As you age, the hair follicles start producing less pigment. This causes your hair to turn gray. The thickness of your hair may also change. It's common for the thick hair that you had as a young adult to eventually become fine and thin.
Post-50 hair can develop a coarse texture, even if it was smooth and sleek throughout your life. Your cuticles' overlapping cells become thinner and more damage-prone. This vulnerability allows moisture to escape, and your cuticle layer remains open instead of lying flat the way healthy hair does.
Is menopausal hair loss permanent? The good news: hormonal hair loss can grow back after menopause. But before we get to that, it's important to know that hair goes through cycles of hair shedding and hair regrowth throughout our lives — on average, people usually lose between 50 and 100 strands of hair a day.
In women, hereditary hair loss usually starts after the age of 40. Roughly 40% of women have noticeable hair loss by the age of 50. And less than half of women get through life with a full head of hair.
Here's the truth: You can't change the size of your hair follicles. If you were born with fine hair, it's genetics, and no product will completely alter that. Of course, there are ways to maintain your hair health, add volume, and keep it from getting any thinner.
As you age, your pubic hair, just like the hair on your head, will naturally start to thin and turn grey. Part of the aging process includes hair loss and the slowing of the rate of hair growth. Typically, hair in the armpits, chest, and pubic region will start to thin and turn grey later than scalp hair.
During menopause, people may notice their hair is thinning, less full or shedding more. “Treat your scalp like fertilizer that you want to optimize for hair growth,” says Dr. Williams. “If your scalp is dry, use gentle, moisturizing shampoos and wash it less frequently.
Pubic hair and hair on the body doesn't usually grow back after the menopause, this is due to levels of estrogen and progesterone remaining low as we continue to age.
As we get older, our hair texture changes dramatically. Hair will slowly become drier, coarser, and thinner over the years. The truth is that as we grow older, the oils that our scalp relies on for nourishment decrease, resulting in drier, frizzier hair.
Can thin hair become thicker again? A person cannot change the texture of their hair. However, the hair may grow back after chemotherapy or pregnancy, for example.
Just like a person's skin, hair goes through five specific signs of aging, says AGEbeautiful. They are: thinning hair, wiry gray hair, graying hair, dryness and dullness.
Hair will generally be at its best in the early 20s, says Burg, because “hair shafts are thick and cuticles are tight.” Women may see changes if they are stressed, extreme dieting or using contraception.
You Can Grow Your Hair Long Past Your 50s
Growing long hair past your 50s is not only possible, but it is also probable. You should not be forced to cut your hair because of breakage, dryness, or other age-related damage.
Treatment options for menopausal hair loss can include medication such as Rogaine and procedures like microneedling. It can also include lifestyle changes, including reducing stress, exercising, and eating a healthy diet.
B12 levels and hair loss
Another simple nutrient deficiency that is easy to test for, and manage, when it comes to menopausal hair loss is vitamin B12.
VULVA: After menopause, there is a loss of pubic hair and the labia shrink in size.
Pubic hair may extend out to their thighs, and some boys may have a line of hair up to their belly button. Most boys finish growing by age 17, but some may continue growing through their early 20s.
Other body hair is not as sensitive to testosterone. Consequently, overall, women lose sexual and body hair (arm pits, abdomen, chest, pubic, leg and thigh areas, and around the nipples) after menopause.