menopause and hair

Submitted by louiseds on August 25, 2012 - 3:12am
Body: 

I am not even going to mention prolapse in this topic, because I am very curious about something else.

I noticed towards menopause (3 1/2 years ago), and now beyond it, my long hair has become thinner, ie less bulky. For years now it has been coming out in great handfuls every time I brush it, and after I wash it. I have always used a comb, from the bottom, on wet hair, but a couple of months ago started brushing my hair, starting from the bottom, with a nylon and bristle brush with a rubber base (a down market version of the expensive English variety).

It seems to now be getting much thicker again, is no longer coming out in handfuls, and seems to have started getting longer again, ie the older hairs must be holding on better, for longer. My pony tail seems to be getting fatter. Admittedly I probably have my winter coat for the southern hemisphere cold season, but I remember this 'not happening' in previous winters. I cannot believe how different my hair is this year!

Is it possible that I have at last come through the hormonal upheaval of menopause, 3 1/2 years after my last bleed?

Can anyone else relate to this experience?

What do you think about brushes and combs and menopausal hair?

Louise

Forum:

Surviving60

August 25, 2012 - 2:18pm

My hair is soft and fine, and has driven me nuts since puberty. At 30 I started to get perms. In my 40’s I started to cover the grey with at-home temporary stuff. In my 50’s I decided I needed professional color, and gave up the perms as being too harsh. Menopause seemed to be taking a bit of a toll on things, but like you, I find that sometimes it seems to be bouncing back volume-wise for no apparent reason. I am probably genetically pre-disposed to losing hair with age. But I like to think that the healthier habits I’ve been trying to cultivate might be helping me hang on to what I have for awhile….dare I to hope?? - Surviving

WholeWomanPA

August 25, 2012 - 3:09pm

Dear Louise,
Dare I say, in no way can I relate to a long hair problem. You've seen my do. I don't even have bad, hair days. Don't think I ever lost hair during or since menopause. Only change has been the greying. I used to have very,very dark brown hair. At least, you seem to have a good ending to your story!
Whole Woman PA

fab

August 25, 2012 - 7:04pm

Didn’t want to be the first to answer this last night as it had to be in the negative. Always had fine hair, and it’s getting finer, just like my mum and my nan before me. No matter what I use; comb, brush, leg of a chair the hair keeps on falling at a rapid rate. I reckon I could be bald by the time I’m 102, but hopefully I’ll still have a few teeth to gnaw a bone.

Fortunately, it’s always been a bit oily so when I wash it, it puffs out a bit and so appears to have volume for a few days; deceptive but consoling.

But keep up the positive thinking Louise. If it thickens hair, I’ll try it.

Best wishes Fab

louiseds

August 25, 2012 - 8:56pm

I'm no fan of making a big fuss about hair. The simpler the better for me. I was just getting used to having a bit less to deal with, when this change happened.

Yes Carol, I have seen your neat minimalist do! I just wanted to pat it when I first met you. It is lovely. I have had my hair *that* short in my youth, to signal a new direction with my life, and I might just go for a number 2 as my next change. We have charity shaves for cancer research here in Western Australia. It may be a worldwide movement. I might be a part of that, one day.

That will mean additions to my collection of earrings and hats!

Louise

MsNightingale

August 26, 2012 - 5:42am

Simpler the better for me too AND I shed almost as much as my golden retriever! Would love for that to be over but see no end in sight. Happy to hear your ponytail is fatter and less sheddy!

Heavenlyflower

August 26, 2012 - 12:02pm

Hi MsNightingale, Have any of you ladies had your thyroid checked? when I was 35 2 years into my menopause I started loosing my hair like crazy went to the doctor for something can't remember for what and he looked at my head and ordered a thyroid test and lo and behold I have hypothyroidism he put me on meds and was told my hair would start to grow back which it has never did.
My hair is very thin on the top of my head but other wise on the sides and back it's okay, so guess what I don't worry about my hair I use wigs and nobody not even beauticians can tell I'm wearing a wig, the only person who's unhappy about me wearing a wig is my old hair dresser because I don't need his services anymore I style my own wigs.
Mahalo and much Aloha,
Heavenlyflower

sevilla555

August 26, 2012 - 8:21pm

I'm post-menopausal. Not only has my hair become thinner, but the texture has changed, too. It is now more brittle and dry than in the good old days. I don't color my hair. Having grey doesn't particularly bother me and it's shoulder length.

I use a generic brand of Moroccan Argan Oil and rub it into the ends, then lightly through the rest of my scalp and leave it on. Does seem to help a bit, although I know my hair most likely won't be as thick and lustrous as it was in my youth.

louiseds

August 26, 2012 - 9:54pm

Argan oil! I have heard of that. Another one to try is shea butter. Anyone tried that on their hair?

louiseds

September 2, 2012 - 2:03am

I have just realised that a couple of months ago I changed shampoo. The one I am using now might have less silicone in it. There is only one silicone type ingredient in it, and it is the fourth ingredient on the list. I have been told by a few women that Pantene conditioner (that cuts the friz and makes lovely wavy curls) makes your hair fall out, so don't use it anywhere near the roots. It is the silicone type ingredients that have this effect. The last shampoo I used had several different silicone type ingredients and they were at the top of the list. Maybe this is the reason for my better hair?

alemama

September 4, 2012 - 9:25pm

fab, I died laughing at your post. holy smokes, a tooth to gnaw a bone.
Louise, my hair thins and falls out like crazy after I have a baby. Made me nuts this time so I cut it all off. Now it's growing back and seems a bit thicker and doesn't fall out anymore.
But, it's half as thick as it was before children.
So maybe thyroid, maybe hormones- who knows.

louiseds

September 5, 2012 - 8:36am

Yes, Alemama, my hair fell out three months after each of my three babies, then grew back thick again!

Surviving60

September 5, 2012 - 8:45am

Yeah, I think that's normal, because you don't shed hair during pregnancy as you would normally (and less noticeably) all the time.

alemama

September 5, 2012 - 8:03pm

Did you notice you shed less during perimenopause or maybe slightly before?

Surviving60

September 6, 2012 - 6:27am

Can't recall noticing that, but I've had lots of fluctuations over the years that could have been related to other things like diet, stress, overtreatment of hair.......

louiseds

September 8, 2012 - 6:21am

Stress too much and it falls out a few weeks later. It happens to sheep too. Stress makes their wool fibres finer. Sheep that shed their wool tend to do so in autumn, when feed is shorter (in Australia anyway). A lot of wool growers shear in autumn so that the 'tender' section of the fibre is at the same place as the wool is cut off, so it doesn't have a weak section in the middle of the fibre which affects processing.

I imagine that old, long fibres in hair bearers are also likely to vacate their follicles in preparation for growing a thick winter undercoat. Likewise when the weather gets hotter that extra hair will be shed to make a lighter summer coat. Stress comes in many forms. It might also be affected by day length changes????