The discussion around menopause has been making major headlines this year, with the media finally giving the important topic the attention it deserves. But when it comes to haircare, do you know enough about menopause and hair to confidently talk to your clients about it? Nioxin ambassador and globally recognised trichologist, Mark Blake (MIT WTS IAT), explains the intricacies of menopause and hair loss, and the advice you should be offering clients.
Q According to Nioxin, around 40% of women notice hair thinning after menopause, but what about perimenopause? Is this truly a thing before the big ‘M’ kicks in?
A A few years before the onset of menopause, women start a perimenopause stage, where the ovaries start to make less oestrogen. Perimenopause is the start of huge physical changes the body has to adapt to – this is when thinning hair usually starts to happen. Often, you won’t realise the hair is thinning until you have lost around 50% of its density, so it may not be noticed until you actually get to the menopause itself, even though it has been happening for the last couple of years.
Q How does your client know if their thinning hair is due to menopause or something else?
A I advise all my female trichology patients to ask their GP for a blood test to establish if they’re in perimenopause or menopause, as I think a woman should know what point she is at on her journey through life.
Q What actually happens to the body in order for it to shed hair?
A When a woman goes through the menopause, levels of oestrogen and progesterone tend to fall – these are the hormones that the hair really likes. A reduction of these hormones interrupts the growing cycle (Anagen Phase) of the hair, meaning the hair may not grow for as long, in turn not reaching the length it’s used to. The reduction of these hormones can also mean that the hair becomes finer (Miniaturisation), fragile and can break more easily, in turn hugely impacting the amount of hair a woman has left on her head.
Q What is the best advice to offer clients on how to deal with thinning hair?
● Don’t ignore it.
Your client will recover from this and it’s not going to last forever, but in the meantime, I recommend they ‘fake it until they make it’.
● Eat well.
You can only grow great hair if you are eating well. Drinking plenty of water and eating a healthy, well-balanced diet is crucial to reducing hair loss and growing fantastic hair. Hair is made up of around 85% protein, so I recommend that you eat around 100 grams of protein a day for maximum hair health.
● Introduce a suitable hair loss regime.
The Nioxin 3-part system kits are a perfect way to approach hair thinning the moment you suspect any changes in your hair density. Each system is designed for a different hair type depending on the level of thinning and if the hair is coloured or chemically treated.
● Experiment with a scalp exfoliation treatment.
This in-salon service is an excellent way to revive the scalp. Another impact in the reduction of oestrogen and progesterone is dry skin – particularly a dry scalp – so the build-up of dead skin cells needs removing to help create the best clean environment for optimal hair growth.
“I advise all my female trichology patients to ask their GP for a blood test to establish if they’re in perimenopause or menopause, as I think a woman should know what point she is at on her journey through life.”
For related articles, click here
