At Unique Hair Concepts in Ardsley, New York we assist many women that are experiencing thinning hair or hair loss due to perimenopause or menopause. Perimenopause refers to the time around when women move out of their reproductive period and into menopause. Many women experience symptoms of perimenopause for several years before they finally reach menopause. This is deemed to have occurred when a woman has gone through a year (12 months) without having a menstrual cycle.
Peri and menopause can have multiple effects on a woman’s body. When peri begins, estrogen levels begin to drop, but they do so erratically. Hence why symptoms can come and go – and hair loss can be one of these symptoms.
How Does Perimenopause Affect Hair Growth?
We know that estrogen levels drop as a woman goes through perimenopause. This can affect lots of things, but among them is the fact that hair growth slows down. Unfortunately, this is coupled with thinner hair, since the hair follicles can shrink. Women also experience less progesterone, which further contributes to slower hair growth and thinner hair overall.
It’s worth saying that hair loss occurring around the time of perimenopause and menopause can also occur for other reasons. If you notice your hair is thinner and you’re losing more than usual, it’s a good idea to seek advice from a healthcare practitioner. Blood tests can rule out other potential conditions that could be causing similar symptoms.
This type of hormonal hair loss takes time to spot, since it happens slowly over many months. However, many women have more diffuse hair loss rather than bald patches occurring in specific places, as men do. This type of hair loss can occur throughout peri and after menopause as well, as the estrogen levels settle down. You might notice your hair is harder to style, and that you lose more strands in your hairbrush and whenever you shower or take a bath.
How to Thicken Hair in Perimenopause and Menopause
It’s worth looking at your diet to see whether there are any improvements you can make there. For example, steer clear of processed food as best you can, and go for lots of fruit, vegetables, and natural ingredients. You don’t need to cook anything complicated – a range of simple meals with protein, carbs, and veggies will be fine, and should help you get the vitamins and minerals you need.
Biotin plays a key role in hair health, so you may want to take a supplement to boost your levels. The same applies with vitamins and minerals if your diet isn’t as good as it could be, although nothing beats a good range of healthy food.
There’s also a big range of menopausal hair products for women nowadays. Thickening shampoos, conditioners, and masks are all helpful to use. Try and leave your hair to dry naturally too and choose a hairbrush that is easier on fragile hair. Excess brushing will cause your hair to break, and since it can break more easily at this time of life, it makes sense to reduce this as much as you can. The same applies to heat styling.
Could a Change in Hairstyle Help Your Hair?
It could, depending on the type of style you have at present. For example, do you tie your hair back a lot? This puts stress on your hair, so if it is weaker anyway because of the drop in estrogen, it will be more prone to breakage – and that’s not good if you’re tying it back each day.
A shorter hairstyle can make your hair look thicker, and it dries faster too, so you may be able to get away without using any heat styling tools. Be careful of towel drying too vigorously as well, as this can also break off more hairs.
For many women going through perimenopause and menopause may see that their hair density is not quite the same as it used to be. Hair Loss prevention treatments are beneficial during this stage. Meeting with a hair professional that is highly experienced in working with women with hormonal hair loss is key. At Unique Hair Concepts, we offer solutions for women with thinning hair ranging from non-surgical hair replacement and enhancements, hair loss prevention treatments, hair toppers and scalp therapy are just some of the options available. We customize a plan based on your needs and expectations. Unique Hair Concepts is in Ardsley, New York in Westchester County and proudly serves guests in the New York tri-state area. This is a big time in a woman’s life, and hormonal hair loss can leave you feeling vulnerable and self-conscious. Contact the team at Unique Hair Concepts to schedule a complimentary, private in-person hair and scalp analysis to learn more.
