest concerns regarding the use of human hair and its link to modern slavery and trafficking. Leading hairdresser and wig maker Denise McAdam now only works with synthetic hair for this reason.
Does Menopause Make Your Hair Lose It’s Curl
Hormonal changes such as puberty, pregnancy and menopause can cause drastic changes in the texture of your curls. When your body undergoes major hormonal changes, one of the side effects is the remodeling of the hair follicles, which changes the character of the curls. Some will remember this from puberty.
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The Typical Hair Loss Experience
On average, a person loses around 100-200 hairs a day to allow for new hair growth. During menopause, when your hair is breaking, it may seem that you are losing more than the average amount. In reality, however, your hair is not falling out but breaking somewhere along the hair strand itself, giving the appearance of thinner hair.
Protect Your Hair From Uv Rays
Just as the sun can damage your skin, so too can it damage your hair. If youre experiencing menopause hair loss, youll want to take extra special care of the hair you do have by protecting it from the sun. Wear a hat when youre outdoors, or use a UV protection styling product like our Hair Defence & Hydration Mist.
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Treatment Options For Hair Loss In Menopause
Reducing stress can help a lot. Your body may be producing too much androgen if your insulin levels are chronically high and youre maxing out your stress hormones. Reducing stress can help decrease this surging androgen.
Are you getting enough sleep? What about exercising regularly? Are you practicing mindful relaxation? All these can ease the impact of stress, which in turn can help prevent menopausal hair loss.
Hair is made of protein, so it is essential that you are getting sufficient amounts of it in your balanced diet. Good sources of protein are egg whites, low-fat cottage cheese, lean meat, legumes, and nuts for healthy hair.
Non-dietary protein sources such as salon keratin treatments and protein-enriched shampoos are another way to deliver protein to your hair to avoid hair loss and improve hair health. Next time youre at the salon, ask about their protein-enriched shampoo or treatment options.
There are cosmetic options for improving the appearance of hair and medical treatments which, when used long term can improve hair growth.
There are also some well-known over-the-counter medications that have helped curb and, in some cases, reverse hair loss, and stimulate hair growth. One popular medication called Rogaine is known to work well for decreasing hair loss. There are also other medications available by prescription, which you can discuss with your health care provider.
What Can I Do To Prevent Menopause Hair Loss
1. Eat plenty of good foodsA balanced diet fill of vitamins and minerals and is low in saturated fat.
2. Add SupplementsA daily multivitamin or mineral supplement to get the nutrients you may have missed in your diet and help to replenish key nutrients.
3. Exercise RegularlyExercise can help in keeping your mood swings in check, maintaining your weight, and helping you sleep, all of which help to contribute to hormonal balance and promote healthy hair growth.
4. Stay HydratedStaying hydrated can keep your skin and hair healthy and also improve blood circulation, which keeps your follicles nourished.
5. Look after your hairUse a gentle, moisturising shampoo and conditioner when you wash your hair. Choose products that are made specifically for dry or damaged hair that will increase its elasticity.
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What Are The Types Of Hair Loss
There are three: anagen effluvium, telogen effluvium and FPHL.
- Anagen effluvium: This is caused by medications that poison a growing hair follicle .
- Telogen effluvium: This is caused by an increased number of hair follicles reaching the telogen phase, which is the stage where hair falls out.
- Androgenetic alopecia/female pattern alopecia/female pattern hair loss /baldness: This type is the most common. Hair thins over the top of the head and on the sides.
How Estrogen Affects Hair And Skin
If youre seeing changes in your hair and skin post-menopause, you can usually blame rapidly declining levels of the hormone estrogen.
Estrogen promotes water retention and plumpness in the skin, Dr. Williams says. When estrogen drops, you lose some of the molecules that help keep the skin moisturized. Estrogen also contributes to hair growth and fullness. Without it, your hair may become thinner.
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How Is Menopausal Weight Gain Linked To Water Retention
Fluid retention is often associated with menopause, as the weight of water and gas can result from decreased progesterone levels. While this doesn’t really lead to weight gain, the clothes may feel a bit tighter and the woman may feel heavier. The amount of this hormone increases at the onset of menopause.
Bald teen is a boy or girl who is facing hair loss in their teenage. Hair loss is common in teenagers. There are different reasons for hair loss. These include genetics, malnutrition, thyroid condition, lupus, etc. there are seven stages of hair loss. Hair is made up of keratin proteins. There are different treatments for treating the hair loss of teenagers like PRP, nutrients, hair loss, preventing shampoos, etc. â¦
Things Women Should Know About Menopause And Hair Loss
Women expect hot flashes and mood swings to occur during “the change,” but many women are unaware and unprepared for the fact that they may also find themselves facing hair loss and thinning during this time as well. After menopause, about 40 percent of women experience hair thinning, which is almost the same rate as men. But if this is true, why don’t we see bald women on the street? Unlike male pattern hair loss, hereditary hair loss in women is usually a lot subtler and it can be easy to miss the early warning signs. Women tend to experience thinning over a wide area of scalp, and for many, the first signs and symptoms may come in the form of a smaller ponytail, a wider part line or excessive shedding during brushing and showering.
Hair loss before, during or after menopause — as well as after childbirth — is commonly attributed to hormonal changes. And while most physicians agree that replacing these hormones can alleviate many of the other troubling symptoms of menopause, unfortunately, hormone replacement alone does not seem to radically alter a woman’s “follicular fate,” and can even sometimes make matters worse.
Since September is Menopause Awareness Month, it is a good time to take a look at menopausal hair loss, to help women understand the causes of their hair loss as well as learn what they can do to treat it.
For more by Alan J. Bauman, .
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Talk To Your Doctor About Cortisone Shots Or Acupuncture For Perimenopause Hair Loss
The data is inconclusive as to whether or not cortisone shots actually work at re-growing hair, but I do know one woman who gets them frequently and says they have really helped her. Cortisone shots are given at the scalp, and the Mayo Clinic suggests they should not be given more often than every six weeks.
While I know of some women who have had luck with acupuncture for hair loss, the British Acupuncture Society states that there is no evidence that acupuncture can treat hair loss as a specific symptom however, it might help with the underlying problem.
How To Manage Menopausal Hair Loss With Diet Supplements And Lifestyle
There are several effective supplements on the market to address menopausal hair thinning and loss. Diet plays an important role in managing hormones, and should be seriously considered as women enter menopause. In particular, Denniston advocates an anti-inflammation and low-glycemic diet. “Keeping inflammation and insulin regulated is important,” as underlying inflammation and insulin resistance can affect the 5-alpha-reductase pathway, she says.
Denniston also suggests a high-fiber diet to “keep blood sugar stable and to keep insulin resistance and testosterone in check.” She also suggests incorporating ground raw flaxseed into your diet. “It has lignans that help modulate estrogen activity and omega-3 fatty acids to reduce inflammation.”
Maca is another supplement to consider, Denniston says, to “support the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, which can make a big difference for a womans symptoms during menopause.” She adds, “The plant sterols in maca have a balancing effect on the endocrine system. Maca has been used for hundreds of years in Peru to help ease menopausal symptoms.”
A couple other herbs that may be helpful include adaptogenic herbs like ashwagandha and holy basil. Denniston says they can “help regulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and increase stress resilience.” She also likes reishi mushroom and saw palmetto. These help “block the 5-alpha-reductase enzyme and the production of super testosterone, dihydrotestosterone.”
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How To Prevent Hair Loss During Menopause
If follicles receive the necessary stimulus and nutrients from the body, it can stabilize hair loss during menopause and strengthen existing hair growth. This is why its important to nourish thinning hair follicles with the right nutrients, including marine extracts, vitamins and minerals , to promote hair growth during menopause. A good diet, as well as a nourishing shampoo and conditioner that is gentle on dry, aging hair, are top tips for how to treat menopause-related hair loss.
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How Can We Recognise Androgenic Alopecia
Female androgenic alopecia is characterised by a diffused thinning of hair over the crown of the head. Women might notice a widening of their natural hair parting or a less full ponytail. However, if hair-loss more closely resembles male-pattern balding , this might be a sign of a different hormonal condition such as polycystic ovary syndrome . Other symptoms of PCOS include weight gain, acne, excessive facial hair growth and irregular periods.
Poor diet and iron-deficiency can also result in hair loss. The NHS advises consulting a GP if you have sudden hair loss, develop bald patches, lose hair in clumps or experience itching or burning sensations on the scalp.
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What Is The Prognosis/outlook For Women With Hair Loss
Your diagnosis determines the prognosis:
- Anagen and telogen shedding may stop with time.
- Treat any diseases associated with hair loss.
- Disguise or cover your hair loss using a wig or hat.
- Early treatment of alopecia may reduce the speed of thinning and may promote regrowth.
While hair loss is not itself dangerous, women with hair loss tend to be very upset by the changes to their appearance. These negative feelings can affect self-esteem and social lives. Recent studies suggest that FPHL can be associated with conditions that include metabolic syndrome, endocrine disorders and diabetes.
What Is The Difference Between Menopause And Pregnancy
Menopause is a condition that usually occurs about a year after your last period. Pregnancy is a condition that occurs when a fertilized egg implants in the uterus. Menopause occurs in all elderly women or in women who have had a hysterectomy with removal of the ovaries. Only a few women get pregnant.
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Sun Protection Is A Must
No matter what your skin challenges are, sunscreen is your friend. Slather it on every day, all year round. Sun protection can ward off signs of aging and prevent skin cancer.
Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen thats SPF 30 or higher. Choose one you like so youll be more likely to apply it every morning. If youre going to be outside, reapply every two hours or after swimming, sweating or toweling off.
The suns rays age your skin and increase the risk of skin cancer, Dr. Williams says. Even in the winter, UV rays penetrate the clouds.
How Common Is Hair Loss During Menopause
Believe it or not, menopause hair loss is incredibly common. Among postmenopausal women, as many as two-thirds suffer hair thinning or bald spots. Menopause hair loss is common across all ethnic groups. Thinning hair during menopause is also thought to be linked to genetics. So if you have a family member who experienced thinning hair during menopause, youre more likely to develop it too.
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Finding The Root Cause Of Hair Loss Is Important
If youre bothered by your thinning hair or hair loss, a visit to your primary care doctor is a great place to start, says Bruce. Its likely that female pattern hair loss is probably the cause, but a clinical examination can confirm this, she says.
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If the hair loss doesnt follow the typical appearance of female pattern hair loss, your doctor will likely perform a few tests to explore potential causes.
- A complete blood count test is used to evaluate overall health and can detect many conditions, including anemia, which can cause hair loss.
- Thyroid function tests can reveal thyroid issues that may be related to thinning hair.
- A dietary assessment, or a discussion of what you eat, can determine whether you have a normal healthy diet and any vitamin deficiencies.
- Autoimmune inflammation Your doctor may investigate conditions related to inflammation in the scalp, including autoimmune diseases, which can be associated with hair loss, says Bruce.
- A hormone test may be performed, though a hormone imbalance is rarely the culprit in hair loss, says Faubion.