Menopause Hair Loss

Hair loss is a very common symptom of menopause with approximately 50% of menopausal women noticing some amount of it. In fact, many times, hair loss is one of the first symptoms witnessed by a woman during her menopause. Unfortunately, this symptom can be very depressing or can bring in a feeling of uncertainty in a menopausal woman leaving her vulnerable.

The menopause hair loss is particularly due to the fluctuating levels of hormones in the body, which is the primary cause of menopause too. To understand this, it is first necessary to know how hair grows and falls.
 

• The Processes of Hair Growth and LossOn an average, the head possesses nearly 1,00,000 hairs that are formed from keratin, a protein responsible for forming the nails and outer layer of skin. Hair exists on the head for 2 to 6 years during which it tends to grow and this growing phase is called ‘anagen’. As against this, a resting phase called ‘telogen’ is also witnessed for about 3 months wherein the hair does not grow, gets detached from the hair follicle, and then falls resulting in hair loss. Normally, 50-100 hairs are lost each day, which are constantly restored by the hair follicles. But, in women undergoing the transition of menopause, this amount of hair loss is greater.
  
  In menopause, around 15% of hairs enter telogen wherein they are detached from the hair follicles and so, easily fall from the head. Normally, the hair follicle minimizes to rest for three months and then re-enters anagen creating a new hair shaft to push out the old hair shaft resulting in loss of the old hair. This process in menopause is not properly carried out and so it results in a greater hair loss.
• CausesThere are two main hormones responsible for hair growth namely, estrogen and testosterone. In the most common hair loss type during menopause named estrogenic alopecia, a drop in estrogen level is the direct cause of menopause hair loss. This is obvious as it is estrogen that aids in faster, thicker, and healthy hair growth making the hair to stay on the head for a longer duration. When estrogen levels decline, androgens increase leading to another type of hair loss called androgenic alopecia. An androgen, known as dihydrotestosterone (DHT) attaches to hair follicles and puts them into their resting phases very soon resulting in new thinner hairs. Even testosterone shrinks the hair follicles leading to hair loss on head, but generating more hair on the face. Besides hormones, there are other causes that can result in menopause hair loss, which are medical, psychological, and lifestyle triggers.
 
• Medical causes are:
• Pregnancy
• Thyroid disorders
• Pituitary problems
• Anemia
• Chemotherapy
• Chronic diseases
• Scarlet fever
• Psychological causes are:
• Anxiety
• Emotional stress
• Traumatic events
• Depression
• Eating disorders
• Lifestyle triggers are:
• Insufficient B and C vitamins
• Iron deficiency
• Short of protein
• Lack of exercise
• Pulling or twisting hair
• SymptomsListed below are some of the most commons symptoms of menopause hair loss.
• Falling of hair in huge bunch while washing
• Noticing large snarls of hair in brush or comb
• Discovering little bald patches on the scalp
• Having red, oily, and/or itchy scalp
• Spotting thinning of hair on front, sides, or top of the head
• Treatment for Hair LossYou will be shocked to know that Americans pay 1 billion dollars annually for tackling with the problem of hair loss. For menopausal women, it is recommended to first start with lifestyle adjustments such as changes in diet and hair care. Diet changes include increasing the intake of protein, vitamins B & C, and iron. Other changes can be exercising, opting for stress reduction techniques like yoga or meditation, and not pulling or twisting hair.
  
  It is even better to directly go for something that can increase the hormonal levels. For this, the most beneficial treatment is to use herbs that nourish the glands to produce more hormones again. However, to reap the maximum results, combine taking herbs with the lifestyle adjustments.
  
  In case if you are suffering from extreme menopause hair loss, medications and hair transplant surgeries are the options. But, these come with their risky side effects.