What the Heck Is Happening With My Hair?!

Here’s the short version: hormone shifts.

During perimenopause and menopause, your levels of estrogen and progesterone start to dip. Meanwhile, androgens like testosterone (which your body still makes) don’t fall as fast — so relatively speaking, you’re more “androgen dominant.”

This hormonal seesaw leads to two problems:

1. Thinning hair on the scalp (especially at the crown or temples)
2. More coarse hair in places we’d really rather not have it — think chin, upper lip, jawline, and even chest.

The medical name for this? Hirsutism — and it’s frustratingly common.

How Hair Loss Happens

(The science of hair loss, from aging to hormones)

Hair growth is a cycle with three phases:

• Anagen (growth)
• Catagen (transition)
• Telogen (resting)

Hormonal imbalance — especially declining estrogen and progesterone — shortens the anagen phase and pushes more follicles into telogen, causing them to shed before they’re ready.

At the same time, increased androgen sensitivity (or excess androgens, especially DHT — dihydrotestosterone) shrinks the hair follicle. This causes finer, weaker hair, especially at the scalp.

Meanwhile, facial hair follicles often respond more enthusiastically to androgens, which is why chin hairs are suddenly sprouting with the confidence of a weed in summer.

And aging doesn’t help:

• Blood flow to the scalp decreases.
• Nutrient absorption goes down.
• Inflammation rises.

All these factors contribute to “bad hair days” that become “bad hair years.”

What Makes It Worse

Unfortunately, hormones aren’t the only players in this hairy game. Here’s what can add fuel to the follicle fire:

• Insulin resistance – Often worsened in midlife, and can raise androgens.
• High stress and cortisol – Cortisol can disrupt the hair cycle, promote shedding, and reduce progesterone.
• Thyroid issues – Hypothyroidism is common in women 40+, and can contribute to both hair loss and dryness.
• PCOS history – Even if symptoms were mild when you were younger, that underlying hormonal tendency can reappear post-40.
• Nutrient deficiencies – Especially iron, zinc, biotin, protein, and B vitamins.

And yes, some medications — like steroids, antidepressants, or hormone blockers — can make things worse.

7 Natural Ways to Help

Whether you're battling scalp loss or rogue chin hairs, here are science-backed strategies to support your strands:

1. Balance blood sugar – Stabilizing insulin reduces androgen excess.
2. Reduce stress – Yoga, mindfulness, magnesium, and GABA-supporting supplements can help regulate cortisol and reduce hair loss.
3. Check thyroid and iron – These are commonly missed in hair loss workups.
4. Boost anti-inflammatory foods – Omega-3s, berries, leafy greens, and turmeric.
5. Topical treatments – Rosemary oil and caffeine-infused serums have emerging evidence.
6. Scalp massage – Increases circulation and can stimulate growth.
7. Supplements – Saw palmetto (blocks DHT), biotin, zinc, collagen peptides, and adaptogens may support hair health.

The Role of Progesterone and Estrogen (BHRT) for Hair Growth

When natural hormones decline, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) can restore balance — not just to mood, sleep, and energy, but also to your hair.

Estrogen supports the anagen (growth) phase and reduces androgen activity.
Progesterone also inhibits 5-alpha reductase — the enzyme that converts testosterone into DHT, the more aggressive form of androgen that miniaturizes hair follicles.

In other words:

• More estrogen and progesterone = less hair loss on your head and less growth on your chin.
• Less estrogen and progesterone = the opposite.

Clinical studies suggest that topical or systemic BHRT may help reduce hair thinning, though results vary and work best alongside a comprehensive hair health plan.