the menopause and hair changes

[jojo]

I have been recently diagnosed as going through an early menopause and am wondering if this is the reason why my hair is getting wavier. My hair when I was pregnant went very curly due to hormonal changes, so I am wondering if the hormone changes are changing my texture again?

What are the other ladies experiences on this subject? TIA

[Toadstool]

I don't know but I am going to go into surgical menopause next month so shall be interested to see! All I've heard is that with decreasing oestrogen hair can thin.

[Theobroma]

I'm not seeing any signs of menopause yet, but my hair has been getting significantly wavier for at least the last five years. I grew out my fringe because it suddenly became too kinky and curly to manage. I suspect that one's hair texture can change over time whether or not there are major hormonal changes going on!

[jojo]

I don't know but I am going to go into surgical menopause next month so shall be interested to see! All I've heard is that with decreasing oestrogen hair can thin.

I had a hysterectomy in 1997 but they left my remaining ovary, but its taken me 14 years to go through the menopause. I take it there taking your ovaries? your menopause will be more sudden than mine; soya is very good at relieving the symptoms unfortunately I can't take it because I also have hypothyroidism but may be an idea for you. Hope it goes well, make sure to get your rest afterwards xx

[jojo]

I'm not seeing any signs of menopause yet, but my hair has been getting significantly wavier for at least the last five years. I grew out my fringe because it suddenly became too kinky and curly to manage. I suspect that one's hair texture can change over time whether or not there are major hormonal changes going on!

I don't understand how hair texture can change without hormone changes or some kind of damage to the follicle:confused: it can change because of better hair routines but I don't see how it can "just" change to be honest. Hair texture comes from the shape of the follicle, i can understand somebody with frizzy hair finding waves, this is very common. mmmmm interesting!

Keep the replies coming!

[MonaMayfair]

My hair went very wavy (from nearly straight) when I developed hypo (under active) thyroid. Not knowing anything about thyroids at the time, I didn't realise that that's also hormonal!
With the right dosage of medication it's gone back to being much straighter (I'd have preferred it to stay wavier, I'd love to have curly hair!)

I've read of lots of case where peoples'hair has changed texture with hormonal changes (sometimes with the reverse happening, and curly hair becoming straighter)

[Toadstool]

I had a hysterectomy in 1997 but they left my remaining ovary, but its taken me 14 years to go through the menopause. I take it there taking your ovaries? your menopause will be more sudden than mine; soya is very good at relieving the symptoms unfortunately I can't take it because I also have hypothyroidism but may be an idea for you. Hope it goes well, make sure to get your rest afterwards xx
Thanks Jojo.:) Yes they are taking my ovaries. I have been on oestrogen for ten years anyway and am having some sort of hRT afterwards. Are you on HRT?

[Theobroma]

I don't understand how hair texture can change without hormone changes or some kind of damage to the follicle it can change because of better hair routines but I don't see how it can "just" change to be honest.

TBH it beats me too. All I know is that I had a fringe for about 15 years and it behaved perfectly -- I'd blowdry it into shape around a round brush in the mornings and it'd stay in shape all day, and the next day too if I didn't sleep on it wrong. Then all of a sudden it was made of weird, irregular kinks and waves and half of it was bending double back on itself, and the other half was sticking out at odd angles, and even re-wetting and blowdrying it three times a day wasn't getting it to play nice. That was five years ago at least and I didn't notice anything resembling hormonal changes, so if anything like that was going on, it would have to have been something that didn't create any symptoms... except for curling my hair. :confused: