HRT and Hair Regrowth Estrogen and progesterone are hormones that aid in healthy hair growth, so when your body stops producing these, it can cause hair loss. Taking HRT can help prevent this loss and may even help regrow hair. In fact, some trans women with androgen alopecia who underwent HRT saw hair regrowth3.
Estrogen and progesterone can help keep your hair in the growing (anagen) phase. Therefore, these hormones can help your hair stay on your head longer and may even help your hair grow faster. This may be why many women notice their hair thinning starts to improve with estrogen replacement therapy.
The answer is yes! Fortunately, unlike genetic hair loss, most hair loss caused by hormonal imbalances is reversible.
Estrogen is related to hair growth — and hair loss. During pregnancy, for example, a woman's estrogen levels are higher than normal, which signals more hair follicles to "grow" and fewer to "rest." While estrogen levels are high, women have full, thick hair.
Androgens—such as testosterone (T); dihydrotestosterone (DHT); and their prohormones, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) and androstendione (A)—are the key factors in terminal hair growth.
Is it reversible? While some forms of AFAB hair loss are temporary, female pattern baldness is permanent and irreversible without treatment. However, proper treatment can stop the hair loss and potentially help regrow some lost hair.
DHT, a derivative of the male hormone testosterone, is the enemy of hair follicles on your head. Simply put, under certain conditions DHT wants those follicles dead. This simple action is at the root of many kinds of hair loss. Testosterone converts to DHT with the aid of the enzyme 5-alpha reductase.
When the levels of estrogen and progesterone drop, hair grows more slowly and becomes much thinner. A decrease in these hormones also triggers an increase in the production of androgens, or a group of male hormones. Androgens shrink hair follicles, resulting in hair loss on the head.
It's important to understand that this is not a quick-fix for hair loss in women. The drug must be used for at least two consecutive months to notice a difference, and the effect is usually noticed around the four-month mark, but it could possibly take longer. A six to 12-month trial is recommended.
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) restores your body's oestrogen to an average pre-menopausal level. This treatment relieves menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes, mood swings, osteoporosis and decreased libido. It is also known to help with hair thinning.
Estrogen Excess
Just like excess testosterone and excess DHT can cause hair troubles, so can too much estrogen. For some women, excess estrogen may trigger hair loss because of a gene variant that affects the functioning of an enzyme (aromatase) that processes estrogen.
Although most people think of estrogen or testosterone when they think of a hormone imbalance, issues with your thyroid can also lead to hair thinning. Once your hormonal imbalance is corrected, your hair should begin to grow again -- plus you'll probably feel more energetic and better overall.
According to Harvard Health Publishing, topical minoxidil is the most common treatment for androgenic alopecia or hormonal hair loss as opposed to corticosteroids for non-hormonal hair loss treatment. Corticosteroids reduce inflammation and lower the immune response in alopecia areata.
Certain HRT products can help to treat female pattern hair loss. The hair- friendly ones are Premique and Indivina (both of these products contain the anti- androgen medroxyprogesterone acetate) and Angeliq (containing drospirenone).
In addition to keeping your bones strong, estrogen and progesterone keep your hair healthy. A decrease in these hormones causes an increase in androgen production which causes hair follicles to shrink and contribute to hair loss.
Irregular periods, hot flashes, difficulty sleeping, mood swings, and headaches can all be signs of low levels of the hormone estrogen in women. The most common cause of low estrogen is perimenopause, your body's transition into menopause, but other factors can be involved.
A Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center study involving postmenopausal, overweight, and obese women who took 2,000 IUs of vitamin D daily for a year found that those whose vitamin D blood levels increased the most had the greatest reductions in blood estrogens, which are a known risk factor for breast cancer.
Eating a varied diet can provide the body with the nutrients it needs for progesterone metabolism. This includes foods such as cruciferous vegetables, nuts, and whole grains. Keeping a healthy weight, staying on a consistent sleep schedule, and managing stress can help to keep hormones balanced as well.
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.
How is female hair loss treated? Minoxidil (Rogaine) 5% is the only topical medication approved by the FDA for female-pattern hair loss. The once daily use foam treatment regrows hair in 81% of the women who try it. Liquid options of 2% and 5% solutions are available over the counter.
As with male pattern baldness, female pattern baldness comes from hormone imbalances, specifically dihydrotestosterone imbalances, or DHT. This hormone is similar in structure to testosterone, but it is significantly more potent [3]. DHT can attach to receptors on the hair follicles, causing the follicles to shrink.