Menopause is a complex time in a woman’s life. Many physiological realities that one has taken for granted up to this point in their life begin to change, and it requires those experiencing it to reassess the way that they approach their health. But can menopause cause hair loss?
Can Menopause Cause Hair Loss?
The menopausal process can impact all sorts of different parts of a woman’s health. One effect of this process is that many women begin to experience hair loss.
This can be very upsetting, as hair loss in women is less common than in men, and can impact their emotional health in different ways. If you’re going through menopause and are curious about the ways that it interacts with hair loss and receiving a hair transplant, then take a look at this overview on the subject.
What Is Menopause?
The term “menopause” refers to the time in a woman’s life when she starts to miss her period and her egg production stops entirely.
Although there is considerable variation in the precise timing of this period, most women experience it between the ages of 45 and 55. Normally, the menopausal phase lasts for three years. A woman may have a number of extremely common symptoms throughout menopause. A few of these are:
- Shaking
- The Skin Turning Red
- Heat Waves
- Dry genitalia
- Restless nights
- Mood changes
A significant reduction in estrogen production is the main cause of health problems in post-menopausal women. This has a lot of unintended implications.
Why Does Menopause Cause Hair Loss?
When a woman undergoes menopause, she experiences a drastic drop in estrogen and progesterone. These types of hormones help a woman maintain a healthy head of hair for longer.
The decrease in these types of hormones is accompanied by an increase in androgen, a hormone that also contributes to hair loss.
Aside from hormone imbalance, there are several other phenomena that occur during menopause that can contribute to hair loss during the menopausal period. Some of these include stress, illness, or a lack of nutrients. Fortunately, there are several ways to counteract hair loss and dampen the menopausal impact that can make this problem worse.
Eat a Proper Diet
Maintaining proper nutrition is essential in the fight to keep a healthy head of hair. There are many different foods that contain beneficial compounds for this purpose.
Eating foods high in essential fatty acids are especially beneficial. Some examples of such foods include:
- Salmon
- Tuna
- Flaxseed
- Walnuts
- Almonds
Get Regular Exercise
Regular exercise can help you no matter what your situation is, and the same goes for hair loss. Ensuring that you engage in regular exercise can help you maintain a healthy head of hair for the longest amount of time possible.
Along with hair loss, exercise can help to combat some of the other negative effects of menopause, including mood swings, insomnia, and weight gain.
Any kind of exercise will do, so long as you engage in it regularly and keep to a schedule.
Reduce Stress
Taking steps to reduce the amount of stress in your life will give you an edge in combatting menopause-related hair loss. This is because stress negatively impacts every area of the body. Given that the body is a holistic system, one area of stress and malfunction can impact every other area as well.
Ensuring that you engage in stress-reducing activities such as yoga, meditation, and times with friends can help to ensure that you keep your hair for as long as possible.
Hydrate
Staying properly hydrated is another essential step to take in the mission to keep your hair healthy. Making sure that you drink enough water can keep your hair and the rest of your body strong. Ensure that you choose to drink water rather than substances that can dehydrate you, such as coffee, alcohol, and sugary sodas.
Doctors typically recommend that you drink an average of eight glasses of water per day. Following this can help you maintain healthy hair and a healthy body.
Don’t Modify Your Hair Artificially
Avoid the use of artificial hair dyes and other substances if you’re experiencing some hair loss. These products can oftentimes contain harsh chemicals that can brutalize your hair and exacerbate hair loss, especially if this phenomenon is already occurring.
Helping Women Through Their Menopausal Years
Denver Hair Surgery offers menopausal women a concrete path forward in their mission to reduce and reverse the effects of menopausal hair loss. If you’re suffering from this issue and would like to consult with a physician about a hair transplant for women, contact us today.
