Two out of three women experience thinning hair during perimenopause or postmenopause. Why is this?
First is the decline in estrogen. Estrogen helps keep hair in a growth phase, so when estrogen levels decline with menopause, hair more often enters a resting phase. This causes your hair to look and feel thinner.
Lower levels of estrogen can also result in a decrease in blood flow to the scalp. Less blood flow results in less nutrients to the hair follicles and yes, thinner and more brittle hair.
Second is an increase in androgens, specifically dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Circulating androgens can cause hair follicles to shrink in a process called miniaturization. This results in thinner hair.
Third is a reduction in collagen. Women lose 30% of the thickness of collagen in the first five years after menopause, and this can cause the scalp to become thinner. A thinner scalp provides less support for hair follicles. Just another reason to take a daily collagen supplement like our YOUN Beauty Supplemental Collagen. Finally, stress. All the changes of perimenopause and menopause can result in higher levels of stress, which can create a condition called telogen effluvium. Usually temporary, telogen effluvium is a reason why you may find more hair falling out in the shower or on your pillow.
So, what can you do about it?
I share a comprehensive plan and options to treat thinning hair after menopause on my latest podcast. It discusses treatments in depth such as the following:
