Thinning hair is one of the many physical changes that women can experience when going through perimenopause and also once they reach menopause. If you are trying to learn how to reverse thinning hair after menopause, you’re at the right place.
Here in this article, we will discuss the various haircare steps that you should take to reverse the process as well as the lifestyle and dietary changes that you will need to implement.
Why Does Hair Start Thinning During and After Menopause? Understanding Your Body
When your body starts nearing menopause, it undergoes different (and often drastic) hormonal changes. The falling levels of estrogen cause the body to experience various physical and emotional symptoms, such as weight gain, anxiety, increased hunger, etc.
Thinning hair is also one such physical challenge that women can face.
One of the biological reasons why your hair starts thinning is the imbalance in your estrogen and androgen hormones. Androgen is known as the “puberty” hormone, and its functions include the regulation of sexual characteristics in both men and women.
During menopause, owing to the decrease in estrogen, androgen levels become higher. The increased androgen causes your hair follicles to shrink in size. This causes the hair to thin out.
How to Reverse Hair Thinning After Menopause?
Moving on, let’s talk about how you can reverse and prevent hair thinning after menopause.
First, we will discuss some tips that you can follow for better and gentler haircare. After that, we will talk about some other steps that you can take for better hair health, such as ensuring a proper diet, getting proper sleep, and exercising.
1. Use gentle products on your hair (and only twice or thrice a week)
The first change you will need to bring in your haircare routine is shifting to gentle hair products. Instead of buying and using just any type of shampoo and conditioner, look for ones that:
- Contain natural and organic ingredients
- Don’t contain alcohol (as alcohol can cause hair to dry out)
- Are labeled as sulfate-free (like alcohol, sulfates can also make your hair dry and strip it of its natural oil)
- Don’t contain parabens (a preservative that can harm sensitive hair)
Buying herbal shampoos/conditioners with no artificial additives is the best and safest way to go if you’re choosing gentle hair products.
Wash your hair twice or thrice a week and no more. Excessive shampooing and conditioning can cause significant damage to your hair and exacerbate the thinning problem.
2. Be extra careful about drying your hair
Avoid rubbing your hair dry with a towel or blasting it with a hairdryer after you’re done washing. Both of these practices can cause damage to your hair and make them even thinner.
Ideally, you should let your hair dry out on its own. If there is some pressing need to speed up the process, you can gently pat them dry with a soft towel or use the hairdryer on the lowest temperature setting.
3. Avoid tight and elaborate hairstyling
Thinning hair should be treated gently at all times, not only during washing and drying. This means that you should avoid putting your hair in a tight or very elaborate hairstyle, such as high ponytails, braids, cornrows, etc.
Keeping hair loose and open is the ideal style for women experiencing hair thinning. This doesn’t put any pressure on the follicles, which helps prevent further hair loss.
4. Be gentle when brushing your hair
Excessive or rough brushing can worsen hair loss and thinning. You should brush your hair slowly and gently, starting from the bottom and moving to the top/scalp area. Avoid brushing your hair more than once a day.
5. Make sure your diet is balanced and nutritious
A healthy and nutritious diet is the answer to many problems that women face during perimenopause and menopause, and hair thinning is no exception.
You should work on incorporating the right amount of protein in your diet by eating foods such as:
- Vegetables
- Beef
- Fish
- Eggs
- Nuts and seeds
Human hair is made up of protein (keratin, more specifically). You need to make sure that your body gets enough of it from your diet so that your hair maintains a nice and healthy volume.
6. Stress causes hair loss, so take steps to manage it
Stress can cause hair loss and hair thinning, even in younger women and men. It is necessary to regulate stress by means of a healthy routine. For menopausal women, stress can cause other different physical symptoms as well, such as anxiety and excessive hunger.
- Getting proper sleep is essential for stress management. Sleep deprivation can lead to an increased production of cortisol, the hormone that regulates stress response in the human body. Irregular sleeping patterns can also be very harmful to your body. You should work on creating a relaxing bedtime routine to help you sleep better and on time, every night.
- Exercising also helps in managing stress. Exercise helps you feel accomplished and invigorated. It can make you feel happier and less stressed. Even if you start out small, make sure that you work out regularly and consistently.
Medicinal Treatments for Hair Thinning
Apart from following all of these different haircare and lifestyle improvement tips, you can also get medicinal treatment for thinning hair. However, before buying any topical creams or tablets, etc., you should always consult your doctor or a healthcare professional.
Final Thoughts
Try and follow all the various steps and tips that we’ve discussed above on how to reverse thinning hair after menopause. Maintaining a healthy routine with proper diet and sleep is very important. Gentle haircare also plays a major role in preventing hair loss and hair thinning.
Always bear in mind that the various physical changes, including hair thinning, that occur during menopause are both common and natural. Once you start addressing the problems and taking the right steps to reverse/prevent them, there is nothing that you need to worry about.
If the symptoms start to worsen, you should get in touch with your doctor to better identify and treat the problem.