BHRC BLOG
A Quick Guide To Hormone Replacement Therapy And Hair Loss Treatment For Women
Hair loss isn’t something that women like to talk about, in large part because it’s an uncomfortable topic. Thinning hair can be a major blow to women in terms of self esteem and confidence as they age, and it can feel like an overwhelming problem. Hormone replacement therapy and hair loss are two seemingly disparate issues in fact go together quite well. Holistic HRT can be a powerful way for women to combat thinning hair.
Hair Loss Doesn’t Just Happen to Men
Everyone naturally loses some hair. It’s a common belief that hair loss is in the domain of men, but it happens to women too, and at nearly the same rate. In fact, women in their 50’s and 60’s are just as likely to experience hair loss or thinning hair men are! Because we all lose fifty to one hundred strands of hair each day, it’s common for women not to recognize female hair loss until it’s already advancing.
The patterns of hair loss and thinning do tend to differ in women from the way that they show up in men. Women’s hair tends to thin over time starting near the top of the head. Compare that to men, who generally find their hair than receding from the hairline. That’s not a hard and fast rule, but it is a general pattern.
Hair loss in women almost always derives from one of the following factors:
- Medication
- Illness
- Pregnancy
- Infection
- Chemicals
- Hormonal imbalance
No matter what the reason for hair loss in women, the important thing to know is that there are treatment options available. Women often experience hair loss due to a lack of estrogen for a wide variety of reasons.
Hormone Replacement Therapy and Hair Loss Treatment for Women
The good news for women is that there are treatment options for thinning hair or hair loss. Some of them are simple solutions and can be done at home. Others require the aid of a medical professional. The critical thing to remember is that there is hope for women with thinning hair!
Topical treatments like minoxidil or ketoconazole shampoo can help to mitigate the effect of hair loss for some women. However if a hormonal imbalance is at the root of the problem, then these treatments won’t offer long-lasting results. Holistic HRT rebalances the naturally occuring progesterone and estrogen within a woman’s body. It brings levels back into a better state, stopping or in many cases reversing hair loss.
Estrogen is closely tied both to hair loss and to hair growth. For example, many women experience hair that grows faster than normal during pregnancy when estrogen levels are high. Estrogen sends signals to hair follicles to go into a growth cycle, rather than staying in a rest cycle. Higher levels of estrogen are tied to fuller, thicker hair. Drops in estrogen are tied to hair that falls out or becomes thinner than it should be. This can cause thinning, or even bald patches. Replacing that estrogen causes hair follicles to “turn on” and start growing again.
Women who have low estrogen levels due to menopause, or for any other reason, can benefit from safe hormone replacement therapy. It’s most commonly prescribed for women who have androgetic alopecia, more commonly known as pattern baldness. Treatment can come either in the form of a cream or a pill depending on what the doctor thinks is best.
In fact, one of the most overlooked reasons for hair loss in women is hormonal imbalance. With age, hormone levels in the body change. Sometimes these changes are natural, but often they are major, unnatural disruptions that cause a cascade of health issues. Working with a licensed physician who specializes in safe hormone replacement therapy for women can be transformative for women experiencing hair loss.
Do you have a personal story about hormone replacement therapy and hair loss in women? We’d love to hear it! Please share your thoughts in the comment section.
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