Hair Loss and Menopause

One in three women will experience an overall pattern of thinning hair during menopause because of their increased sensitivity to the testosterone hormone and over 50 percent of women who experience those hormone fluctuations will experience significant hair loss. Because the estrogen levels drop during menopause, hair growth cycle may be prolonged in the resting phase which ultimately leads to either hair thinning or hair loss. Low thyroid function during menopause can also be the cause of hair loss. The numbers are staggering: over 30 million women face hair loss from menopause induced hormone changes.

Estrogen drops as a woman enters menopause. As a result, women can experience hair loss and hair thinning. During a woman's life, the DHT levels and estrogen levels are generally equally balanced however as time passes by, those estrogen levels being to fall, causing an imbalance which can lead to balding. Think of the estrogen as a protector from the testosterone that is present. As soon as estrogen drops, more testosterone floats around creating an imbalance.

The best approach to this is the simplest one: changing your diet. Eating more foods that contain estrogen such as soy products, apples, rice, and potatoes can help balance out the equation. Do not over do it though and cause your body to become dependent on those foods for its entire production. Adding regular exercise routines can help ancillary affects such as reducing stress levels and just feeling better overall.



There are two different types of herbs and only one should be considered helpful in this balancing act. There are phytoestrogenic and non-estrogenic herbs. Its best to stay away from phytoestrogenic herbs as they can create a dependence and cause your body to slow down or cease any kind of estrogen production. This can cause a bigger imbalance and create even more hair loss.

The non-estrogenic herbs encourage your body to produce its own hormones by stimulating the endocrine glands. This causes your estrogen levels to rise naturally which can stop hair loss and promote hair growth. The most famous herb is called Macafem.

Going through menopause can be a daunting task in and of itself. Experiencing hair loss during such a stressful time can cause depression and anxiety on top of the flashes, sleep depravation, and itching. Its important to apply some of these techniques to avoid any rapid hair loss while going through menopause because menopause can be extremely challenging in and of itself.