Menopause is typically experienced in your 40s to 50s but most common around age 51. Menopause is essentially the end of menstruation and the decline of reproductive hormones. Leading up to menopause, you might have some symptoms such as hot flashes, hair changes, chills, and night sweats.

Menopause is a biological process that signals the end of menstruation and reproduction. While menopause is naturally occurring, chemotherapy, surgery to remove your ovaries, and primary ovarian insufficiency can cause menopause earlier.

With your body going through hormonal shifts, there are some other side effects you might experience.

Symptoms of menopause

• Hair thinning
• Hair loss
• Dry skin
• Weight gain
• Night sweats
• Chills
• Irregular periods

Let’s dive into menopause and hair loss and whether or not you can prevent (or grow back) hair loss caused by menopause.

  Yes menopause does cause hair loss. While hair loss is a common struggle as we age, menopause amplifies this problem significantly by rapidly shifting your hormone levels.

Menopause and hair loss is incredibly common for women, with most experiencing hair thinning instead of bald spots. Hair thinning is caused by hormonal shifts, namely the lack of estrogen. You also experience a dip in the hormone progesterone- both of which are used by the body to help your hair grow and stay healthy.

While this is a common occurrence for women experiencing menopause, it doesn't make it any easier to deal with. The changes of menopause are hard enough, without having to worry about hair loss. 

So are you stuck with menopausal hair loss forever? Well, not quite. There is a whole lot more to menopausal hair loss and thankfully, many treatments out there to improve and even reverse the effects of menopause and hair loss.

The effects of menopausal hair loss are not permanent, but it will take some work on your part. You will have to be very diligent when trying to grow your hair back.

You can overcome menopausal hair loss. Hair loss in women is becoming more common which has led to growing technology and resources, there are many ways you can kick start hair growth and enjoy a healthy head of hair again. While it can be stressful losing your hair, it doesn't have to be permanent. And, many hair loss therapies start showing results in about 4-6 months. So what hair loss therapies are out there? Well, there are many which we will cover, but first, let's dive into the natural remedies for hair loss.

There are a few more natural remedies for hair loss that don't involve medications or surgeries. It is always best to have a well-rounded approach to hair growth that involves some natural support from lifestyle changes and other non-invasive therapies. Hair loss doesn't have a one-and-done solution. It is more of a routine that you must commit to.

Your body requires a healthy environment to grow your hair (and keep it). For one, getting a handle on your nutrition is a great way to support your hair growth efforts. Getting plenty of greens, berries, eggs, fatty fish, legumes, and even greek yogurt can help optimize your nutrition for hair growth. Another important lifestyle change for hair growth is getting exercise. When you exercise, your body has improved oxygen and blood circulation. This encourages a healthier scalp, which in turn can support hair growth. Not to mention, exercise is excellent for your overall health, too.

As mentioned earlier, getting the right nutrients is essential for healthy hair. You want to ensure you are eating plenty of healthy, whole foods and getting the right vitamins to support your hair growth goals.

Here are the vitamins you should be focusing on for hair growth:

Vitamins for hair growth

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin D
• B Vitamins
• Protein
• Zinc
• Vitamin E
• Iron

If you are struggling to get all of these vitamins through your diet, you can add a daily multivitamin to support a more solid nutritional foundation.

Proper hair growth requires many things like a healthy diet, exercise, quitting smoking, and finding a hair growth therapy that works for you. Along with this, there are products like dermarollers, hair growth supplements, and laser caps that can make your hair growth journey easier.

Beyond a daily multivitamin, you can also try out a hair growth vitamin. There are many options available; some focused solely on hair growth and others with added hormonal support. With any hair growth vitamin, you do want to ensure that you are getting the right ingredients for hair growth. Here is a list of ingredients to look out for when picking the right supplement:

Hair Loss Supplement Ingredients

• Saw Palmetto
• Biotin
• MSM
• Zinc
• Horsetail rush
• Stinging nettle
• Green tea extract

You can also try out a collagen supplement, as these have been known to increase elasticity in your skin and encourage hair growth.

When it comes to menopause and hair loss, stress can play a role in more advanced hair thinning or balding. Going through menopause is stressful enough, but let's face it, life, in general, can have its daily stressors, and that takes a toll on your health and your hairline. Studies have shown that long-term stress causes hair loss, so it is essential to implement stress management into your hair growth routine.

Some ways to combat the effects of stress are to add adaptogens like ginseng into your diet, exercise, meditate, and get outside more. It is also great to be around friends, so go for lunch dates, take walks outside, and do more of what you enjoy. As mentioned earlier, mindfulness (meditation) is a great way to manage stress, and as an added bonus, meditation helps with many other things like mood, memory, and focus.

LLLT, also known as low-level laser therapy, is another more natural approach to hair loss. Essentially, non-invasive lasers are used to stimulate hair growth at a cellular level. LLLT helps optimize circulation, increases blood flow, and also encourages new hair growth. This therapy can be used at home, and devices like the illumiflow 272 laser cap are lightweight, easy to use, and FDA cleared.

The good thing about natural hair loss solutions is you can also use them with more invasive hair loss therapies. It is encouraged to combine your efforts for a more beneficial approach to hair loss. Here are some of the top (more invasive) hair growth therapies you can use to restore your hair.

Minoxidil (Rogaine) can be used for both men and women experiencing hair loss. Minoxidil widens blood vessels and increases circulation and blood flow to your hair follicles, supporting hair growth. You are required to use Minoxidil indefinitely for continued hair growth.

Since the drop in hormones from menopause causes hair loss, you can try hormonal therapy to improve hair growth. Hormone replacement therapy is generally used to treat the varying symptoms of menopause, so it is not solely used for hair growth. You will need to schedule an appointment with your doctor to determine if this is an option for you.

You might consider a hair transplant for more advanced balding and as a menopause hair loss treatment. In this procedure, part of your scalp is moved to the areas experiencing balding to encourage natural hair growth. This is an invasive surgery with some risk, so make sure to do your research before going for this option.

At the end of the day, menopause and hair loss can be hard to deal with, but it is not impossible to overcome. With the right lifestyle changes paired with hair growth therapies like LLLT, you will be well on your way to restoring your hair and kicking hair loss to the curb.