2 approaches to dealing with hair loss

Hair loss in post-menopausal women is one of the most common issues dermatologists are dealing with today, although unfortunately it does not get the volume of media attention wrinkles do.

If you’re dealing with thinning hair, first I’d suggest seeing your doctor to make sure there are no underlying medical issues that could be responsible for your hair loss.  

Then, there are two good and very different solutions to consider,  depending on the degree of hair loss:

The medical fix

If your hair is thinning mainly along the front hairline but you have thick healthy hair in back a hair transplant can help. This is a true surgical procedure and needs to be performed by a specialist. Strips of scalp are taken from the back and single hairs are grafted to fill in sparse areas in front along the hairline. As the new hairs grow in, the hairline is filled and looks totally natural.

Contact the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery for guidance in selecting a doctor if you think you’re a candidate for this procedure. However, this does not work if your problem is allover thinning.

The cosmetic fix

For allover thinning, you need to consider color and style changes.

1. Keep you hair somewhere between chin and collarbone length – no longer than that.
2. Coloring your hair can increase texture since it coats the hair shaft and thickens it. Absolute truth.
3. Adding highlights too can blur the contrast between any gaps where the scalp shows and your hair.
4. If your hair is skimpy at the hairline, avoid pulling it back in a tight ponytail – stress and tension at the hairline can increase loss there.
5. Use thickening, volumizing styling products designed to add bulk to the hair shaft too before blow-drying, especially at the roots to create a subtle lift.

And, FYI, no one has the same hair quality at 55 or 60 they had at 30 or even 40. Menopause is always the big turning point.

I hope this helps you!

[This was first posted as part of this conversation ~ Eds.]