Menopause hair changes?

[missmanytoes]

Besides being in hot flash hell lately, I'm pretty sure menopause has changed my hair. I've been going through menopause for the last 5 years or so (last menstrual period was in Jan 2015, but I've gone as long as 10 months before, so I may not be done). As recently as 3 or 4 years ago, I had moderately oily hair that was easy to keep at waist-to-tailbone length. I know that many women my age cut their hair because of the hot flashes, but I'm thinking of cutting it because it has become dry, frizzy and fly-away. These days I only wash my scalp about once a week. I use conditioner every time my hair gets wet, whether or not I use shampoo. Please help me figure out how to keep my length without it looking ratty!

[lapushka]

You might, if you only wash weekly, try the rinse-out oil method. The link is in my signature. This will keep the ends moisturized (might consider doing your scalp as well if the dryness bothers you).

[missmanytoes]

You might, if you only wash weekly, try the rinse-out oil method. The link is in my signature. This will keep the ends moisturized (might consider doing your scalp as well if the dryness bothers you).

Thanks for the tip, Lapuska. I'll give it a try

[lapushka]

Thanks for the tip, Lapuska. I'll give it a try

Don't use too much oil, though. About 10 drops is quite enough for straight hair especially. The woman in the video is African American and *needs* the quantities that she does, but on straight hair, 10 drops: more than you need. You might need to tweak it here and there to your liking. Read through the thread well, and good luck!

[Silverbrumby]

I found I had to do the moisture oil balance juggle.

I WCC but I also need to put in a good quality leave in mist spray conditioner.

Just before it completely drys I smooth 2 or 3 drops of Argan pure oil from my ears down.

This helps with the dryness sometimes and adds a bit more heft to my hair from the sealed in moisture.

It doesn't work every time as my hair is very temperamental.

A small shift in humidity, weather, products, hormones etc and I'm back to square one.

Oh, I did find oiling before washing did help with the ends so long as it wasn't coconut oil. My hair hates that.

[hennalonghair]

I stopped 5 years ago and the only difference I noticed is that my hair is thinner than it used to be. It's the same texture though. Maybe a tad drier but I add oil to my ends every night .

[Nadine <3]

Oil, deep treatments...I love coconut oil melted into my conditioner with some honey left on for an hour under a shower cap and knit hat.

[Larki]

I second deep treatments. I use a deep conditioner before I wash (letting it sit at least half an hour) at least once a week, more frequently twice a week. They do wonders for dry, frizzy hair.

[missmanytoes]

I haven't done many deep treatments. Probably gonna have to do those more often. I used to do just olive oil for a deep treatment, but that stopped working as well as it used to. Recently tried mixing honey, aloe vera and conditioner - which did make my hair feel soft, but I do so miss the slip I used to have. Will have to try the coconut oil, honey and condish. *sigh* Getting old sucks. I miss my nice hair, I miss my young eyesight, and doggone it, I HATE hotflashes! But I don't have teenagers anymore, so that does count for something :)

[Silverbrumby]

Btw, when i use cones gloss on my hair it goes back to shiny slippery unless my ends are getting ratty.

[catasa]

Mineral oil/baby oil as a leave in is a good sealant that can maybe add some slip as well (at least people here usually quote it as a good detangling help). I use about six drops on on streaming wet lengths then folded up in a t-shirt, but most people here use only a very few drops on damp lengths as I have understood it, it can easily get too greasy!

[dulce]

I'm 63,my hair thinned a bit and my hairline receded about an inch ,My gray hair is a bit fluffier in texture over my younger hair. I had my hair to my butt till a few months ago but cut back to waist due to multiple surgeries.But it is still normal thickness and I am getting close to hip again.I don't colour,use chemicals or any heat on my hair..I eat a very healthy diet[no suger,lo carb.lean proteins and lots of veggies and some berries,nutsI ] ,exercise daily ,do scalp massage and take a hair/nail supplement.Most times you can still have long healthy hair as you age if you are careful.Sometimes genetics,certain illnesses and certain meds can cause extreme hair loss though if you are unlucky.Hair past menopause in my experience is more fragile and needs TLC and tends to be drier.

[lunalocks]

Thinner. My part is wider, drat. And my hair overall is dryer meaning I don't have to wash so often and that's a good thing. Wavier. I was a 1b before menopause and now I am a 2b. It started in one streak at the back and spread to all my hair over 5 to 10 years. That one streak is still wavier than the rest. AND the grays that come with age, but necessarily with menopause.

[missmanytoes]

I don't mind the grey hairs - they have some waviness. My hair has been pretty straight all my life, so some waviness is nice. My mother and two of my maternal aunts had thinning hair as they aged. I am past the age where they noticed it, so I may have dodged that bullet. One of my nieces is already thinning at only 30! My color has lightened quite a bit - I used to have very dark brown, nearly black hair, but these days it is very definitely brown.

[Deborah]

I did not notice any change to my hair, other than the very small amount of grey that I have developed. My hair texture and thickness seem the same as always.

[proo]

I'm 56, menopause around 48 -
my hair is thicker (4") and longer (approaching waist) than it's ever been in my life.
BUT found LHC at age 50 and have been doing NW/SO for about 2 years
so I attribute my situation completely to that.

[vpatt]

I think my hair is a bit thinner now. But it is definitely fluffier.....maybe due to menopause or grayness or my diet. .. I don't know. I eat all 'real' foods now.....meat, veggies, some fruit and I also make bone broth. It is supposed to support hair and nail growth. And I've lost weight on a Paleolithic diet, too!