Hair loss can have a devastating effect on a womans confidence, as her hair is very much a part of who she is. Losing an excessive amount of hair during menopause is usually a direct result of those pesky hormone levels. The two main hormones involved in hair growth are estrogen and testosterone. Another hormone, androgen, increases as the levels of estrogen decrease.

Normal hair growth is about half an inch per month, although this slows down as you age. Each hair remains on the head for two to six years, and during most of this time it is continually growing and renewing.

Usually there are approximately 100,000 hairs on a person`s head at any one time and it is quite normal to lose 50-100 hairs each day. When washing or brushing your hair you will possibly notice this loss the most. However, in some women undergoing the transition of menopause, the loss will be noticeably greater.

If you are experiencing hair loss and suspect that menopause is responsible, get yourself to your doctor right away just to make sure. There are other possibilities, such as anxiety and stress, trauma and certain medications. It is worth casting your mind back to around three months prior to the beginning of the hair loss, as to what was going on at the time. You may be able identify the events that triggered the loss.

Hair loss in menopausal women tends not be as noticeable as hair loss in men, with the thinning occurring over the entire head, rather than in specific bald spots.

Do keep in mind that not all hair thinning and loss is permanent. There have been cases of menopausal women, experiencing thinning and lost hair who went on to regain the thickness of previously lost hair, once their hormone levels had become balanced.