Menopause and hair loss?????

[Bethmc]

I had a total hysterectomy (also removed ovaries) a couple of months ago so now I am in menopause. I have read that menopause can cause hair loss (*gasp*). Have any of y'all gone through menopause (surgical or natural) and experienced hair loss? Side note- I am taking some very good hair vitamins. Thanks!!!

[Peggy E.]

I had the same surgery when I was 33, so I've gone a whole lotta years on hrt with no change in my hair.

I'm still taking hormones, but I believe I must have passed some "mystical" point at which the "real" monopause had been originally planned(?) and then I started having serious problems with my hair to the point where it is getting downright bald on top.

What vitamins are you taking? I'm going to nab onto those and see if they might help!

If you are on HRT - and you probably should be at your young age - your hair should be fine.

[proo]

I'm 54, went through natural menopause 6 years ago.
4" circumference.
My hair has never been this healthy in it's life,
but I chalk that up to LHC wisdom.

[dulce]

Yes, I lost hair on my temples and had a one inch bald spot behind my bangs ,a wider part,plus lost half my eyebrows during menopause.Increasing my protein[lean] to 60 grms a day,and using rogaine 5 % on those areas,plus avoiding any hairstyles that involved pulling really helped.A few years later,doing those things my hair is pretty much back to normal. I also stopped all dyes at the time[went silver and I love it!] and hot blowdryers too. This helped my hair to get thicker.I refused HRT as there is such a strong history of stroke and heart attacks in my family,HRT helps but there are other ways ,if like me ,you cannot take it.I also take biosil drops [10] in 1/4 c water daily for hairs and nails.

[dulce]

You can also take dht blockers like saw palmetto tabs,green tea,peppermint tea,chinese herbs, etc,check with a naturopath on this and other ideas and whether this would be safe for you based on your medical history.

[chen bao jun]

I don't think menopause per se causes hair loss. Although there are exceptions, I think that what happens is that menopause often comes around the time when all your hair sins of the past thirty years catch up with you. And also, many women start to dye their hair then and hair dye can definitely cause thinning.
I've been in menopause ten years now and my hair is fine. It's grown a bunch since I started LHC seven months ago, about four inches (not including two half inch trims) and it actually seems thicker, which it didn't need, I'm an almost 5 circumference.
I would just be extra sure to follow LHC methods if I were you and especially to make sure to eat right, drink a lot of water and get plenty of exercise. I'm sure our hair will thin sometime, but I never noticed it in my grandmother and aunts, who didn't dye their hair, didn't perm, didn't wash more than once a week, and didn't know what a hairdresser was, until they were over ninety. And even then, it was just that it got a bit more thin, it's not like they went bald or anything like that.
My mom always says that the best part of her life started with menopause and I am finding the same so far, so don't worry. And by the way, I'm telling my mothert (81 years old) about LHC methods and she's thrilled. she called me last night, after six months of doing to say that she was so excited, hair not only very soft now, but absolutely not shedding at all for the first time in her life.
I did lose some hair, hormone related, I'm sure, after my last pregnancy, 18 years ago. it thinned out around the temples so that I didn't like to wear my hair pulled back anymore. But eventually, while I stopped paying attention, it grew back. I assume any hormone related changes now would just the same.

[dulce]

I do have to mention,with menopause you lose estrogen,then your ratio of estrogen to testosterone is not as favourable,less estrogen,more testosterone and if you have the inherited male or female hair loss pattern it usually shows up then with the hormonal change.I have PCOS so have had a lifelong hormonal imbalance so the menopausal hormonal changes affected my hair very negatively.My normal hair was fine but my silver hair much finer,with the drop in estrogen my hair became much more fragile and could no longer take dyes etc.For some, it may be bad habits catching up with them but it could also be the hormonal changes affecting hair so what didn't damage hair before,does now at menopause.

[dulce]

Menopause is SO individual, some sail through it easily,some like me lose hair,develop full blown osteoporosis the first year of my menopause[loss of estrogen]with some fractures ,develop retinal detachments due to the loss of elasticity in the tissues and retina ,also due to loss of estrogen,I also developed menopausal arthritis,with the drop in estrogens[estrogen is a immune system regulator] leading to increased imflammation and arthritis and pain in all my joints.It doesn't happen to everyone,my mom had the same menopausal symptoms that I did,a lot depends on genetics,my mom and I had completely different lifestyles so I never expected to go through what she did.Lifestyle helps but genetics trumps the card in my experience.

[dulce]

But a lot of women do sail through with no symptoms,so don't worry[hope I didn't scare you]unless you have problems,then you just deal with them,it's not a big deal.

[chen bao jun]

I do have to mention,with menopause you lose estrogen,then your ratio of estrogen to testosterone is not as favourable,less estrogen,more testosterone and if you have the inherited male or female hair loss pattern it usually shows up then with the hormonal change.I have PCOS so have had a lifelong hormonal imbalance so the menopausal hormonal changes affected my hair very negatively.My normal hair was fine but my silver hair much finer,with the drop in estrogen my hair became much more fragile and could no longer take dyes etc.For some, it may be bad habits catching up with them but it could also be the hormonal changes affecting hair so what didn't damage hair before,does now at menopause.
Didn't mean to offend. Didn't know this information, but was certainly not suggesting that anyone here had bad habits with their hair. Was just saying that IF you had bad habits, around this time it might catch up with you just becasue of the length of time.
I hope your hair will be fine. It looks pretty in the photo

[Bethmc]

Oops I posted this accidentally!

[chen bao jun]

Sorry you had all those issues. Sounds difficult.
I just would like to tell the OP, with these 'female' things, don't always expect to be like your mother. Check out your paternal grandmother and aunts also. I do find that genetics is important (though its not the only thing) but my mother often can't explain what is going on with me, while my paternal aunt can. You do get half of your genetics from dad!

[LaurelSpring]

I am getting into menopause time and my hair has been thinning lately. I was hoping it was just a fall shed, but it still seems to be coming out a good bit. It is upsetting.

[dulce]

If you do get hair thinning,Rogaine 5% on the affected areas,chinese herbs,green tea,spearment tea,saw palmetto,borage oil tabs etc plus diet changes[less carbs ,more lean proteins]no dye,no chemicals,no heat can help.See a naturopath for more holistic lifestyle remedies.A regular doctor can also prescribe anti-androgen meds[prescription] I'm not offended,sometimes the hair loss is a lot of bad hair care over many years catching up,sometimes it is hormonal,sometimes it is a combination.If your hair thins in menopause first get a complete blood panel[iron,thyroid,total testosterone panel vs estrogen,auto immune disorders] to rule out a physical disorder.Many times the hormonal shift at menopause can cause all sorts of problems.

[dulce]

I read that up to 50% women have some hair thinning at menopause,was shocked it was that high.

[HumanBean]

Humph...more to look forward too. :rolleyes: