Perimenopause and Thinning Natural Hair

Perimenopause and thinning natural hair is not a topic that gets as much air play as it needs. This is because during this transitional phase of a woman’s life cycle, hair change is a common occurrence.

These changes not only put a damper on your natural hair journey, but can feel overwhelming when you are juggling life, as well as all the other premenopausal symptoms.

But fear not, NaHaZo has got you covered.

We discuss all things you need to know about hair loss during perimenopause:-

*Pssst, for the 411 on how to get ahead of your thinning hair, check out our Natural Remedies for Thinning Hair.

What is Perimenopause?

Perimenopause is a NATURAL process that happens when your ovaries gradually stop working.

It is the period before menopause and it is marked by physical, mental and psychological changes to your body.

When does it start?

It starts 8 – 10 years before menopause.

The age group mostly affected are women in their mid-40s, but it can start as early as when you are in your late 30s.

Perimenopause ends when menopause begins. 

Why do you experience thinning hair during Perimenopause?

Some women are more affected by hair loss during this period, than others.

It is, however, a fairly common occurrence.

You can experience hair loss during Perimenopause for the following reasons:-

• Hormonal imbalance due to going through perimenopause;
• Hereditary balding;
• Poor hair practices; and
• Aging and Inadequate nutrition.

What does thinning hair during Perimenopause look like?

Thinning hair is common during this period and you will notice the following signs and symptoms:-

• Your previously full hair is now thin.
• You have bald tracks down your side or middle parting.
• You have hair thinning and in some case bald patches around your hair crown.
• The texture of your hair is much coarser and lacking lustre.
• You have a lot more hair shedding. 
• Your edges get visibly thinner;
• You have bald spots and your scalp is visible in places.
• You have hair growth where you don’t want it (i.e. beard).

12 ways to manage Perimenopausal hair loss

1. Change your mind-set

Everything is about mind-set.

Before you go about making external changes, you need to make some mental, internal shifts.

This is the phase in your life when your body and mind will be going through changes. Your hair is no exception.

You need to accept that this this phase in your life is part of your beautiful life journey of being a woman and embrace it. 

Talk kindly to yourself, and avoid comparing the hair you have now, with what it used to be. Rather embrace the process, and realise that it is your body telling you that you are in the era of self-care.

You need to approach your hair with more kindness. Put away the past and embrace your resilient hair and it will embrace you back.

Thinning and hair loss affects a third of women during perimenopause and realise that you are not alone, but are part of a big sisterhood.

Instead of hoping for a better past, rather change the lens with which you see your hair and it will reward you back.

2. Massage your scalp

Now is the time to get into the habit of massaging your scalp, so as to stimulate your hair follicles.

Do this at least twice a week and use hair oils that stimulates your scalp. If you have the time, you can make your own DIY Rosemary Oil or you can purchase any store-bought oil.

Other great scalp massage oils are peppermint infused Jamaican Black Castor oil and Clove oil (this oil is drying so be sure to use it sparingly).

Also Invest in great moisturising oils that can help introduce moisture into your hair strands, as well as help smoothen and give your hair a healthier sheen.

Check out NaHaZo’s countdown of the 5 Best Moisturising Oils for Natural Hair. 

Make massaging your scalp part of your bi-weekly self-care routine and concentrate on the parts of your scalp that are susceptible to thinning such as the crown and the middle / side parting.

3. Go easy on drying hair products to combat thinning hair during menopause

You will need to minimise the use of hair products that dry out your hair.

These include rice water, clove oil, coffee oil, onion oil and certain store-bought hair sprays.

The reason why you need to keep away from drying products is that your hair is thinner and coarser, due to hormonal changes. If you introduce products that make it drier, you will increase the likelihood of hair breakage, split ends and more thinning hair.

One of the ways to manage dry hair is to make sure that you use daily leave-in conditioners.

Some of NaHaZo’s favourite conditioners are DIY Coconut Milk Leave-in Conditioner and DIY Aloe Vera Leave-in Conditioner. 

4. Use mild shampoo or cleanser

This is the time in your life when you need to stop using harsh shampoos to cleanse your hair.

Rather invest in a mild shampoo or hair cleanser that will clean your hair and scalp, but not strip it of the little oil and moisture that it has.

Remember that your hair (and your body) is going through a natural change, and while previously you could use certain products, now you need to be gentler with your hair.

You can also use conditioner to cleanse your scalp and hair, and then use an ACV rinse to further purify your scalp.

5. Stop colouring your hair

You will need to stop colouring your hair to minimise hair shedding and loss.

Using dyes on your hair is very drying and strips your hair of whatever moisture you may have. Rather use a wig or weave to add some colour to your look, rather than putting harsh chemicals on your head.

If you are worried about your greys showing, you can use henna to mask the greys.

Alternatively, adding weekly molasses hair conditioning treatments and taking molasses capsules can slow down and mask any new greys.

Ultimately you will need to make the choice. Do you want thin, dyed hair or do you want fuller, thicker hair with greys?

6. Take a blood test

In order to fully understand and treat your thinning hair, you will need to take a blood test.

Take a test to check your magnesium, iron, vitamin D and thyroid levels. When these levels are low, they can aggravate your already thinning hair.

Once you know if your levels are low or if you are deficient in one or more minerals, then you can better support your hair health by supplementing these with the right diet or supplements.

Talk to your trusted doctor (and nutritionist, if you have access to one), and ask them to help you design a health program to suit your needs.

7. Incorporate weekly conditioning treatments

To combat thinning and dryness, you should incorporate weekly conditioning treatments into your hair regime.

Add moisturising oils to your weekly treatments, and also incorporate the LOC / LCO regime using sealant oils that will trap the moisture onto your hair strands.

Regular moisturising treatments will keep your hair supple and smooth, making it less likely to snap and break.

Regularly moisturised hair also gives an overall appearance of healthy hair.

Have you tried Honey for Natural Hair? This is a game changer in terms of introducing moisture into your dry strands.

8. Look into your Diet

Your body is going through hormonal changes and your hair is the last place that it diverts essential nutrients to.

There are certain Iron rich foods that you can introduce into your diet that will help maintain the health of your hair. These are broccolli, dark chocolate, fish, eggs, string beans, prunes, lentils, sweet potatoes, spinach, black beans, chick peas, red meat and pumpkin seeds,

It is also a good idea to minimise / give up eating sugar and processed foods, as these foods have little to no nutritional value. Rather focus on eating for your overall body and hair health. 

Perimenopause is a good time to start eating healthily, and be more conscious of what you put in your body.

Looking for some healthy iron-rich recipe inspiration. Whip up our Spinach & Steak Iron Wise Salad for Hair Growth and Avocados and Tomato Salad – Recipe for Growth. 

9. Stress Management helps thinning hair during Perimenopause

You need to better manage your stress when you are in this transitional phase.

Stress causes raised cortisol levels, which in turn causes bald spots / thinning hair.

During this period, learn to centre yourself and prioritise things that keep you feeling positive and energised.

Some good stress management techniques are to:-
🌺 Learn to ask for help from family and friends so as to free up time for self-care.
🌺Take up hobbies you enjoy like reading, swimming, join a book club, hiking, and knitting.
🌺 Learn something new that you have always wanted to do,
🌺 Spend time with your friends and organise friend date nights to socialise.
🌺 Exercise more often.
🌺 Go on park runs and spend more time outdoors.
🌺 Get rid of / minimise contact with toxic people.

There is a big connection between hair health and your mental state. As you go through perimenopause, there are a lot of factors that may cause you stress and it is good practice to make your mental health a daily priority.

Looking to ease some stress? Have a look at Books Featuring Characters with Natural Hair and our Top 7 Romantic Movies that Feature Leads with Natural Hair for some rest and relaxation afro-hair love. 

10. Minimise heat

Heat dries out hair, making it more likely to snap and break. It is thus best to stay away from curling irons, flat irons and hair dryers.

This will be kinder to your hair strands and help you retain more of your hair.

Should you have to use heat, then it is advisable to use it sparingly – at least no more than 3 times a year.

Also remember that you can get heat damage from just one session of heat styling, so rather prioritise other methods. And make sure that you use a proper heat protectant when you occasionally style your hair with heat.

There are other heatless ways that you can style your hair without using heat. Read up on our 3 ways to Stretch Natural Hair without Heat as well as How to Prevent Heat Damage on Natural Hair. 

11. Use the correct styling tools

Your hair is very sensitive during this period of your life, and so you need to choose your styling tools carefully.

Keep away from any thin-toothed styling combs and any of the so called afro-textured friendly brushes that line the store shelves. These can pull and snag at hair, and are generally not advisable to use for thinning hair.

Rather get into the practice of finger-detangling your hair. This is a gentle way to manipulate your hair and when used with the right moisturising products, it can help you retain most of your hair.

12. See a Trichologist to treat thinning hair during Perimenopause

As mentioned earlier, your premenopausal years should be your self-care years.

If you are able to, you should visit a Trichologist should your hair loss issues persist. Seeing a professional will allow your hair loss issues to be properly diagnosed and for the right treatment to be offered to you.

Also, a good Trichologist will access both your scalp and hair, and also recommend a professional should there be any underlying medical issues other than normal hair loss due to aging.

In this way, you can get proper treatment for whatever issues you are facing, allowing you to prioritise other goals in your life.

Are you experiencing any of these premenopausal hair symptoms? Do you practice any of these recommended treatments for your hair?

A thriving hair community is one that learns together.

Let us know in the comments of any tips or insights you may have to deal with this issue.

Untill then, happy naturaling.