Menopause Thinning Hair

Q: I am going through menopause and my hair is thinning. What is the best oil, shampoo and conditioner for my hair? – P. Terry

A: The reason for hair loss in menopause can be changes in hormonal pattern as well as high levels of stress. There is not a specific oil, shampoo or conditioner I could recommend.

With that said, when it comes to hair loss, missing the early signs is one of the first mistakes many women make. A whopping 50 percent loss can occur before it’s noticeable to the human eye. The other common mistake women (and men) make when trying to treat their hair loss is not giving enough time for therapy to work and not tracking their results properly. Just like hair loss, initial changes in hair regrowth take time and can be subtle before they are noticeable to the naked eye.

Lower female hormones might be the most common culprit, but other contributing factors may need to be considered as well. These risk factors include genetic predisposition, unusual levels of stress, other hormonal imbalances — like thyroid, for example — nutritional or iron deficiencies, crash diets, as well as illness, medications and your surgical history. I would suggest you try a few of these simple steps:

1. Keep your stress levels low.
2. Eat a balanced diet.
3. Exercise.
4. Drink LOTS of water.
5. Try not to dye your hair or apply a lot of heat. No chemicals and natural is best.
6. Talk to you doctor about your medications.