Taking Hrt Why Is My Hair Loss Worse?

Can HRT make hair loss worse?

Menopause and hair loss Factsheet Written by Consultant Dermatologist, Dr Sajjad Rajpar Many women will experience concerns with their hair during or after the menopause. This can come as quite a shock and can be deeply worrying because hair is such an important aspect of self­ identity.Hair loss may not be obvious to anyone else at first, and convincing others (including relatives and family doctors) that there is a problem can be a hurdle in itself.

1. The signs may be an increasing loss of hair when brushing or in the shower, general thinning, the hair line moving backwards, and dry or brittle hair.
2. The parting may widen, and more scalp may show through the hair, especially when the hair is wet.
3. There can be anxiety with brushing or washing the hair, or even looking in the mirror.

Stress from hair loss is worsened by not knowing whether the condition will deteriorate and whether HRT will help or not. It can be confusing trying to make sense of the sea of supplements and tonics on the internet or recommended by trichologists and hairdressers.

1. Who gets hair loss? Some 40% of women will experience hair loss after the menopause.
2. In two thirds of women this will be all over the scalp.
3. For the remainder, the hair loss is over the front or temples only.
4. Hair loss may start during the perimenopause or occur many years after.
5. Why does hair loss occur with the menopause? While a hair follicle is only tiny, it is an extremely complex structure that is still not well understood, especially when it comes to hormonal changes.

In helping women with hair loss for 15 years, I have found it easiest to group the triggers for hair loss as follows: – Ageing and lack of estrogen ­ Studies have shown that the hair is prone to ageing, much like the skin (and every other organ of the body).

1. In women, hair follicles start to shrink from the mid 40’s, and so hair becomes finer with each year.
2. The total number of hair follicles also goes down.
3. This happens over the scalp and on the body; scalp and body hair may decline together.
4. In some women, estrogen is thought to support hair growth and when the menopause occurs there is a faster shrinkage in hair follicles.

– Female pattern hair loss ­ This is a major cause of hair loss with the menopause. A number of hair follicles become ‘miniaturised’, that is the hair follicles shrink so much that they produce a very fine hair that gives no coverage. This is often hereditary but can occur out of the blue too.

In some women, the decline in estrogen with the menopause means that there is too much androgen relatively (the hormones responsible for more ‘male’ sex characteristics). This can worsen female pattern hair loss. Consequently, some women who find the hair loss confined to the front and temples have increased facial hair on the chin and upper lip with the menopause.

– Telogen ­ This is when the hair cycle becomes imbalanced and hairs start to shed. This can be because of severe stress, an illness of some kind, calorie restriction, thyroid hormone imbalance and iron deficiency. Sometimes the stress of the menopause on the body itself can be a trigger.

1. Medications ­ Certain medications can cause hair to shed such as pain killers, antidepressants and blood pressure treatments.
2. Increasing numbers of women are on hormone treatments, such as tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors, following breast cancer, which can also cause hair loss.
3. A small number of women notice that synthetic types of HRT can worsen hair loss.

Body identical HRT is usually beneficial for hair growth. – Skin conditions ­ A number of skin conditions can affect the scalp and cause hair loss such as alopecia areata, lupus and scarring alopecia. It is very common for a woman to have multiple factors contributing to their hair loss, as any of the causes listed above can be present in combination with other causes.

• What are the best ways of looking after your hair during the perimenopause and menopause? It is advisable to use a gentle shampoo and a good quality conditioner.
• Avoid tight hair styles so as to reduce the strain on hair follicles.
• It is best to avoid intense hair drying as this can damage hair shafts and make them more prone to splitting.

Wearing a hat when it is sunny will protect the scalp and hair from UV damage. Colouring hair is usually not a problem and can be continued.A balanced diet is ideal, and those who can have red meat once a week should. If weight loss is being planned, this should be very gradual and sudden drops in calorie intake should be avoided at all costs.

It is also important to ensure that iron levels in the body are adequate, and that there is no thyroid imbalance. Taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can slow down or even stop hair loss in some women. It is hard to predict who will benefit. Body identical estrogen and progesterone are preferable.Managing stress, both in general and that caused by the hair loss, can be very important in dealing with hair loss in the long term.

What treatments are available for hair loss during the perimenopause and menopause? It is important to establish (as best as possible) the cause of hair loss, as treatment should be directed towards this. Assessment by a doctor specialising in hair loss may involve a clinical review, blood tests and even a hair biopsy for complete evaluation.Despite the many women who are affected with hair loss, minodixil remains the only medication which is licensed for the treatment of hair loss in women.

• This medication is only licensed for female pattern hair loss and does not require a prescription.Minoxidil has been available in the UK since 1988 and can help other hair loss conditions.
• The decision to start minoxidil is not always straight forward and it can be helpful to discuss the pros and cons with your doctor.Other medications can also help hair loss.

These are not licensed which means they are not easily available and have to be manufactured by specialist pharmacies and used under medical supervision. Medications which can boost hair growth in women and are prescribed in hair tonics include higher strengths of minoxidil, finasteride, oestradiol, progesterone, cyproterone, caffeine and tretinoin.

Bespoke combinations are planned for each patient and can help target the predominant cause. Other treatments can also be explored including injections of platelet rich plasma, and in select instances, hair transplantation. Should I take a supplement to help? The role of nutritional supplements is still under debate and there is little good quality evidence to identify which supplements might be of most value.

: Menopause and hair loss Factsheet

How to prevent hair loss on HRT?

2. Combination hormone therapy – Combined hormone replacement therapy contains both estrogen and progesterone (or in its synthetic form called progestin or progestogen). This form of hormone replacement therapy is usually recommended for women who are postmenopausal.

Taking both estrogen and progesterone is said to be beneficial for treating hair loss during menopause. HRT can help bring back healthy levels of estrogen to manage the hair loss problem. It can also counter the amount of testosterone to stop hair follicles from shrinking and prevent hair thinning. Likewise, starting HRT early may also help maintain hair density and lessen the amount of hair you may lose during menopause.

You can also look into bioidentical hormone replacement therapy as an alternative to traditional hormone therapy. It uses bioidentical hormones that are deemed to be safer since it is natural and the chemicals are identical to the ones that the body produces.

Under supervision, bioidentical hormone therapy may also be effective for hair loss. Anti-androgens such as spironolactone are also used for managing hair loss. An anti-androgen drug can stop the excess production of androgens that accelerate the loss and thinning of hair. Women with polycystic ovarian syndrome are more prone to high androgen levels since they tend to produce more of it, and taking spironolactone can help with its symptoms.

Products with cyproterone acetate may also manage hair loss. It’s a hormone-based medication that can also work to reduce testosterone levels in women. It is often used together with estradiol, another female hormone, for birth control pills.

Does too much estrogen cause hair loss?

Infertility – When it comes to fertility, hormones are everything. And if estrogen levels are too high due to estrogen dominance, this may make it difficult to conceive. This is because elevated estrogen levels may prevent the body from ovulating which must happen during your cycle if you are trying to get pregnant.

Will my hair grow back if I take HRT?

It can make your hormone levels return to normal, which means your hair should start to grow at the same rate as it did before you started menopause. Increasing your estrogen levels by taking HRT should help your hair to stay in the growth phase for longer and maintain your hair’s current density.

Does too much progesterone cause hair loss?

6) Hormone overdose – Don’t fall into the trap of causing hair loss with the very hormone that you’re using to treat it. Excess thyroid, estrogen, progesterone and DHEA supplements can all cause hair loss. When the hair follicle is exposed to higher-than-normal levels of hormone, it shuts down and stops responding.

Does estradiol cause hair loss?

How estrogen impacts hair all over the body – Since estrogen causes the testes to stop producing testosterone, you’ll likely experience hair thinning on the face, chest, abdomen, legs, and arms. Likewise, anti-androgens like spironolactone and progesterone block testosterone to prevent cell growth of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a metabolite of testosterone and very potent promoter of thicker dark hair growth.

• While your body or facial hair won’t completely go away, over time, it may become more manageable to groom.
• Genetics will determine your response to any hormone, just like they do for breast development,” FOLX clinician and MD Michelle Forcier explains.
• Race and ethnicity are involved, although there aren’t any studies to make any predictions or recommendations based on racial demographics.” Forcier also says that other factors that influence hair growth include stress, weight changes, and mood, and that a “healthy lifestyle—including diet, exercise, and stress monitoring—are good for skin and hair.” At FOLX, we recognize that a healthy lifestyle comes in many shapes and sizes under the Health at Every Size framework.

Health looks different from one person to the next, so trust yourself and stick to the wellness routines that feel good for you. Though hair can represent many different things, facial and body hair thinning can spark gender euphoria for lots of people who start estrogen.

1. If that’s you, tap into that joy—you deserve it! Enjoy and celebrate the body that you’re coming home to on GAHT.
2. If you love rocking the facial and body hair that you’ve got, we also celebrate you.
3. Remember, body hair or facial hair and femininity are not mutually exclusive concepts, and your gender expression is entirely up to you.

Although body hair thinning may be a change you’re looking forward to, head hair thinning can often be less desirable. This side effect is called androgenetic alopecia, or pattern hair baldness where the hairline recedes to form an ‘M’ shape. If you want to change this part of your body, there are fortunately treatments available, which will be discussed later in this article.

Changes in hair, even if they are overall positive, can come with some difficult, complicated, and all-around uncomfortable emotions. If this is you, know that you’re not alone. “For those who have more of a love/hate, building new relationships to things about our body that we are taught to hate is what queer and trans folks do best,” explains Andie Gersh, FOLX clinician.

“People in our community are keeping, displaying, and loving body hair in places people have told them they shouldn’t and looking gorgeous. This is no easy place to come to in this judgy world, but getting to really look at your body and decide for yourself what you like and what you don’t is a journey we should all get to take.” You may start to pursue new routines and self-care or grooming rituals if your relationship to hair starts to change on estrogen HRT.

1. You might start to consider hair removal as a form of self-care to benefit your mental health or gender vibes.
2. Waxing, shaving, threading, and tweezing can also help alleviate the day-to-day concern about unwanted hair.
3. These techniques are temporary and require frequent maintenance, which might irritate certain skin types.

Because these hair removal methods can grow tedious over time, you might want to consider pursuing a more permanent treatment. While FOLX doesn’t offer these procedures, you can always chat with your clinician for further resources of referrals.

Does estrogen or progesterone cause hair loss?

Stress – However, hormones aren’t all to blame for thinning hair during menopause. Other common symptoms of menopause can also lead to hair loss. For example, stress is a common cause for hair loss and thinning for women at any age. Stress can cause your hair follicles to get “stuck” in the dormant phase of hair growth.

If this happens, you may notice thinning throughout your scalp. Many women experience high levels of stress during menopause. For example, hormone imbalances can lead to anxiety and depression symptoms. Another reason many women feel more stress during menopause can be due to other symptoms like hot flashes or difficulty sleeping.

Not only can this affect your overall health, it can also lead to thinning hair.

How long does hormonal hair loss last?

Home Care – Hair loss from menopause or childbirth often goes away after 6 months to 2 years. For hair loss due to illness (such as fever), radiation therapy, medicine use, or other causes, no treatment is needed. Hair usually grows back when the illness ends or the therapy is finished.

Does HRT stop DHT?

Effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy on Hair Loss – Hormone replacement therapy and hair loss are still being studied. HRT for trans women involves decreasing the amount of hormones, like testosterone and DHT, associated with secondary male characteristics and increasing the amount of hormones, such as estrogen, associated with secondary female characteristics.

1. While trans women who were suffering from androgenetic alopecia prior to starting HRT may see a reversal of their hair loss, the results have not been universal.
2. More interestingly, blocking DHT in men tends to only slow hair loss.
3. It doesn’t reverse it so why do many trans women experience a reversal of their prior hair loss once they begin HRT? It’s believed that the addition of estrogen for trans women may make the difference when used in combination with DHT blockers.

Some doctors also believe that the combination of increased estrogen and decreased DHT leads to slight changes in bone and muscle structure around the head. Those changes could ease chronic tension that might cause scalp inflammation, which in turn could trigger increased DHT production, kicking off the cycle of hair loss.

Can estrogen hair loss reversed?

Updated 05 February 2021 | Published 04 May 2019 Fact Checked Flo Fact-Checking Standards Every piece of content at Flo Health adheres to the highest editorial standards for language, style, and medical accuracy. To learn what we do to deliver the best health and lifestyle insights to you, check out our content review principles,

Menopause is a time of extreme hormonal changes that typically occurs around the late 40s and early 50s. After menopause, many different physical symptoms can appear, including menopausal hair loss. These symptoms can also include hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, insomnia, and vaginal dryness. Many people want to know if hormonal hair loss can be reversed.

The answer is yes! Fortunately, unlike genetic hair loss, most hair loss caused by hormonal imbalances is reversible.

Why am I losing so much hair hormones?

What is the relationship between hair loss in women and menopause? – During menopause, you might see one of two things happen with your hair. You might start growing hair where you didn’t before. Or, you might see the hair you have start to thin. One cause may be changing levels of hormones during menopause.

• Estrogen and progesterone levels fall, meaning that the effects of the androgens, male hormones, are increased.
• During and after menopause, hair might become finer (thinner) because hair follicles shrink.
• Hair grows more slowly and falls out more easily in these cases.
• Your healthcare provider will do a thorough examination and take a detailed history to help you deal with changes in hair growth.

You may be directed to have your iron levels or thyroid hormone levels tested. Your medications might be changed if what you take is found to affect hair loss or growth.

Which HRT is best for hair loss?

Certain HRT products can help to treat female pattern hair loss. The hair- friendly ones are Premique and Indivina (both of these products contain the anti- androgen medroxyprogesterone acetate) and Angeliq (containing drospirenone).

How long does it take for hair to grow on HRT?

How long does HRT take to regrow hair? – Hair regrowth treatments like HRT require 3-6 months before showing any visible effect on your hair loss and growth. Even if your dormant follicles start growing new hair right away, it will take some time to see the fullness in your hair and fewer hair strands on your shoulder.

How long does it take for HRT to affect body hair?

How will estrogen change my hair during my gender transition? — Plume Health This blog will describe some of the changes estrogen and estrogen-based (E+) medications can create in your hair growth during your gender transition. If you are taking estrogen or E+ medications as a transgender woman, transfeminine person, or nonbinary person, you might experience dramatic or not-so-noticeable changes in your hair growth pattern, hair texture, and even the thickness or natural color of your hair.

This blog is a guide to those changes, for people who use hormone therapy as part of their transition. Did you know that estrogen can change more than your body shape? If you use estrogen as part of your gender-affirming care plan, you will probably notice some changes in your hair growth patterns. Hair is one visual cue that people use to identify gender.

This is why many transgender women, transfeminine people, and nonbinary people look forward to the changes in their hair pattern growth when they start estrogen. For some people, these are dramatic changes. Others see subtle transformations or need more than a year on estrogen before they experience the full effect.

• Using testosterone blockers may affect how soon you see these changes.
• In your first 6-12 months on estrogen, people on estrogen may notice changes in their body hair, facial hair, and even scalp hair.
• While the full effect of hair growth changes may take up to three years to develop, they are a natural part of transitioning with estrogen.

While few scientific studies focus on transgender people, there is some research out there that reflects our lived experience. (All the information you read on our blog is evidence-based and clinically vetted.) If you have additional questions, you can always reach out to your trans-led care team of medical experts at Plume.

Is progesterone hair loss reversible?

Hormones and Hair Loss – Women in child bearing years can experience hair loss after having a baby because of the changes in hormones that occur during and after pregnancy. Add to that the extra stress and sleep deprivation from having a new baby and you have a double whammy for possible hair loss.

During pregnancy your hair will frequently thicken because of the pregnancy hormones. Once the baby is born the hair loss is typically just getting back to its pre-pregnancy state and will return to normal. A low level of thyroid hormones, called hypothyroidism, is a leading cause of hair loss. Low levels of thyroid reduce the body’s ability to regenerate cells.

Hashimoto’s and Grave’s disease are two autoimmune diseases that can cause hair loss. Hashimoto’s is the result of low thyroid and Grave’s disease is responsible for over active thyroid, or hyperthyroidism. Hair loss can also be triggered by hormone changes that occur during menopause.

During menopause women’s estrogen and progesterone levels drop causing hair to grow more slowly and become thinner. In addition to keeping your bones strong, estrogen and progesterone keep your hair healthy. A decrease in these hormones causes an increase in androgen production which causes hair follicles to shrink and contribute to hair loss.

Bioidentical hormone therapy can help with thinning hair for hair loss that is caused by hormonal imbalances. Bringing estrogen and progesterone levels back into balance contributes to a decrease in hair loss and can improve hair density. Bioidentical hormones are identical to the hormones which are produced naturally in your body.

They are so identical, in fact, that your body can’t distinguish the difference. These hormones are easily assimilated into the body and your body recognizes them as their own which reduces side effects or potential risks. The Riegel Center in Plano, Texas focuses on bioidentical hormone therapies for women and men with symptoms of age-related hormonal changes.

The Riegel Center of Plano offers exclusive therapies conceived of, developed and available only through Dr. Riegel. Wondering if you can benefit from bioidentical hormone therapy ? Take our Hormone Balance Quiz t o find out!

What does hormonal hair loss look like?

What are the symptoms of female pattern hair loss? – The hair loss and thinning follow a different pattern to male pattern hair loss, Your hair usually thins across your scalp, starting at the parting. You might notice more hairs falling out. The skin of your scalp will look normal. Unlike with male pattern hair loss, which starts with a receding hairline, hair loss in females occurs across the top of the head.

Is hair loss a side effect of estradiol patch?

Transdermal estradiol may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away: –

• headache
• breast pain or tenderness
• nausea
• vomiting
• constipation
• gas
• heartburn
• weight gain or loss
• hair loss
• redness or irritation of the skin that was covered by the estradiol patch
• swelling, redness, burning, irritation or itching of the vagina
• vaginal discharge
• painful menstrual periods
• anxiety
• depression
• changes in mood
• change in sexual desire
• back, neck, or muscle pain
• runny nose or congestion
• darkening of skin on face (may not go away even after you stop using transdermal estradiol)
• unwanted hair growth
• difficulty wearing contact lenses
• joint pain

Does estrogen HRT affect hair?

What Role Does Hormone Replacement Treatment Play in Hair Thinning During Menopause? – Hormone replacement treatment during menopause may help with thinning hair if it’s related to hormone changes. Our provider may prescribe estrogen replacement therapy to help bring your hormones back into balance and back up to healthy baseline levels if you have low estrogen during menopause.

1. This may help your hair in a few ways.
2. First, as we learned, estrogen plays a significant role during hair growth.
3. Increasing estrogen levels during hormone replacement treatment may help your hair stay in the growing phase for longer than it would without hormone injections.
4. It can also help your body keep testosterone levels in balance to help reduce the shrinking effects testosterone can have on hair follicles.

In addition, some studies show that if you start hormone imbalance treatment early on for menopause symptoms, it may help you maintain your current hair density. This can help you reduce how much hair you lose throughout the course of menopause. Also, hormone replacement treatment can help with symptoms that may cause stress, which can also contribute to hair loss.

Hot flashes, night sweats, sleep difficulties, and mood changes can all play a significant part in high stress levels during menopause. However, estrogen shots can help reduce these symptoms and can also help you manage them more easily. This often results in lower stress levels, which can also help with hair loss when it is stress-related.

Therefore, if you notice symptoms of menopause that are affecting your quality of life, it’s important to reach out and discuss your options.

Does estrogen or progesterone cause hair loss?

Hormones and Hair Loss – Women in child bearing years can experience hair loss after having a baby because of the changes in hormones that occur during and after pregnancy. Add to that the extra stress and sleep deprivation from having a new baby and you have a double whammy for possible hair loss.

During pregnancy your hair will frequently thicken because of the pregnancy hormones. Once the baby is born the hair loss is typically just getting back to its pre-pregnancy state and will return to normal. A low level of thyroid hormones, called hypothyroidism, is a leading cause of hair loss. Low levels of thyroid reduce the body’s ability to regenerate cells.

Hashimoto’s and Grave’s disease are two autoimmune diseases that can cause hair loss. Hashimoto’s is the result of low thyroid and Grave’s disease is responsible for over active thyroid, or hyperthyroidism. Hair loss can also be triggered by hormone changes that occur during menopause.

During menopause women’s estrogen and progesterone levels drop causing hair to grow more slowly and become thinner. In addition to keeping your bones strong, estrogen and progesterone keep your hair healthy. A decrease in these hormones causes an increase in androgen production which causes hair follicles to shrink and contribute to hair loss.

Bioidentical hormone therapy can help with thinning hair for hair loss that is caused by hormonal imbalances. Bringing estrogen and progesterone levels back into balance contributes to a decrease in hair loss and can improve hair density. Bioidentical hormones are identical to the hormones which are produced naturally in your body.

They are so identical, in fact, that your body can’t distinguish the difference. These hormones are easily assimilated into the body and your body recognizes them as their own which reduces side effects or potential risks. The Riegel Center in Plano, Texas focuses on bioidentical hormone therapies for women and men with symptoms of age-related hormonal changes.

The Riegel Center of Plano offers exclusive therapies conceived of, developed and available only through Dr. Riegel. Wondering if you can benefit from bioidentical hormone therapy ? Take our Hormone Balance Quiz t o find out!

How long does hormonal hair loss last?

Hair loss from menopause or childbirth often goes away after 6 months to 2 years. For hair loss due to illness (such as fever), radiation therapy, medicine use, or other causes, no treatment is needed.

How to prevent hair loss while taking testosterone?

The Bottom Line on Testosterone Injections and Hair Loss – If you have clinically low testosterone, your healthcare provider may suggest using testosterone injections, pills, gels or patches to bring your levels up to the normal range. Testosterone itself doesn’t directly cause hair loss.

1. However, increasing your testosterone levels can also increase your levels of DHT, causing damage to your hair follicles and speeding up the effects of male pattern baldness.
2. If you’re concerned about hair loss, you can protect yourself by using hair loss medications such as finasteride and minoxidil.

You can also learn more about your options in our full guide to the most effective treatments for thinning hair, Hims & Hers has strict sourcing guidelines to ensure our content is accurate and current. We rely on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations.

1. Ho, C.H., Sood, T. & Zito, P.M. (2021, November 15). Androgenetic Alopecia. StatPearls. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430924/
2. Kinter, K.J. (2022, March 9). Biochemistry, Dihydrotestosterone. StatPearls. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557634/
3. Nassar, G.N. & Leslie, S.W. (2022, January 4). Physiology, Testosterone. StatPearls. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK526128/
4. Could you have low testosterone? (2021, May 13). Retrieved from https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000722.htm
5. Testosterone. (2020, January 26). Retrieved from https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003707.htm
6. Zito, P.M., Bistas, K.G. & Syed, K. (2022, May 8). Finasteride. StatPearls. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK513329/
7. Kaufman, K.D., et al. (1998, October). Finasteride in the treatment of men with androgenetic alopecia. Finasteride Male Pattern Hair Loss Study Group. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.39 (4 Pt 1), 578-589. Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9777765/
8. Badri, T., Nessel, T.A. & Kumar, D.D. (2021, December 19). Minoxidil. StatPearls. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482378/
9. Hu, R., et al. (2015). Combined treatment with oral finasteride and topical minoxidil in male androgenetic alopecia: a randomized and comparative study in Chinese patients. Dermatologic Therapy.28 (5), 303-308. Retrieved from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/dth.12246