Menopause, estrogen and hair loss during pregnancy

Menopause, estrogen and hair loss during pregnancy

Throughout the lives of women, we are experiencing hormonal changes. These changes can be self-induced, such as birth control, as a result of pre-menopause events such as pregnancy and childbirth, and finally menopause. In the past, it was mostly the male hormones that have been discussed as causes of hair loss, but recently some researchers took a look at the female hormones.

For women who are not menopausal, it is already widely accepted that birth control pills can cause hair loss, but it is generally attributed to testosterone in pills. It is also known that postpartum women can lose their hair, although it is due to trauma to the body and are usually hormones. However, researchers are taking a new look at the role of female hormones (or lack thereof) in the role of hair reduction in postmenopausal women. We can only hope that this will lead to further research into the role of estrogen in hair thinning and loss, not only for postmenopausal women, but also for women to fluctuations of estrogen (as in because of the pill or after pregnancy hair problems).

In a recent study, researchers examined a cross-section of women and recorded their hair density, the rate of hair growth, hair diameter and the percentage of anagens (hormones that affect hair loss). The results were spectacular - in postmenopausal women have more hair thinning and loss in premenopausal women. Because this study focused on many factors hair and not just hair loss, it is particularly interesting because it shows that women affected by hair loss itself, there are other results that hair fall. In front of their scalp, they had different percentages of anagen hairs, the different growth rates and different diameters than premenopausal women.

So what is the conclusion of this research? Although women themselves have known for many years that menopause and hair loss are related, science is finally catching up. This is just the beginning of a new woman hormone on the causes of hair loss approach. As researchers tackle loss of post-menopausal hair, I hope they will also solve problems related to birth control (and this is the effect on the hair) as well.