Why Does Menopause Cause Hair Loss?

Most people associate hair loss with something that happens to men at middle age, but female pattern baldness also occurs in a significant number of women after menopause.

In fact, hair loss will happen to as much as 40 per cent of women after their menopause symptoms begin. While some will only experience hair falling out at the front of their scalp or their temples, for two-thirds it will be all over their scalp.

Here are the main reasons why it occurs:

Drop in oestrogen levels

Oestrogen is known to support hair growth, but as the hormone drops during menopause, this impacts their quality and quantity of hair.

At the same time, male hormones called androgens increase and these shrink hair follicles, which is why hair loss occurs.

Thinning hair

Instead of having a full head of thick hair that they might have once had, many women over a certain age find themselves with a much thinner coverage.

This is also caused by androgens, shrinking the follicles to the extent they can only produce fine hair, which can

look like the scalp is balding.

Stress

Stress can also cause hair loss, and for some women, the menopause is a very stressful period of their lives.

Not only is it a huge emotional change, but the hormonal fluctuations, insomnia, heart palpitations, headaches, weight gain, dry skin, reduced sex drive, mood swings, recurrent urinary tract infections, and other uncomfortable symptoms can cause a significant amount of stress for several years.

Medications

Although medications, such as hormone replacement therapy (HRT), can help a lot of women with their menopausal symptoms, some may lead to hair loss, so it is important to thoroughly look up side-effects before taking them.