Hair Loss Causes Estrogen and Testosterone Fluctuations during Menopause

Each case of hair loss or hair thinning problem is considered to be unique. Why? These conditions may be due to a variety of factors like improper lifestyle choices, malnutrition, underlying medical conditions, aging, heredity, and hormonal imbalances such as when pregnant or reaching menopause.Several factors can be the hair loss causes themselves, and there are also various ways they can manifest. In most cases of menopausal women, hair loss is characterized by an overall thinning of the hair rather than having noticeable bald spots.Menopausal women might experience any of the following characteristics of hair loss or hair thinning conditions:    * During and after hair washing, menopausal women might experience hair falling off in large clumps.    * While brushing or combing the hair, large snarls of hair are found on the brush or comb.    * A noticeable hair thinning appears in the front, top, and sides of the head.    * The scalp becomes red, oily, or itchy.Hair Loss Causes: Irregular Estrogen and Testosterone LevelsHair loss or hair thinning conditions during menopause is a direct effect of irregular hormone levels. Estrogen and testosterone are the two main hormones that play crucial roles in menopause-induced hair loss or hair thinning problems.Hair loss during menopause can be directly attributed to lowered estrogen levels in the body. Estrogen is a hormone that plays a large role in hair growth by keeping the hair attached to the head for a longer duration; when its level is reduced or lowered, this occurrence might lead to thinner hair strands or worse, hair loss problems.Estrogen is not the only hormone that induces hair loss in menopausal women. Androgen, the male hormone, increases as the estrogen levels decrease, leading to androgenic alopecia, another form of hair loss.A form of androgen known as testosterone when combined with the enzyme 5-alpha reductase produces dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This hormone binds itself to the hair follicles, forcing them to go into their resting phase sooner than normal and causing the new hairs to grow thinner with each cycle of hair growth.DHT also shrinks the hair follicles, causing them to produce thinner and finer hair strands, leading to the hair follicles to atrophy.In younger women, estrogen and DHT levels are produced in normal levels. However, as women age, the estrogen levels drop and the DHT levels go out of balance, leading to excessive hair loss and thinning hair problems.Other CausesIn menopausal women, irregular production levels of hormones is deemed to be one of the foremost hair loss causes. However, there are many other factors that may also play crucial roles in hair loss during menopause such as psychological, medical, or lifestyle triggers.