Hair loss in menopause - is there anything I can do?

[HandyBendySandy]

I used to have a huge, thick mop of unruly frizzy hair that was murder to manage. Having started the menopause last year, in the last couple of months I've noticed a massive amount of hair fall - and now my powerfully strong mane is limp, flat and thin. Easier to handle, granted, but still a bit shocking after all these years fighting with it - and I don't like being able to see my scalp!

I'm only 48. Am I going to go bald? Will it ever come back? Is there anything I can do to persuade the follicles to hold on to it?

Mine stopped falling out and gradually grew back. I'm pretty sure it's was the few months of hair and nails vitamins that did the trick.

Check your iron levels.

And check your thyroid as well, might be good to get some blood tests done at the doctors. Mine was falling out at an alarming rate, I’m now on thyroxin and have also recently started HRT, I was 50 last week.

Hair, skin and nail supplements worked for me. I’ve been taking them since the first lockdown and my hair is definitely better.
I do take Feroglobin capsules as well.

Thanks everyone. Hmm had some bloods done last September including a full blood count, everything normal including ferritin, although folates on the low side (just went back to look at results). Not sure if that would pick up a thyroid issue though, no thyroid test is listed as such...

I've been taking a multi vitamin with Omega 3 for brain fog which has really helped - I switched to one with biotin for hair for 4 weeks but the foggy brain emerged again, so I went back to my omega 3s. I think I need that for my currently ditsy brain cells but I'm not keen on the capsules of oil - I've only found one chewable version with multiple B bits added! Maybe I'll find biotin separately?

My advice would be start using generic minoxidil.

Just had a look - worth a try! Thanks.

Literally came in here to ask the same question. My hair was so, so thick before. Like Kate Middleton's. Over the last 7 years I've lost half of it. It's utterly heartbreaking. It's like my youth is literally falling out.

I have to take an anti oestrogen drug long term which probably contributes. I would stop if I could but it's to stop a cancer recurrence so I'm too scared of that happening to ditch it.

I have a hair system these days which I hate but it's my only hope of a good hair day. I am at the hair clinic now having them redone (it's allowed to stay open as it treats alopecia sufferers) and they are readjusting my system so I'm in bits because they've taken it all off and I'm sitting here looking at my scalp shining through my thin hair and feeling utterly bereft and shit. I know it's only hair but having lost it once already through chemo, to lose it again is devastating.

Before the system tried minoxidil but it can have an initial effect of increasing hair loss which definitely happened to me and I just couldn't cope.

Someone on here on another thread suggested Turmeric and black pepper supplements which I'm now trying but only just started on them.

Minoxidil is only effective for hereditary hair loss, not meno hair loss.

I've had the issue too - for an unrelated issue I am getting full bloods next week so that might show something up, it's not ferritin as my ferritin levels are raised (hence the need for full bloods).

I think my supplements of collagen and biotin are helping. I am also doing everything else I've ever seen suggested: silk pillowcase, dry hair with t shirt material not towel, don't brush when wet, reduce heat, don't use styling devices, massage scalp, nioxin shampoo system (I alternate this with other shampoos because it doesn't do much for my actual hair), wear a hat when out, etc etc. So maybe one of those is helping, but it doesn't seem quite as bad recently as it was last year and I can see new hairs in my parting and at the hairline.