--- description: A study found that 52% of postmenopausal women between age 50 and 65 experienced hair thinning or loss. Experts talk to TIME about what to do title: How to Fight Hair Loss During Menopause image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt57e68ae4732d2a4d/6998cbfde1ba008e1898e290/menopause-hair-loss.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 --- Nov 25, 2025 # How to Fight Hair Loss During Menopause by [Stacey Colino](/author/stacey-colino/) ## Stacey Colino Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Colino is a contributor for TIME.  Source Image: sellyhutapea/Getty Images For many women, the menopausal transition can feel like a full-scale body rebellion. If hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, and sleep disturbances aren’t bothersome enough, many women experience increased hair loss or shedding during these years, which can feel like adding insult to misery. In fact, [a 2022 study](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35357365/ "undefined") published in the journal _Menopause_ found that 52% of postmenopausal women between age 50 and 65 experienced hair thinning or hair loss. This can start years before a woman reaches menopause, which is defined as one year from her last period. During the perimenopausal transition, which can begin five to 10 years before menopause, hormone levels start to fluctuate: Estrogen and progesterone levels go down while [androgen levels may stay steady](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7812536/ "undefined"). This can create an imbalance between these hormones that can [alter your hair’s growth cycle,](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378512225001860 "undefined") [thickness,](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378512225001860 "undefined") [texture,](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378512225001860 "undefined") [and strength](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378512225001860 "undefined"), as well as leading to changes in the [hair follicles](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10669803/ "undefined"). “Once estrogen, which is protective, goes down, the androgens have a negative effect on the hair follicles,” explains Dr. Valerie D. Callender, a dermatologist in Glenn Dale, Md. and a professor of dermatology at Howard University College of Medicine. Signs of excessive hair loss can include a widening of your part, a suddenly higher hairline, or noticeable clumps of hair on your brush or shower drain. You also might find that individual strands begin to feel more fragile or wiry or that your ponytail is thinner than it used to be. **Read More**: [_What Menopause Does to the Brain_](https://time.com/collections/time-for-you-menopause/7328125/menopause-brain-health/ "undefined") Complicating matters, “perimenopause is such a roller-coaster for women, which can cause stress-related hair loss,” says Dr. Doris Day, a clinical professor of dermatology at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine and author of _Rebooting the Biome: How Properly Caring For Your Skin Biome Can Do More For Your Health and Beauty Than Any Skincare Ingredient on the Market._ “And female pattern hair loss can accelerate during perimenopause and menopause.” Regardless of the specific pattern, any menopause-related decline in hair density and appearance can have a serious emotional impact on women, often triggering increased stress, anxiety, and loss of self-esteem, [research](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378512225001860 "undefined") has found. ## Why hair loss happens during menopause It’s normal to lose 50 to 150 hairs per day. That may sound like a lot, but most people have about 100,000 hairs on their heads. Human hair has its own growth cycle, with individual strands in different phases of the cycle at any given time. The cycle’s [four distinct phases](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9917549/ "undefined") include anagen (active growth); catagen (regression); telogen (a resting phase); and exogen (shedding). Because some strands are in the anagen phase while others are in a resting or shedding state, the overall density of your hair stays relatively consistent over time if you’re healthy. But then the menopausal transition arrives and hormonal fluctuations can start to disrupt things. **Read More**: [_What to Say if Your Doctor Dismisses Your Menopause Symptoms_](https://time.com/collections/time-for-you-menopause/7325508/menopause-symptoms/ "undefined") “There are estrogen receptors on the scalp, and estrogen increases the duration of anagen, the growth phase,” explains Dr. Mary Lupo, a dermatologist based in New Orleans. When estrogen levels decline during the menopausal transition, the anagen phase shortens, more hairs switch to the telogen phase, and that causes increased shedding, she adds. But the degree to which normal hair loss changes during these years can vary considerably from one woman to another. Excessive “hair loss doesn’t occur in every woman who goes through menopause—some women are predisposed to it genetically,” says Callender. It also could be that new hair is coming in more slowly as you get older or go through the menopausal transition. “You may be shedding the same amount as you did in the past but are replacing it more slowly,” Day says. What does grow back is often thinner than your previous strands. ## What to do about menopausal hair loss Replacing those dwindling hormones with hormone therapy can help protect you from hair loss, says Lupo. Talk to your doctor to see if this is a good option for you. Other medications that have been shown to help with postmenopausal hair loss include [oral finasteride](https://karger.com/sad/article/10/4/293/906690/ "undefined") and [oral spironolactone](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10502763/ "undefined"). You can also take DIY steps to treat menopausal hair loss. “The earlier you treat it, the better,” Callendar says. “You can slow down hair loss and promote regrowth.” One way to do that is to use topical minoxidil, a 5% solution that’s available over the counter. Another topical treatment that can help is home-based red light therapy, which promotes blood flow to the scalp, Day says. One [study](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8577899/ "undefined") in the _Annals of Dermatology_ found that exposure to low-level red light promoted the proliferation of hair follicles and delayed the transition from the anagen to the catagen phase of the hair cycle—effects that could promote hair growth and reverse hair-follicle damage. **Read More**: [_8 Signs You’re in Perimenopause_](https://time.com/7019600/perimenopause-signs-symptoms/ "undefined") Another approach is to ask your doctor about taking a nutritional supplement designed to promote hair growth. “They act like a fertilizer for the hair,” Callender says. Scientific evidence supporting their benefits is sparse, but some dermatologists say they see good results from them. With all of these treatments, keep in mind that they need to be used continuously to maintain the benefits, Day says. “If you stop doing it, you lose the benefits.” If you’ve noticed increased hair loss, make an effort to modify the way you care for your hair. Callender recommends using “good volumizing shampoos that swell the hair shaft, making it look fuller. Also, use a good conditioner on the ends to prevent breakage.” Lupo recommends using a plated hair serum to stimulate hair growth, improve scalp health, and strengthen strands. Be sure to brush your hair gently and use a wet hairbrush on wet hair to avoid stressing strands, Day advises. “Don’t overpull your hair with ponytails or curlers,” she adds, and avoid over-processing your hair with highlighting, straightening, or other treatments, to prevent breakage. Most of all, be patient. It takes time—often several months—to see positive effects from interventions for menopausal hair loss, and many women rely on more than one approach. The good news is, in the post-menopausal years, hair loss often levels out, Day says. But before you start trying things on your own, consult a dermatologist. They can provide guidance and may even offer stronger treatments and other restorative measures. _TIME for You: Menopause is presented by Hers_ ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Article","@id":"https://time.com/collections/time-for-you-menopause/7336547/menopause-hair-loss/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/collections/time-for-you-menopause/7336547/menopause-hair-loss/"},"headline":"How to Fight Hair Loss During Menopause","datePublished":"2025-11-25T14:00:28.000Z","dateModified":"2026-03-03T01:03:29.321Z","description":"A study found that 52% of postmenopausal women between age 50 and 65 experienced hair thinning or loss. 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