Female Hair Loss After Menopause

As if hot flashes and weight gain weren't enough, about half of all women experience some hair loss during menopause. Two-thirds of post-menopausal women are confronted with thinning hair or bald spots.

A dramatic slowdown in the production of estrogen is the culprit for hair loss in women. Before menopause, the high amounts of estrogen in a woman's system protect her from the small amount of testosterone she produces. After menopause the testosterone produced combines with the enzyme 5 alpha reductase to create the hormone DHT which is responsible for female pattern baldness. Reading that should give you another hot flash.