Why do so many experience hair loss during menopause?
Our hair-growth cycle is regulated to a great degree by hormones – most notably estrogen and testosterone. Estrogen is a hair-supportive hormone which helps to keep strands in their anagen (growth) phase. On the other hand, testosterone is the catalyst for androgenetic alopecia, which is also known as female and male pattern hair loss. Androgenetic alopecia occurs when hair follicles are sensitive to normal levels of circulating testosterone. Specifically, testosterone is converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which binds to androgen receptors in the hair follicle, causing a reduced growth phase and miniaturisation of hair follicles. When follicles become smaller they produce fewer, finer and shorter hairs.
Any time there is a flux in estrogen and testosterone, or a disruption to the balance of these hormones, we’re likely to see changes in our hair. This can happen at puberty (when testosterone and estrogen are first produced), pregnancy
