Why Does Menopause Cause Hair Loss?

We all know that women going through menopause can experience a catalogue of symptoms, and some of these symptoms are more widely discussed than others. Everyone has heard about the hot flushes, mood swings and menstrual changes that can accompany menopause. But not many people know that menopause can also have a negative impact on your hair. In fact, up to 40% of women experience hair loss during or post-menopause - that’s a significant percentage of women!

Hair loss in women often goes undiagnosed for some time, as it can often be difficult to spot. The way in which men and women lose hair is very different; whilst women usually experience diffuse hair loss that is spread across the whole scalp, men tend to have patchy hair loss in the crown and temple area, making male balding more noticeable.

What causes menopausal hair loss?

So what exactly causes hair loss during the menopause? Thinning hair or shedding during and after the menopause can be blamed on one main culprit: female hormones. Just as hormones during pregnancy speed up hair growth, leaving many pregnant women with enviable, lustrous locks, so the change of hormones in the body during menopause can cause your hair to fall out. However, just because you’re menopausal, doesn’t mean that this is automatically the reason for your hair loss! It’s important to ensure that hormones are actually responsible for your thinning hair and that there isn’t an underlying cause such as anaemia, thyroid disorder or another, more serious illness.

Can HRT help?

Many women turn to Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) during menopause to ease their symptoms, such as hot flushes. Whilst Hormone Replacement Therapy isn’t designed to directly treat hair loss during menopause, it can help to regulate female hormones which can in turn reduce the risk of experiencing menopausal hair loss. Be careful though, as HRT treatment can sometimes include testosterone therapy. Testosterone plays a role in balding for both women and men and can actually exacerbate hair loss, so it’s best to avoid this type of therapy if you have noticed thinning hair or shedding.

If female hair loss is a concern, it’s a good idea to consult a hair loss expert, who can diagnose what is causing your hair loss and provide a personalised hair loss treatment programme that will help your hair to grow back strong and healthy.