Compounding Hrt Creams And Dermal Treatments Can Be A Solution For Women Who Are Losing Hair While On Hrt Pellets
Commercially-available pharmaceuticals arent always the best medication solution for everyone. Thats why the compounding industry, of which we are a part, exists. We help patients on the Northshore and Metro New Orleans find compounding solutions for their pharmaceutical needs that are custom-made to their doctors unique prescription.
If youre a local woman who has experienced hair loss while on HRT pellets, we may be able to help. We create compounds of custom-made HRT creams and dermal treatments, which replace HRT pellets and which will contain the exact amount of testosterone your doctor knows that you need to best manage your hormones during menopause. By doing this, were able to help many Northshore and Metro New Orleans women find the pharmaceutical solutions they need without the unwanted side effects of mass-produced solutions, such as hair loss from HRT pellets. And most importantly, these alternative HRT creams and dermal treatments may be safer to use and could reduce the risk of unwanted female hair loss.
Is Hair Loss A Sign Of Menopause
Menopause when you stop having periods is a natural part of ageing. But as your hormones change and your levels of oestrogen drop, youll notice physical changes and symptoms.
Hair loss or thinning can be one of these symptoms, and is more common than you might think. Read on to learn why this can happen during the perimenopause and menopause, and what treatments are available for this type of hormonal hair loss.
Recommended Reading: What Can Women Do For Hair Loss
Hormone Therapy Can Help Treat Hair Loss
If your hair loss is attributed to hormone imbalances, such as lower estrogen levels, a physician might prescribe a form of hormone therapy as treatment. There are different forms of hormone therapies, so some treatment methods might be more suitable for you than others. You can discuss these therapies in more detail with your physician and ask specific questions about how they might affect your health.
Some common forms of hormone therapy used to treat hair loss include:
- Thyroid Optimization: If a woman is experiencing low thyroid function, they may be prescribed thyroid medication to balance these levels out, which can help reduce hair loss as a result.
- Anti-androgens: Androgens refer to male hormones, such as testosterone, which can cause hair loss in women if produced at high levels. Doctors may prescribe anti-androgens to reduce these levels and pair them with an oral contraceptive to keep other female hormone levels balanced.
- Hormone replacement therapy : HRT can include birth control pills and other forms of treatments that treat low estrogen and progesterone levels. HRT can come in the form of vaginal creams, rings, patches, IUDs, and medications.
Also Check: Best At Home Hormone Test
Female Hair Loss And Hormones
For most women and men, hair loss is caused most often by androgenic alopecia when genetic factors cause a slowdown in hair growth. For some women, low thyroid activity or hypothyroidism can contribute to hair loss as well, along with other symptoms similar to menopause. This can be addressed with bioidentical hormones that can replace the thyroid hormones the body is insufficiently producing.
Female hair loss can also accompany menopause, so thinning hair and bald spots will add to an array of uncomfortable symptoms such as:
- Difficulty sleeping
- Hot flashes and night sweats
The arrival of menopause is also accompanied by a drop in progesterone levels, causing estrogen dominance that in turn can result in excessive hair shedding and ultimately hair loss.
What Causes Hair Loss
Hair loss can be caused by a number of different factors there is not one defined cause. However, the four main factors for hair loss are hormone levels, genes, age, and stress. Your lifestyleincluding your diet, where you live, alcohol intake, and how much you sleepcan also play a part in hair loss.
Sometimes it can be hard to determine why exactly you are experiencing hair loss, so its important to understand just exactly what hair loss is in order to address it.
Male pattern baldness is often genetic. Its called androgenic alopecia or androgenetic alopecia.
Another cause of hair loss is alopecia areata, an autoimmune skin disease causing hair loss on the scalp, face, and sometimes other areas of the body.
Hair loss can be one of the signs of andropause, the male equivalent of menopause. Like women, mens hormones fluctuate on a monthly and even daily basis. They also affect biological processes, moods, and emotions in many of the same ways they do in women.
As they age, men also experience a drop in hormone production, especially testosterone, which in some cases can lead to hair loss and the growth of hair in places where you dont necessarily want it, such as your ears.
DHT, or dihydrotestosterone, is a derivative or by-product of testosterone. While the entire genetic process of male pattern baldness is not completely understood, scientists do know that hormones such as DHT shrink hair follicles, and when DHT levels are suppressed, follicles continue to thrive.
You May Like: How Much Are Male To Female Hormones
Are You Looking For A Way To Grow Your Hair Quickly
Sticking to the right vitamin regimen can actually work wonders for your hair growth, while helping to address menopausal symptoms and increasing overall well-being.
A whole host of vitamins and minerals support the well-being of your luscious locks. When it comes to vitamins for hair health and growth, keep vitamins D, B, A, C, and E at the ready. Dont forget about the importance of zinc and fulvic acid, either, when it comes to maintaining cell health and balancing hormones.
B vitamins are essential when it comes to vitamins for hair growth and health. The B vitamin biotin, in particular, is essential when it comes to preventing hair loss and promoting keratin production. These vitamins can also aid in the production of red blood cells, which are important nutrient transmitters to hair follicles and head tissues. They are water-soluble, making for easy ingestion.
Support your vitamin regimen with a diet rich in B vitamins. You can find biotin most prevalently in meat, but it is also in certain fruits, vegetables, and even grains.
While it is possible to source a lot of these vitamins from common foods, your physician may also suggest bolstering your diet with supplements. BodyLogicMDs Cosmedix vitamins are a good source of B vitamins and promote healthy hair, skin, and collagen formation with appropriate amounts of biotin, saw palmetto, and other phytonutrients.
Women Also Experience Hair Loss
While many people associate hair loss with men, an often-unspoken reality is that many women also experience hair loss, especially as they reach menopausal age. According to Harvard Health Publishing, about one-third of women report having hair loss at some point in their lifetime, and two-thirds of women who reached postmenopausal age experienced hair thinning or bald spots.
Unlike men, who generally experience hair loss due to their genetics, women tend to experience hair loss as a result of imbalanced hormone levels and other triggers. Some causes of hair loss in women include:
Other health conditions can also lead to hair loss in women, so it is always advised to seek medical advice on how to treat your hair loss, as other health factors might be contributing to this symptom.
You May Like: Does Low Estrogen Cause Weight Gain
Why Should You Seek Hormone Replacement Therapy At The Med Spot
There is no better place to provide Hormone Replacement Therapy for hair loss or any other beauty or wellness issue than The Med Spot. This five-star medical practice led by Dr. Michelle Reyes has built a loyal panel of patients on her reputation for optimizing health that you can both see and feel.
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy is the gold standard option for healthy age management in patients with hormonal imbalances. As we age, everyone eventually encounters declining hormonal levels. There is no reason not to treat an issue that causes so much suffering when it can get corrected so easily.
The Med Spot for All Your Aesthetic Needs
The Med Spot treats critics, celebrities, stay-at-home moms, and more, from Tarzana, Woodland Hills, Hidden Hills, Calabasas, and the greater San Fernando Valley anyone who wants to enhance their natural beauty from the inside out. Dr. Michelle Reyes combines her extensive training and clinical experience with the latest research and cutting-edge technology to give her clients the best possible results.
To learn more about Hormone Replacement for hair loss, contact The Med Spot to schedule a personal one-on-one consultation with Dr. Michelle Reyes. Let us introduce you to our brand of personalized luxury care and start you on your path to your best self.
More Than Another Bad Hair Day
Many women find their hair loses volume and length around menopause hair can also become brittle, fragile and break more easily. Some women also notice hair thinning and shedding – particularly around the hairline and crown known as female pattern hair loss .
Common signs of menopausal hair thinning:
Ponytail is thinnerHair not growing as long as it used toParting is wider and scalp is more visible around the crownRecession and/or thinning at templesReduced thickness and length of each strand
These changes can be really stressful since our hair is a very important aspect of our identity. Other unwelcome changes to our appearance may also be happening around the same time, leading to further distress
The hair growth cycle consists of three distinct stages:
Anagen PhaseHair grows around a centimetre a month , and faster in the summer than in winter. This growth phase lasts an average of 3-5 years so a full-length hair averages 71-76cm. The anagen phase is generally longer in people of Asian descent, and can last as much as 7 years.
Catagen PhaseAt the end of the anagen phase, hair enters the catagen phase. This short transitional phase lasts approximately 10 days.
Telogen PhaseFinally, hair enters a resting phase when strands are released and fall out. The follicle then remains inactive for 3 months, before the whole process is repeated.
Useful Links
Don’t Miss: How To Get More Estrogen In Your Diet
Hormones And Hair Loss
As mentioned above, during the transitional years of menopause and andropause the decreasing hormone levels in men and women can contribute to shortened hair follicle growth phase. This results in follicles shrinking and reducing the amount of hairs visible on the scalp. If your doctor determines hormone replacement is a good course of action, an individualized treatment plan will be formulated tailored to your age, gender, severity of hair loss and other factors.
> > > Breaking: Bald Guy Cuts Off Scalp Skin And Fixes Hair Loss
Besides medications, the treatment for hair loss can also include a hair transplant. In this procedure, small pieces of the scalp containing hair follicles are transferred to the bald areas. The surgery can be risky because it involves the usual risks of surgery, including shock and pain. Furthermore, it is expensive and is often not covered by insurance. But if you dont want to live with a bald area thats affecting your confidence and your appearance, hair transplant surgery may be the right option.
If the baldness is caused by a fungal infection, you can consider undergoing a hair transplant. In this procedure, tiny pieces of scalp are removed and moved to the bald spots. Despite the risks, this procedure is highly effective and is often covered by health insurance plans. A hair transplant can cost thousands of dollars, and you will most likely need to pay a large part of it out of pocket. The only downside to hair transplant surgery is the high cost.
Although alopecia is an embarrassing problem for many people, it can also be caused by trauma. People who undergo painful procedures on their hair may be at risk for traumatizing alopecia. This condition often results in thinning or falling hair. In some cases, the scalp becomes red and the scalp can even become inflamed. Antibiotics and antimalarial drugs may also be prescribed to help treat this disorder.
Recommended Reading: How Much Does Hormone Health And Weight Loss Cost
Hormone Therapy For Women
Bio-Identical Hormones For Women
As women get older, their natural hormone levels can start to decrease. This is particularly true of estrogen and testosterone. Symptoms of low estrogen include vaginal dryness, difficulty sleeping, joint pain, headaches, reduced sex drive and other symptoms. Low testosterone levels can cause weight gain, mood swings, fatigue, anxiety, hair loss, and other conditions. However, that there is a natural way to restore these levels. Hormone Pellet Therapy is a process that utilizes Bio-identical hormones to replicate the bodys normal hormonal levels.
What are Bioidentical Hormones?
What Role Does Hormone Replacement Treatment Play In Hair Thinning During Menopause
Hormone replacement treatment during menopause may help with thinning hair if its 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. This may help your hair in a few ways.
First, as we learned, estrogen plays a significant role during hair growth. Increasing estrogen levels during hormone replacement treatment may help your hair stay in the growing phase for longer than it would without hormone injections. 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.
Don’t Miss: How To Lose Hormonal Weight Fast
Male Pattern Baldness And Hormones
Hair loss has four main factors behind it, namely hormone levels, genes, age and stress. Lifestyle, such as diet, environment, sleep patterns, can also contribute to hair loss. Male pattern baldness is often caused by genetic factors and in such cases it is called androgenic alopecia or androgenetic alopecia.
Hair loss can also be a sign of andropause when caused by age hormone production drops. Decreased testosterone can lead to hair loss and also growth of hair in other parts of the body such as the ears. Moreover, hormones such as DHT or dihydrotestosterone, a byproduct of testosterone, also shrinks hair follicles and when DHT is suppressed follicles can continue functioning normally.
Hair Loss And Hormone Replacement Therapy
Hormone replacement therapy is a treatment that is commonly prescribed for women who are experiencing uncomfortable symptoms related to menopause, including severe hot flashes, night sweats, loss of libido, extreme moodiness or depression, trouble sleeping, and osteoporosis. These symptoms are often associated with the sharp drop in estrogen levels during menopause. Hormone replacement therapy is most often prescribed in the form of oral medications as well as topical progesterone and estrogen creams.
While not all women require HRT for menopausal symptoms , many women find that it has an added benefit: hormone replacement therapy can slow hair loss. Some doctors prescribe HRT for women who suffer from androgenetic alopecia or pattern baldness, but they are quick to warn patients that while effective, hormone replacement therapy also is associated with side effects of its own. Some of the side effects include:
- Higher risk of heart disease or strokes
- Higher risk of blood clots
- Increased risk of uterine cancer if progesterone therapy is not prescribed alongside estrogen therapy
- Breast cancer risk increases when hormone replacement therapy is conducted long-term
- Frequent headaches
- Soreness in the breasts
- Vaginal bleeding that may or may not be associated with uterine cancer
Don’t Miss: How To Treat Adult Hormonal Acne
Does Hrt Fix Menopausal Hair Loss
Hormone replacement therapy can help reduce hair loss, as estrogen is believed to promote hair growth.
Women choose to take HRT at menopause for a variety of reasons, most often to try and control unpleasant hot flushes and night sweats.
However, HRT helps many other menopausal symptoms too, including insomnia, tiredness, joint pains, irritability, low mood, and vaginal dryness and soreness.
One of the lesser-known benefits of HRT is that it stimulates the production of collagen – the main matrix protein in skin, bone, cartilage, hair and nails.
There is little published research on which HRT preparation to recommend for treating hair loss, however.
Dr Lee added: The most antiandrogenic progesterones are likely to have the best effects at reducing hair loss.
These include medroxyprogesterone acetate for example, found in Indivina, and drospirenone, for example, found in Angelique.
The risks and benefits of HRT must always be carefully assessed with your GP or menopause specialist, but for most women, the benefits of taking HRT will outweigh the risks.
Dr Lee warned: Women need to be fully informed about the possible small increased risk of breast cancer from taking combined HRT, versus the protective benefits from HRT on the cardiovascular system, bone health, and the other possible protective aspects against other medical conditions such as dementia and colon cancer.
Managing Hormonal Hair Loss
Taking HRT is a decision to make with your doctor, and you may find that HRT is not right for you. Below are other methods of managing hair loss while going through menopause.
- Use Toppik Hair Building Fibers Experiencing hair loss can have a major impact on self-esteem, but luckily hair fibers can help conceal! Toppik Hair Building Fibers are made with premium, naturally derived keratin proteins almost identical to human hair. They blend with existing hair strands, instantly concealing hair loss and making hair look thick and full.
- Stress Management Stress is a common symptom of menopause, and has been linked to hair loss in women4. Stress management techniques can help low impact exercise, a balanced diet, dedication to improving sleep quality, and meditation can help temper anxiety and stress.
- Practice Hair Protecting Techniques Stopping hair loss entirely can be tricky, but there are things you can do to protect against further hair loss. Avoid tight hairstyles, heat tools, and anything that puts mechanical stress on your hair. Also, try using silk or satin pillowcases and hair accessories.
- Talk to your Doctor If HRT is not for you, your doctor may be able to prescribe other hair loss prevention and menopausal management medication.
What is your experience with HRT and hair loss? Do you have tips for managing menopausal hair loss? Tell us about it in the comments below!
Also Check: How To Get Estrogen In Your Body