Don’t Lose Your Hair Over Menopause
December 9, 2009
Menopause is a looming event for all women. During menopause, the body undergoes many changes, and some of them cause unwanted hair loss and thinning. Women may start noticing that their hair is thinner or even falling out, creating bald patches. Thankfully, there are ways you can prevent hair loss during menopause.
Why Menopause Can Trigger Hair Loss
Hair loss is known to be a result of a number of causes, including stress and hormonal effects. Since menopause involves major hormonal changes and can be stressful for women, the changes can result in the hair follicles shrinking, causing hair to fall out.
A woman’s body, when younger, has a normal balance of both estrogen and testosterone. Normal hair growth depends on the estrogen levels to remain healthy. However, during menopause, estrogen levels tend to drop dramatically. In addition, during menopause, the male hormone, testosterone, increases and has a tendency to convert to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is the hormone known to cause shrinkage of hair follicles, ultimately resulting in hair loss.
DHT inhibits hair follicles from receiving much-needed nutrients. When the hair follicles are cut off, they stop producing the amino acids and kerotin that are the building blocks of hair. The hair follicles also begin shrinking, which causes the existing hair to fall out.
How to Keep Your Hair during Menopause
What do you do when you first begin menopause and notice the first signs of hair loss? Many women going through menopause choose hormonal replacement therapy (HRT). HRT can help regulate the hormonal levels in women during menopause, but can have serious side effects. HRT can increase the risk of breast cancer, heart disease, blood clots, and even stroke. If you choose to undergo HRT, do it with a doctor’s supervision, and re-evaluate the benefits vs. effects at least every 6 months.
The best thing women can do is improve their diet and take natural supplements such as Saw Palmetto extract. Saw Palmetto is found in products such as Provillus. Dietary considerations should be an increase in consumption of soy products, potatoes, wheat, rice, and apples.
Menopause doesn’t have to be the end of your naturally beautiful hair. Be wary of any changes in your hair, and start taking measures to prevent hair loss right away when menopause begins for you.
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