How to stop and maybe reverse hair thinning?? Does anything actually work?

[GlomOfNit]

I'm 53 and haven't had lush thick hair since my 30's. I'm well into perimenopause (on HRT for over 3 years) and I know hair can really start thinning at this stage onwards. But I think I've unwittingly helped it on its way by trialing testosterone gel alongside my conventional HRT (prescribed by an NHS clinic for low libido, which it hasn't really helped...). I've stopped taking this because it wasn't having the desired effect AND I was convinced I was losing more hair than usual. The clinician who prescribed it pointed out that women are prone to extra hair loss in autumn (after the summer 'rest period', I gather) but all the same ... it freaked me out. It seems to be thinning all over, especially at the crown, rather than at the hairline (which is what I was looking out for).

Anyway, is there anything at all I can do to encourage regrowth? Are collagen supplements at all worth it? I keep getting ads for Elavate collagen on my socials as the algorithm clearly knows how old I am! I have creaky joints and some arthritis too so maybe it IS worth a go. I also bought some Plantur shampoo (it's like Alpecin) but it's very drying on the scalp and dries the entire hair shaft too. I'm sort of alternating days with that. (I do wash daily, I'm trying to force myself to go every other day but I loathe the feeling of an unwashed scalp.) I'm also trying to let my hair, which is below shoulders, dry naturally, though as colder weather sets in this is less attractive!

Are there any other hair tricks or supplements I could be trying?

Minoxidil. Topical or oral.
I’ve used topical in the past to treat email pattern baldness and it worked but is a bit of a faff.
That issue eventually resolved but I
recently started using oral from Hair and Me (peri thinning) and it is working well with no side effects.
I have a referral code that gives you a massive discount for the first few months, if you’re interested.

Female obvs, not email 🙄

Pumpkin seed oil and saw palmetto.

I’m 55 and this time last year the hair at the front and sides of my head was so thin you could see my scalp through it. I’ve always had thick hair and my pony tail had become a rat tail. I’ve been taking it for 12 months and the results are amazing. The two together are DHT blockers which is why your hair thins so much in menopause as DHT suppresses the hair follicles and stops new growth.

Make sure you buy a decent brand though not cheap shite off Amazon. I use Puretrex which is made in the uk. It’s not a quick fix - it takes around three months to see real improvement but my shedding stopped in three weeks and within six weeks there were loads of baby hairs growing around my hairline. It’s made a massive difference to my hair.

Hair and me. Massive, massive difference. The thickest hair I have ever had

I will always advise that first step should be some blood tests. Check ferritin, Vit B12 and Vit D. Have your thyroid checked too.

My low ferritin was a result of my periods getting really heavy in peri.

I use Bloom and Bond pumpkin oil and saw palmetto supplements. It definitely works when I take it consistently.

Plonking myself on your thread as I am having similar problems. Thanks

Yes please!

Hi- is this in tablets or liquid?

I also got good results from collagen powder, definitely saw thickening but after a huge shed that started when I started I HRT I panicked and went on Hair & Me. The shedding stopped really quickly after that and is definitely thickening up - I’m about 4 months into it now. Eyelashes are also thicker!

Pumkin seed oil worked for me!

https://victoriahealth.com/pumpkin-seed-oil/?glCountry=GB&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=17191342211&gclid=Cj0KCQjwlsfWBhD4ARIsACL7p1Fd1Rnq8WH7LLdoY_swlXg7tdJHWh4HquDQn4DCyiqoPsPsh1G7XhcaAhQDEALw_wcB

I've heard really good things about this as well. Sali Hughes wrote an article about it in The Guardian a few days ago saying that it 100% works. But it's £35 a month or £420 a year. Sigh. I'm very tempted though. Here's the link: https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2026/oct/14/sali-hughes-beauty-age-related-hair-loss-treatment. I'm now going to think about what I can give up to afford this.😄

I’ve just got the first month for £14.99 @Crumbelina

@AnewlifeintheCountryYes please!

Definitely get your ferretin checked, mine is 7 and my hair is falling out so much. I’m booked in for an iron transfusion, low ferretin means your hair will get brittle and just snap 😞

Can you take hair and me if you’re on HRT?

Collagen worked for me

Get ferritin over 100 and transferrin saturation over 20%. Get vitamin D to an optimal 200nmol/L. Then some people find Mitosynergy copper helpful.

Collagen has helped my hair grow back a bit.

L'Occitane volume & strength shampoo and super complex Vitamin B worked for me.
The shampoo makes your hair feel lovely as well as aiding regrowth.

Another one here! Having clumps fall out when I wash it, so wash it less and then it falls out when I brush it. Can see my scalp

think I need to go to doctors first and get bloods checked

was taking vitamin d and realised I stopped in the summer

minoxidil is scary as have heard you need to then take it for life….

I'm early 30s and have recently come to the realisation that I likely have female pattern baldness, have been using the Ordinary Hair Regrowth Serum which took 3 months but I had a lot of baby hair growing back. Didn't stop it falling out but helped with growth.
I had a super itchy scalp, but no dandruff so now use a Inkey product to reduce the sebum produced which was also suffocating my hair follicles. Haven't been using this long enough to know if it impacts my hair but it's nice not to be scratching constantly!
Might check out what Hair and Me is though as seems to be recommended by several posters.

I had my bloods checked first they were all good.
I tried collagen supplements, hair potions, oils and shampoos, no improvement.
What has worked is prioritising protein in my diet, sleeping on a silk pillowcase (reduces friction). Washing my hair twice with a gentle shampoo so that pretty quickly I didn’t need to wash every day. Combing conditioner through my hair in the shower then rinsing, again reduces friction.
Occasionally using a thickening spray when drying so it looks thicker. Using a Shark fusion hairdryer which dries quickly and gently.
My hairdresser can’t believe the difference, but it took months of the same routine to work.

https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2026/oct/14/sali-hughes-beauty-age-related-hair-loss-treatment

I don’t know about collagen for hair as mine doesn’t seem much thicker as yet but the difference in my nails is amazing. After I had my kids they’d gone extremely weak and brittle. Three months of collagen powder in my porridge in the morning and they’re back to being incredibly strong with no more breaking at the edges.

Do you know if it's safe to take with HRT? Thanks for the tip and I'm glad it seems to be resolving your thinning.