How Menopause Changes Hair

by time news

2023-08-02 16:58:14

“About half of menopausal women notice accelerated hair loss and texture changes at this stage of life, according to a recent study,” said the Dr. Shilpi Khetarpal, dermatologist of the cleveland clinic, to The New York Times portal and added: “The years before and after menopause are characterized by drastic changes in the levels of female sex hormones. Although specific research on hair loss at menopause is low, hormonal changes are thought to contribute to changes in hair growth and texture.”

Los hair follicleswhich are small organs under the skin that contain the hair root, contain receptors for sex hormones such as estrogen, testosterone, and other androgens. There isn’t much conclusive research on how female sex hormones specifically affect hair. However, some preliminary studies in mice and in skin cells suggest that estrogen affects hair growth, possibly stimulating it, and may also be responsible for maintaining the diameter of each strand.

“There’s probably more that estrogen is doing that we don’t know, but a lot of women come to me and say, ‘My hair isn’t as shiny or radiant as it used to be,’ and the only change is that I’ve been through menopause.” the American dermatologist. In this regard, some medical concepts should be detailed. perimenopause are the final years of a woman’s reproductive years leading up to the end of a woman’s menstrual cycle. The menopause begins one year after the woman’s last menstrual period.

Other hormones, particularly testosterone, which has been studied more extensively, are responsible for the production of sebum, which are oils that nourish and moisturize the scalp and the hair shaft (the part of the hair that is visible on the skin). During menopause, those hormones can also go out of whack, possibly leading to an increasingly dry and flaky scalp and more brittle hair.

“In many cases, hormonal changes related to menopause may be exacerbating an existing hair problem,” explained the woman. Dra. Emma Guttman-Yassky, chair of the department of dermatology at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, to the New York newspaper. The alopecia doctor explained that other factors could affect the quality and growth of hair before a woman enters perimenopause, such as chronic inflammatory conditions and other stressors, such as covid-19, which can cause temporary hair loss. hair related.

“Age is also associated with changes in hair growth, thickness and texture, in both men and women,” said the Dr. Paradi Mirmirani, dermatologist of the kaiser clinic. “Even a lack of nutrients can play a role in hair changes,” noted Dr. Khetarpal, particularly vitamin D and iron, adding: “We’ve done a lot of research on this, and we know that vitamin D acts more like a hormone in the hair that I eat a vitamin”.

“Another important factor in the hair change over time is genetics. I often ask my patients about their family history, and many times someone with female pattern hair loss says, ‘Oh yeah, my mom in her 40s or 50s had the same pattern of hair loss,’” says Dr. Guttman-Yassky and warned: “Time is of the essence and the sooner I seek help for hair changes, the better the results of the interventions. The first thing to do when you notice hair loss or changes in scalp texture is to ask a dermatologist for a complete examination and a blood test to determine if the changes are hormonal.”

According to experts, proven methods to stop hair loss are effective, even if the hair loss is related to menopause. The steroid injections into the scalp they are also an effective method of stimulating growth. Vitamin supplements can also work, even some dermatologists offer vitamin injections on the scalp to help with patches of hair loss.

Finally, the most brittle hair it also means that you may no longer be able to resist styling methods such as straightening irons or hair dyes. In those cases, it could be considered to strengthen the type of hair care, minimizing the use of heat and chemicals or reducing the frequency with which the hair is washed.

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