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" I am almost 50 years old. Menopause is coming, I'm starting to lose my hair. Can I limit hair loss? "
Hair loss is a concern that women may face during the major biological event that is menopause.
Characterized by specific external symptoms such as hot flashes, mood swings, weight gain, this pivotal period for women also poses many questions about motherhood, now over, and femininity.
So, if their hair also comes to betray them by losing its splendor and its volume, it can be a very difficult period!
Fortunately, there are effective solutions to limit the negative effects of menopause which cause women to lose their hair.
Every day, following their natural life cycle, some hairs die, and others are born. We lose between 40 and 80 hairs every day.
However, if we lose more than 100 hairs per day for more than six months, it is considered to be progressive hair loss.
In women, this hair loss is mainly situated at the top of the head and around the middle of the head where the hair becomes progressively finer, more scattered and the scalp visible. The temples may also show this loss of hair density.
The amount of hair lost and the location of the baldness are the two most characteristic signs of progressive hair loss. But they can sometimes be combined with another factor that can also be quite unpleasant to live with.
It is called seborrhea. This pathological increase in sebum secreted by the sebaceous glands can be significant and, as a result, the hair appears oilier than usual.
When a woman loses her hair in an abnormal way, she is advised to consult her dermatologist. The latter will then prescribe a blood test to look for a possible iron deficiency likely to cause hair loss over the entire head.
The fact that this hair loss persists for more than 6 months allows us to rule out the possibility of seasonal or reactive hair loss (in response to an external factor). We are not talking about postpartum hair loss, which has its own characteristics and occurs a few months after delivery.
Once these different possibilities have been eliminated, we can consider that it is a case of androgenetic hair loss caused by a hormone imbalance.
At menopause, female hormones (estrogens) drop dramatically while male hormones (androgens) remain at the same level. Ovarian or adrenal gland dysfunction may be the cause. This imbalance causes hypersensitivity to male hormones, which weakens the hair follicles and triggers an acceleration of the hair's life cycle.
When we know that each person has an average of 25 hair cycles throughout his or her life, it is easy to understand that if the rate of hair cycles accelerates, the hair capital will be consumed very quickly. As a result, hair growth will be affected earlier than usual.
Legend A. ANAGEN PHASE - B. CATAEGEN PHASE - C. TEOLGEN PHASE 25 cycles on average in a lifetime
1. NORMAL STATE The life cycles of the hair follow one another
N = 5 years
2. PROGRESSIVE HAIR LOSS Hair life cycles are getting shorter
25 cycles on average in a lifetime
N = cycle = 5 years
N+1 = 4.5 years - N+2 = 4 years
N+3 = 3.5 years - N+4 = 3 years...
This problem, which causes hair to fall out abnormally, is linked to genetics and can occur at any age in women.
However, as it is the result of a hormonal disturbance, this androgenetic alopecia appears mainly around or after menopause. It affects between 35 and 45% of women over the age of 50. On the other hand, 25% of women can be affected at a younger age, as early as 35 years old.
The menopause induces many problems, some more unpleasant than others. It is important to note that this hair loss never leads to total baldness in women.
It can even be quite discreet at first. However, it must be taken seriously. When left untreated, if the hair's life cycles are allowed to run out, this baldness can become severe.
Some women consider hair transplants or hormone treatments. Nevertheless, it is important to know that anti-hair loss treatments, composed of natural active ingredients, such as essential oils for example, possibly combined with food supplements, can help slow down premature hair loss and stimulate regrowth.
