Oh what a beating our locks take during menopause. The ever widening part, the receding hairline and thinning. The dry, fuzzy, unmanageable mess. Our hair puts a spotlight on our transition. Fortunately, there are many ways you can care for your hair during menopause. 

A drop in estrogen can cause hair to shed, thin, lose density, change texture, and become dry, brittle and frizzy. This, in turn, wears on our confidence and self-esteem. Dealing with your hair during menopause is far more than vanity.

Your body is showing you that it’s resources are in decline.

Hormone levels can wreak havoc on our bodies and our hair is no exception. Estrogen, progesterone and testosterone keep hair thick, shiny and strong. As they decline in our body hair begins to shed, thin and break.

Once the hair begins to change, we will need to re-evaluate our hair care routine. Many contain  ingredients that can strip the hair and leave it dull, flat and frizzy. Our hair needs nurturing and protection now more than ever. 

Below are some of the most common ingredients in products that will damage your hair.

Sulfates – Strip hair of beneficial moisture and oils?

Silicones – Weigh hair down, making it look limp and lanky.?

Alcohol – Drys hair and makes it brittle

Salicylic Acid

Parabens

Benzoyl Peroxide

Surfactants

Charcoal

Strong fragrances

Go through the haircare products you’re currently using and remove any with ingredients listed above. No sense in continuing to aggravate your symptoms with products that are contributing to the problem!

Your New Hair Care Routine

Once you have cleared out all the potential trouble in your hair products it’s time to update your Hair Care routine. Changing the way you clean, dry, style and protect your menopausal hair can increase volume and luster in your locks.

Hormone Replacement Therapy: Estrogen therapy will restore your hair. HRT also reduces the risks heart disease and brittle bones. They require a doctor to prescribe and not everyone is comfortable with HRT. Do your research before asking your doctor to start you on hormone replacement therapy

Wash Hair Less Frequently: If you are washing your hair everyday – give it a break. Try every other or every two days. Dry shampoo can help to keep your hair looking good with fewer washings. I

If you aren’t currently using the products below you should consider adding a few to your routine. They will help to add volume, thickness and shine.

Volumizer – Volumizers will swell the hair strands making them appear thicker and shiny. The volume it adds at the root can make your hair appear thinker and fuller. Just spray some onto your roots before you dry your hair. 

Heat Protectants – Heat protectants provide a barrier between hair and heat. They prevent moisture loss and tame the frizz. Spray it all over wet and dry hair for that added protection. 

Hair Oil for shine – This is a great way to protect your locks from the damage of hot styling tools. It adds shine and body to and you can apply to wet or dry hair.

Anti- Frizz – For hair that gets fuzzy after drying, apply this before blow dry.

Texturizer – To add texture to your hair apply before styling.

Deep Conditioning Mask – Use once a week to repair damaged hair. This will add extra hydration to your hair and help prevent further damage.

Detox Shampoo – Use once a week to remove shampoo build up that makes hair look dull.

Scalp Exfoliant – Your scalp plays an important role in your hair health. Use a scalp exfoliant once a week to keep hair follicles from getting clogged.

Supplements – Collagen and magnesium. Supplements for the hair contain a variety of herbs that support hair growth. Saw palmetto, nettle leaf extract, Reishi and Maitake mushroom extracts.  Biotin, vitamins B6, B9, and D, folate, zinc, copper, and iron are some of the herbs used in hair supplements.

If you are looking for products that can help you maintain your hair health the products above have worked for me. The only one I haven’t used was the Nutrifol because hormone replacement therapy was fantastic at improving my hair density, quality and shine.

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