Is it normal for women’s hair to thin so much in middle age?

[GarlicBiscuits]

I’m nearly 40.

I’ve had thick hair most of my life. However, over the past two years its volume has halved. Is this normal? Is this why so many middle aged and older women go for short hair?

In my experience it is. I used to have to get it thinned regularly. Once I hit 41 it got very thin. 43 now and it has improved slightly but not by much.

Mine has been thinning last couple of years particularly round the temples. I go through phases where there seems to be more hair coming out when I wash it or my brush. I'm on HRT now so hoping that'll stop it.

Yes it does.
It then relocated to your chin.

it could be hormonal changes or low iron levels. You need a really good iron level to maintain healthy hair growth.

The women on Dad's side of the family all tend to get very thin hair as thry age, so if female pattern baldness runs in the family, you're probably stuffed because of unhelpful genetics.

Diet can make a difference- if my iron levels are low, there's more hair on my brush.

Stress too - I lost a lot of hair when my father was dieing. About a year later, I went to the hairdresser, and she asked if I'd recently had a baby, there was so much new growth (I definitely hadn't, I was just beginning to recoverfrom grief.)

And hormones also play their part.

Yes and yes, sadly.

And half way down your inner thigh. They’re lovely and thick there!

Yes! I have a lot
of fine hair and hadn’t realise how
much I had lost until I had a hysterectomy with ovaries removed and had to go on HRT immediately, hair grew back within months but yes that does mean everywhere! Worth it though as my hair is probably my best feature!

Yeah, totally normal unfortunately!