How Hormones Influence Hair Fall: From Pregnancy to Menopause

About 50% of women experience significant hair loss at some point in their lives. Numerous factors can cause hair loss, but hormonal imbalance is among the top reasons.

Women undergo several phases in life that encompass significant hormonal shifts in the body. These effects can be noticed in their skin and hair health, among other things. 

This article discusses how hormone imbalance induces hair loss in women and how it can be managed.

Understanding Hairfall and Its Causes

Hair loss is part of the natural hair growth cycle. According to hair experts, losing about 50 to 100 hair strands in a day is normal. However, it becomes concerning if you steadily lose more hair strands for several days.

The common signs of hair loss to look out for include:

• Hair easily breaks when brushing
• More fallen hair in the showers or on pillows
• Wider hair part
• Scalp visible through the hair
• Smaller buns and thinner ponytails
• Thinner hair or bald patches

Common Hair Fall Reasons in Females

Several metabolic and nutritional factors affect hair. Therefore, one or more agents in the body may directly or indirectly lead to poor hair health.

The most common hair fall reasons in females include:

• Use of chemical-loaded hair products
• Imbalances in hormones like thyroid, insulin, and sex hormones
• Nutritional deficiencies
• Poor diet and lifestyle
• Poor hair and scalp hygiene
• Eating disorder
• Events like pregnancy, postpartum, and menopause
• Hereditary hair loss

Determining the reason for hairfall can allow you to address your concerns during the early stages. Consult a hair expert for a proper diagnosis and to begin taking steps to reverse your hair loss accordingly.

The Role of Hormones in Hairfall

The hormones oestrogen, testosterone, and progesterone largely govern hair health in females. Primarily secreted by the ovaries, these hormones contribute to the hair growth cycle, the health of the hair follicles, and the nutritional availability of the scalp's skin.

Hairfall due to hormonal imbalance is not usually visible along the hairline. Instead, it manifests as the diffused or overall thinning of the hair throughout the scalp. This is the telltale sign of hair loss caused by hormone imbalance. Androgenic alopecia, commonly known as female pattern baldness, is a serious hair loss condition caused by hormonal disturbances in the body.

Hormones Imbalance and Its Impact

Imbalances in hormonal levels cannot be directly predicted as the major reason for hair fall in females. These disturbances manifest themselves as different health concerns. 

Some of the common results of hormonal imbalances that affect hair health are:

Hyperthyroidism/Hypothyroidism

The thyroid hormone is directly associated with the development of new hair strands. Underactive (hypothyroidism) or overactive (hyperthyroidism) production of this hormone thus affects hair density on the scalp. While it is not directly among the possible reasons for hair loss, it prevents new hair growth in areas of hair loss.

Insulin Imbalance

The pancreas secretes the insulin hormone to break down various sugars into simpler forms, allowing them to enter the bloodstream. High sugar intake, therefore, inadvertently causes an increased production of insulin. However, high levels of this hormone in the body are associated with hair loss.

Anaemia

This condition is caused by iron deficiency. Low iron levels can result from poor nutrition, weight loss, or a shift to a vegan diet. Among women, it can also be caused by childbirth and menstruation-related factors like heavy bleeding (menorrhagia) and menopause. Insufficient iron in the body leads to reduced levels of red blood cells (RBCs). This lessens the nutritional delivery to the scalp and affects follicle health.

Reasons for Hair Fall Due to Hormonal Imbalance

Hormone imbalances affect hair health through several means, some of which are discussed below.

Stress

Improper hormone levels put your body in a state of stress. This affects your physical and mental health, including acting as a trigger for hair loss. Stress leads to increased levels of cortisol, a hormone that damages hair follicles.

Telogen Effluvium

It is a condition in which the body switches to survival mode. Several factors, including hormonal disturbances, can trigger this state. In this phase, the body focuses on delivering a large proportion of the nutrients to vital organs to ensure survival. Since hair is not a crucial factor for survival, it does not get proper nutrition. This causes the hair strands to go into a resting phase, followed by eventual shedding.

DHT-induced Hair Loss

Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is an androgenic sex hormone usually associated with hair loss. Hair follicles have DHT receptors that bind this hormone, which causes the follicles to shrink and the strands to fall out. This mechanism is often observed when DHT levels in the body are higher than normal.

Hair Loss During Pregnancy

Hair loss in pregnancy is normal and reasonable. The female body makes numerous adjustments to grow and nurture a tiny human in the womb, and hair loss is one of the many consequences of these drastic shifts.

Hair Loss in Pregnancy: What You Need to Know

Pregnancy hair loss is temporary and can be reversed once your body heals after childbirth. During the first trimester, the female body undergoes numerous drastic changes. The effects of these shifts usually take about 2 to 4 months to become apparent. 

Therefore, hair loss in pregnancy is commonly observed during the late second and third trimesters.

Causes of Hair Fall During Pregnancy

During pregnancy, hair fall can be caused by the following reasons:

• Hormonal changes: Pregnancy changes usually cause about 30% of the hair strands to go into a resting phase and eventually fall off.
• Health effects: Pregnancy is often associated with several health concerns, such as morning sickness and thyroid imbalance. These factors may also affect hair health.
• Iron deficiency: Women with two or more close pregnancies or are expecting multiple babies are at a higher risk of iron deficiency. This often causes telogen effluvium and, thus, hair loss.

Postpartum Hair Loss: Cause and Solutions

Postpartum hair loss is more common than hair loss during pregnancy. This is mainly caused by the sudden and significant drop in oestrogen levels after childbirth. The hormonal drop often causes shedding rather than hair loss. Hair loss post-pregnancy is also said to be partly due to the physical stress caused during childbirth.

About 5% of women experience postpartum thyroiditis, meaning imbalances in the thyroid levels after childbirth. This also leads to increased hair loss after pregnancy.

Hair Fall Post Pregnancy: What to Expect

Hair loss after pregnancy usually continues for about four months. However, it is temporary and can be reversed with proper care and your body's natural healing. In this stage, proper physical and mental health is crucial for healthy hair and overall well-being.

Effective Postpartum Hair Loss Treatment Options

Hair fall post-pregnancy can be reversed with self-care and some lifestyle adjustments along with some doctor-prescribed medications.

Some common postpartum hair loss treatments are:

• Prenatal Vitamins: These supplements replenish vitamin levels in your body that are crucial for hair and overall health.
• Supplements for Hair Loss After Pregnancy: Consider taking supplements specially formulated to support hair growth after childbirth.
• Xogen Treatment - Dr Batra’s® Xogen treatment uses exosome-based hair treatment. It employs a nano-targeted approach to effectively address hair fall, promoting robust hair regrowth and scalp health through precision-targeted delivery of therapeutic agents.
• Hair Products: Switch to hair products that support your postpartum bodily system. Commodities with natural ingredients and low chemical content are recommended.
• Diet and Lifestyle: Adopt a healthy and balanced diet and an active lifestyle.

Consult with your doctor before taking any postpartum hair loss treatment, be it medication and supplements or changing your hair products, diet, and lifestyle. Any unadministered change may affect your body's healing process and your baby's health if breastfeeding.

Hairfall in Menopause

Menopause is another event in females' lifetimes that brings about major hormonal shifts in the body. Most women experience menopause in their early 50s. Some, however, begin to experience the effects of this phase during their 30s or 40s. Along with hair loss during menopause, hair growth is also observed in areas without earlier growth.

Understanding Hair Fall in Menopause

The drop in the production of oestrogen and progesterone in the body primarily causes hair fall in menopause. This, in turn, increases the body's sensitivity to DTH and other hormones that affect hair health.

Perimenopause, the phase before menopause, usually involves a steady reduction in oestrogen and progesterone levels. This is continued in the postmenopausal phase after the absence of menstrual bleeding for over 12 months.

Hair fall in menopause is not limited to the scalp. It is also observed as a reduction in body hair along the legs, arms, and armpits. Thinning or the appearance of bald patches in pubic hair is also common.

Managing Hairfall Due to Hormonal Changes

As mentioned above, hair fall in menopause is majorly due to hormone imbalance. You can manage it through the following means:

• Adopt a hair care routine
• Use quality hair products
• Avoid heat treatments and dyeing
• Adopt a healthy and balanced diet
• Adopt a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise
• Manage stress effectively

Taking Control of Your Hair Health With Homeopathy

Hair loss is one of the top hair concerns among women. It is, however, difficult to determine the exact hair fall reason to take remedial steps accordingly.

Homeopathic medicine works to remedy this concern by first determining the reasons for hair loss in female patients. Homeopathic experts assess your health status, medical history, diet, lifestyle, and regular habits carefully and thoroughly to determine the possible causes of hair loss. 

Based on the diagnosis, the doctors then suggest appropriate treatments and solutions. In cases of hair loss in pregnancy and hair fall post-pregnancy, the experts take special care and focus on holistic approaches to manage your hair health.

Homeopathy can help restore hair health, density, and lustre through natural remedies and inner healing of bodily mechanisms.

Conclusion

Understanding the possible reasons for hair fall is the first and most crucial step in resolving hair loss. However, you can regain your hair health with expert guidance and instruction.

At Dr Batra’s® Clinic, we help reverse hair fall in menopause, postpartum hair loss, and other hair concerns caused by hormonal imbalances. With a proper diagnosis and personalised assessment, we offer patient-specific solutions to resolve their hair-related issues. We boast a team of industry experts with proficiency and experience in the homeopathic treatment of skin and hair problems.

Visit Dr Batra’s® today and start restoring your hair's youthful volume and shine.

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