Menopause - hair loss help

Lack of oestrogen is often cited as the cause of thinning hair. I had my ovaries removed at 40 and have been on HRT ever since. I am now 67 and in the last year my hair has been thinning at an alarming rate. My oestrogen level is monitored and is at pre menopause level so, for me at least, menopause has nothing to do with my hair loss.
I use shampoo and conditioner designed to thicken hair but am thinking of trying more expensive solutions so am watching this thread with interest.

The menopause must be a 'shock' to our system so maybe hair loss is something we should think is highly likely.
I did not see anything different happening externally with my menopause and welcomed it with its freedom from monthly moods etc.
Twenty years later I had a hip replacement. That is when I noticed changes that started with the loss of hair in the usual places of our body but what really scared me was the amount of hair that came out every time I gave my hair a good brushing.
So yes I am sure any trauma, and the menopause is trauma to our system, can bring on unpleasant changes to our body.

My GP said it was genetic as my mum and grandmother had thin hair. I feel that male doctors have no sympathy. I had a full hysterectomy including ovaries and my hair has got worse since then. I could not get HRT as I was considered past the menopause at 58. My last resort will be to get a wig.

I had to attend hospital with hair problems. They discovered I had chemicals in my body from having my hair dyed. I ended up at the London Scalp Clinic. They told me to stop dying my hair and to use onky shampoos which did not contain chemicals. Right now I am having to put special hair preparations on my head every other day. Cream on first, leave for half an hour and then wash off. I will probably be doing this for many mire months. It cost me £140. Well worth it if it works. My hair is gradually getting better. I am 80 years old. The hair specialists tell me that my new hair growing is a beautiful silver. Maybe that is some reward. I have come to terms with going grey. No more dying for me. Good luck all of you with your hair.

I have not noticed any hair loss on my head but seem to be losing body hair. None grows under my arms now. Is this common?
Its sprouting through my chin instead!!

My hair is thinner these days, I have always had thick hair, even now my hairdresser thins it out for the style I have, but sometines I look like an old MAN it is so short and much thinner, I loved my Dad but i dont want to look like him. I am off to the hairdresser tomorrow, I will ask if she will leave it alone without thinning it more, I want to look like a female!

I had a hysterectomy about 12 years ago and noticed hair loss after about 18 months.
The hair growth cycle is really long so it will seem to have phases when the loss is worse.......just when you think it's slowed down, off it goes again. However although my hair is noticeably thinner (especially to me!!) I still have a reasonable covering.

I have asked doctors about it on a number of occasions and there's not a lot they can do. One said I could try Minoxidil 2%. Apparently they used to be able to prescribe it, but can't now due to cost. I bought some but haven't tried it - not keen on things that are systemic although I'm currently experimenting with extra biotin but, quite honestly, I haven't noticed any difference and my nails are still splitting and flaking.

Anyway, this is what works for me:
First of all a good multi-vitamin. I've taken Menopace for years and it does seem to contain all the things we are recommended for post-menopause complaints.
I have used Lee Stafford Hair Growth shampoo and conditioner plus the leave-in treatment for a long time and I think it's the best, though not the cheapest (often on 3-for-2 in Boots). There are a number of products in the range but these three are the only ones that are worth buying, in my personal opinion.
I also would not be without Vatika Egg Protein hair mask which I buy from Amazon. It's not expensive and I think it's brilliant. My hair is fine and dry these days and all the styling products I use to give it some body, don't help with the condition, so this is a big help and seems to add body as well. I also use L'Oreal Elvive Extraordinary Oil leave-in-cream - you only need a tiny bit - which gives it extra condition and shine.
For styling I have a cupboard full of products but what I'm currently finding works well is VO5 Plump It Up blow dry lotion plus almost any lifting mousse. I've recently found that if I have time to let my hair dry naturally, then apply the lotion and mousse, it's easier to get body into it.

I have my hair coloured and highlighted by my hairdresser and a layered short-ish cut seems to work the best for me.
None of this is cheap! But if my hair looks ok, I feel ok, so I do tend to prioritise it.

I hope this is of some help!

I sometimes use a good (Percy and Reed, or Bumble and Bumble ) dry shampoo even when hair is clean as it seems to give it a bit of 'oomph'. Has to be a good one though or it dulls it.

Diddy1 don't ask her to stop thinning it, tell her, better still change hairdressers!

Ps Inishowen , ask again for HRT I am 59'and I still have it.

Have you had your thyroid checked? This can cause hair loss.

I have madly thick, wild Irish hair that has always been the bane of my life. There's still loads of it, but I have also noticed it getting at thinner at temples. Colouring it temporarily fixes problem but it is also making condition on hair even worse. Am seriously thinking of leaving it to go grey and see how it looks. If condition gets better, may look thicker at the front. Maybe!

The best thing I found after long term steroids made my hair very thin, is Biotin 10,000 mg from Amazon.
It was recommended to me by someone else on steroids..My hair is now wonderful-- thick and quite strangely is now curly.. I used to have to get the curling tongs out if I was going anywhere special! Now it just dries natural..
Hubby has been taking them to and his hair has started to grow back on top-and the texture has changed as well-- feels and looks thicker!
They are only about £8 for 100 tablets

From reading all your posts, I now realise I have even more reasons to have thinning hair, after all my life having the thickest possible hair. I am 69 now, had a hysterectomy at 48 with loss of ovaries, did take HRT and felt wonderful on it but had to come off because of age plus I was diagnosed with this blood cancer needing oral chemotherapy. I am reluctant to stop colouring my hair although I admit it might not be helping. I have sparse eyebrows, underarms etc as well. I will look into Biotin as recommended by dianetheartist.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201707/medium-925650-trendurafrontb4.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201707/medium-693054-trendurafrontpiece.jpg

Caramac my Mum's hairdresser recommended Nioxin some years ago and it helps a lot. i don't think it's been discontinued though, or did you mean just one product?

I can see that I'm going to have the same problem, so I've been looking at hair pieces called toppers which clip on to the hair on the top of your head. They're the female equivalent of a toupee, except they blend into your natural hair. I'm hoping that if I start wearing one now, as my hair continues to thin, I am already disguising it. I hope it will also give me a bit extra volume where I want it. These pictures show a before and after. There's loads to choose from and lots of videos on YouTube about toppers.

Im 56 but have only experienced hair loss as a symtom of hypotbroidism.And would suggest that people dont just assume its a memopausal symtom.But that they get their thyroid checked out.

There is no miracle cure. Plantur 39 did nothing for me. But Revlon Nutrasome hair thickener has. I have only been able to find this in Boots. My hair loss is considerably less than it used to be, but I think it might be that I started to use a wide toothed comb rather than a brush to comb my hair. The comb tends not to pull on your hair in the way that a brush does.

I agree with you pollyperkins about the loss of body hair, I have a granddaughter who always seems to notice the chin hairs though.My hair has gone straight after years of curls which is equally annoying.

To everyone on here who has been told by their GP that they are too old for HRT please read up the NICE guidelines on the menopause then go armed with the facts and challenge your GP. These guidelines are meant to keep the medical profession up to date on best practise in treating menopause problems but so many doctors do not bother to keep up with the latest advice. I'm not saying HRT will help with hair loss (it hasn't with me ) but it will help prevent osteoporosis etc. My specialist is one of the top in the country and is happy for me to be on HRT at 68.

Wilma.....your hairpiece looks wonderfully natural and I love your name.

Thank you Esspee. The photo isn't of me, just an example of the before and after of someone wearing one. I'm a brunette with highlights, so I might have to buy more than one topper - one with highlights and one without to make it look more natural.

Actually, I'm toying with the idea of buying a wig in my current hairstyle. I've been thinking about getting a cheap one for a while now as a starter wig. Apparently the modern caps are much more comfortable and cooler these days and synthetic hair looks real and feels good too. You don't need to style them either because they hold the style. Does anyone have any experience of wigs?

I've got two but still haven't worn them. I find them itchy and, when the weather is as hot as it has been, rather hot to wear. However, I am going to look for another one to try. I tend to wear hats most of the time [even in summer] so I might as well be wearing a wig. I can't wear a topper as my hair is thin all over. I was going to try minoxidil but, as I'm 65 it looks as if that's a no no now. I used to take Nourkrin, but gave up as it didn't seem to be doing any good. However, I did think I had a few boxes still but, blow me, can't find them anywhere; was planning to give it another go. I buy it when it's 3 for two and when the S.O. gets a double discount on Boots products. I've looked in every drawer and cupboard#it'sdrivingmenuts

I bought a wig a few years ago, but when i put it on it looks fake to me because its nice and thick and i have got used to my thinning hair.
Its lAlso hard to keep on for any period of time because it itches and my head gets too hot. Just want to take it off but by then my thin hair is stuck to my scalp , not a great look.

Same here; what I need is a wig that looks like thinning hair [but not as this as the hair I've got. Also, the problem in winter when I wear a hat most of the time [even in the house cause I feel the cold really badly] is that, if I do go somewhere hot I can't take it off because my 'hair' looks dreadful and I think that everyone will notice and feel sorry for me. I don't feel too bad when I'm wearing casual clothes but, on the very rare occasion that I wear a dress it looks odd not having feminine looking hair to go with it. In the grand scheme of things it isn't important, but it does upset me, especially as I've always had a problem [a hairdresser, when I was 19 said I'd got the thinnest hair he'd ever seen, and it's been downhill all the way since then ].

.still looking for that Nourkrin......