Menopause, Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), Dry Hair and Hair Loss

Name: Liese

Question: I am 53 years old and on Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). I have long hair and have it coloured, the roots especially. My problem is when I wash it every other day it just WILL NOT absorb conditioner at all and however much I apply, the hair just slides out!! It's so alarming and over the last month it's got worse and worse. I towel dry it then it's so tangled and matted in places it takes quite some time to comb the tangles out. Even detangler won't absorb, so consequently more hair is lost, just loads is coming out. It's so upsetting. What is up with my hair ? Its getting thinner and thinner. My scalp is ok. It's the hair follicle that is in such a bad condition. What can I do?

Answer: Increased shedding is due to a lot of the hair in the resting stage falling out earlier than it normally does. This situation is often a reaction to a previous event like stress, shock or trauma. The timing between the event and start of the increased shedding is crucial in diagnosing this symptom correctly. Hormonal changes that come with the menopause as well can lead to this condition called Telogen Effluvium.

Dry skin and hair is common during the menopause. Overprocessing (using chemicals on the hair to colour or straighten it) also exacerbates the problem so that even the best quality hair conditioner does not help to moisturise or untangle your hair. A lot of the hair that you shed also ends up tangled with the rest of your hair at the ends, long hair in particular makes this situation worse. Cutting the length of your hair and/or opting for a layered cut can alleviate the tangling.

The best thing to do for now is to get your hairloss condition diagnosed correctly. There are other causes of hair loss in women such as Female Pattern Hair Loss, Diffuse Thinning and Alopecia Areata. In order to successfully treat the hair loss, it is important to know the cause - this requires more detailed information about when the condition started.

The Belgravia Centre offers a free consultation with a specialist who will inform you of what is causing the hair loss and recommend a course of treatment that is tailored to suit you. Appointments can be booked 7 days a week and take around 30 - 45 minutes. To book yours, just call 020 7730 6666 or message the centre. If you are unable to visit the clinic, simply complete and submit the online diagnostic form and we will contact you over the next 2 working days.

To see the kind of results seen by clients undergoing treatment with Belgravia, take a look at the clinic's treatment success stories.