Everyone's body is different, but most people using estrogen notice hair growth changes within one year of gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT). This includes body hair and facial hair, which will gradually thin out and grow more slowly. You may notice that you need to shave less often.
HRT is an effective treatment for hair loss in both men and women that replaces hormones that may be causing hair loss with those that promote healthy hair growth.
Taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can slow down or even stop hair loss in some women. It is hard to predict who will benefit.
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.
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).
Everyone's body is different, but most people using estrogen notice hair growth changes within one year of gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT). This includes body hair and facial hair, which will gradually thin out and grow more slowly.
The results of hormone replacement therapy can vary from person to person. Some may start to see an improvement in their hair growth within a few months. For others, it may take up to a year to notice any changes.
Although it is generally only prescribed as a last resort for menopausal symptoms, HRT is a common and effective hair loss treatment for some women – as long as they are menopausal or post-menopausal and are not at higher risk for adverse effects from HRT.
A recent study of postmenopausal women, ages 50 to 80, found that those who took hormones had significantly lower levels of belly fat than women who did not take hormones.
HRT is also known to help women maintain softer, smoother skin, resulting in a younger look. In addition to—and, often, as a result of—these physical changes, HRT often changes how you see yourself.
With that said, one of the physical changes that accompany estrogen hormone replacement therapy is body and facial hair thinning. Those on estrogen GAHT (both estradiol and anti-androgens and/or progesterone) can experience hair thinning on the face, chest, abdomen, legs, and arms.
Hormone replacement therapy can help in many ways with your weight loss goals if you're suffering from symptoms of menopause. Several studies have found that menopausal HRT can have a big impact not only on weight loss, but also how much fat your body stores and where.
It usually takes a few weeks before you feel the benefits of HRT. It can take up to 3 months to feel the full effects. If you have not felt the benefit of HRT after 4 to 6 months, it may help to try a different type. It can take your body time to get used to HRT.
Androgens, such as testosterone (T), dihydrotestosterone (DHT), and their prohormones dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) and androstenedione (A) are the key factors in the growth of terminal hair.
The main benefit of HRT is that it can help relieve most menopause and perimenopause symptoms, including hot flushes, brain fog, joint pains, mood swings and vaginal dryness.
It may take a few weeks to feel the effects of treatment and there may be some side effects at first. A GP will usually recommend trying treatment for 3 months to see if it helps. If it does not, they may suggest changing your dose, or changing the type of HRT you're taking.
Many women actually find that they lose weight by using HRT as it shifts the metabolism back into a pre-menopausal metabolic state. Progesterone can sometimes cause fluid retention which can mimic weight gain, but there are alterations that can be made to the regime to minimise this impact.
While many people notice improvements in sleep or mood within weeks of starting HRT, changes like improved muscle mass or fat loss can take at least three to six months.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
Systemic HRT can improve sleep quality, making it easier to get off to sleep, with less night-time waking; it has also been shown to improve chronic pain, mood and genitourinary symptoms. A 2017 study also demonstrated an improvement in hot flushes and night sweats.
Some women find that Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) helps with their fatigue. HRT is an effective way of managing menopause symptoms and can improve the overall quality of your life, energy levels and sleep.
HRT with Estrogen May Lower Fear Response & Anxiety
They found that estrogen may have a calming effect on the fear response, including for women suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Therefore, there is some evidence that increasing estrogen may reduce anxiety-like symptoms.
HRT may slow the loss of your pubic and underarm hair but it would not be certain to reverse it.
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.
And that one is finasteride. Finasteride (generic Propecia®) is a prescription tablet that effectively blocks DHT and stops further hair loss, including receding hairlines. It works by binding to the 5α-Reductase enzyme, effectively inhibiting your body from producing DHT in the first place.