Intro to Healthy Perimenopausal Hair
Perimenopause, meaning around menopause, is a biological process every woman eventually goes through. It’s also called the menopausal transition. It marks the end of the reproductive years in which your body makes the natural transition to menopause.
Considered an illness, we prefer to talk about it as an adjustment period in a woman’s life.
We consider the illness part is the loss of hair!
No matter what they consider “illnesses that cause hair loss in females,” we’re out to make it easier for you….with as little hair loss or NO hair loss. Ultimately, even better hair growth after menopause!
Women start perimenopause at different ages. Some notice signs, such as irregular periods, in their 40s and some as early as their mid-30s.
During perimenopause, the level of estrogen rises and drops irregularly. Estrogen and progesterone are responsible for keeping the hair in the growing phase, allowing it to grow faster and stay on the head longer.
When estrogen and progesterone levels drop, it triggers an increase in male hormones called androgens, which are responsible for shrinking hair follicles.
With a decrease in estrogen and progesterone and an increase in androgens, the result can be a slowing in hair growth and an increase in hair loss.
Hormonal in nature, as your body resets from childbearing, many other things are going on that may be exacerbating the hair loss, especially in the cascade of hormonal fluctuations!
Continue reading if you want to increase your chances of having awesome hair during menopause and lessening the effects of menopause hair loss. Find out the 7 things you can do now to help stop hair loss and have amazing, healthy hair.
7 Tips for Healthy Perimenopausal Hair
1. Eat a nutrient-dense diet: Protein is important because it provides the amino acids that make up keratin, which is the building block of your hair. Lean meats, beans, fish, eggs, dairy, kale, and asparagus are great protein sources. If you are vegan, there are choices, yet stay away from soy. Otherwise, when you see your hair falling, you won’t be able to say we didn’t warn you.
Healthy fats, such as coconut, olive, and flaxseed, provide your body with long-chain polyunsaturated fats and linoleic acids necessary for hair structure. Notice soy oil is NOT on the healthy list. Fruits and vegetables are essential to provide a variety of nutrients such as Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B12, folate, zinc, and niacin.
2. Add supplements: Take a multivitamin and mineral supplement daily for nutrients you didn’t get in your diet. For instance, zinc is important for hair growth, and you can lose zinc in sweat. If you exercise a lot, then it is possible to be deficient in it. Also, suppose you are having any blood work done. In that case, ask them to check your magnesium levels (more than 300 processes in the body rely on sufficient magnesium levels and Americans are typically deficient).
3. Reduce stress: Large amounts of stress can use up nutrients, like B-Vitamins, which are essential to healthy hair and hair growth. Also, stress pushes your hair follicles into the resting phase of the growth cycle, causing your hair to shed and become thin. Also, corn syrup and sugars take loads of B-Vitamins to process, thus reducing B-Vit levels to alarming lows. So, don’t stress eat sugars on top of being stressed. Try yoga, meditation, exercising, and a scalp massage, or put on some fantastic music and dance your stress out right there in your living room!
4. Exercise regularly: To help increase your spirits, maintain a healthy weight, and help you sleep better at night, maintain a good exercise regime. OR… at least stretch and get some flex and circulation going. Use it or lose it, so keep in mind that all of these things will help keep hormones balanced and promote healthy hair growth.
5. Stay hydrated: Your body will direct water to all of your vital organs first, then to your hair follicles. If you don’t consume enough water, your hair follicles will not receive any, resulting in dull, lifeless, dry, and breaking hair. By the way…. coffee, tea, and specialty waters don’t count. Pure, clean water “rinses” your cells. So think of it this way, if you are unsure about the beverage you are about to count as water, Ask: Would I shower in this? (Well, maybe a light champagne once in a while might be nice…..but you get the point!)
6. Avoid heat styling: As everyone knows, heat styling tools tend to dry out your hair. Especially if you use the tools on high heat. Limit your use of heat styling tools and always use the lowest heat setting possible. Tip: Just before applying the wand, or iron to your hair, rub the barrel on a damp washcloth to remove the collected heat that scorches the cuticle.
7. Nurture your perimenopause hair: Use natural, gentle, chemical-free hair products to nourish your hair and scalp. And just because it says natural does not necessarily mean good for hair. Silicones are considered natural, yet they wreak havoc on hair and follicles. Get your list of avoids for free by clicking here now. Silicone AVOID List. Also, incorporate a weekly deep conditioning treatment for deeper nourishment to your hair and scalp. The best products for your hair are found in the Restore Hair: Dry, Brittle, Split Ends package. For your weekly deep conditioner, use RoMANce Deep Conditioning Treatment.
Conclusion to Healthy Perimenopausal Hair
Fortunately, there are things you can do to minimize the loss and care for your scalp to optimize hair regrowth. Unfortunately, perimenopause is a critical time many misses. Although the hormones must do what they do, you now know 7 things to minimize hair loss. Imagine altering one more thing for the next 12 weeks that minimize hair loss! Healthy hair starts with a healthy scalp and your hair deserves the best life has to offer!