HRT is short for hormone replacement therapy, and is particularly used by women experiencing the menopause and after an hysterectomy. It helps to replace the hormone oestrogen and therefore balance the hormones in the body.
Approaching menopause can be a devastating time for some women as the body’s hormones are unbalanced, there may be a period one month but not the next, mood swings are prevalent, hot sweats and flushes, sleepless nights and tiredness. The hair and skin can also become tired looking with more wrinkles and dull, lifeless looking hair. When the body is not right and it systems are having to work harder and ensure that the vital organs are receiving the nutrients they require, it can have an effect on the hair and skin.
The skin is the body’s largest organ and also the one on the ‘outside’, so not only is it open to all the elements it can also suffer from the inside when it is not being supplied with sufficient minerals and vitamins. This in turn will damage the hair follicles which can shrink and die. The hair will look dull and limp but the use of a good shampoo and conditioner can bring back the shine. Use one that helps to replace lost moisture and helps to keep the hair’s natural oils.
As HRT is helping to replace hormones rather than making the condition worse, it will help it to improve and certainly this has been found in many women. Their skin begins to look younger and wrinkles seem to fade. Hair that may have been thinning begins to look and feel thicker and as other conditions such as moods, sweating and sleep improve then so does the body and minds whole well-being.
There are exceptions to the rule and there are a very few women that do not benefit but it could be they are on the wrong drug and need to discuss this with their doctor. It could be there is some other underlying cause that is affecting the condition of the hair. A good well-balanced diet is of great importance as the body needs to vitamins and minerals from food to function properly. Often when feeling down the last thing a person wants to do is eat and so the body and mind and, of course, the hair will not be getting sufficient nutrients. A supplement may help to replace the nutrients being lost.
Advice from a hair clinic or professional can help to find the cause and recommend a course of treatment with hair growth boosters. As we get older it does take the body longer to recover but with the right course of action it will recover. In the meantime a change of hairstyle could help to cover any thinning patches and make the hair look thicker. When the hair is shorter it is easier on the hair follicles as there is not as much weight and so the hair will not break as easily or damage the follicles.
Hair also grows slower as we get older and can become thinner naturally. Whatever the reason, there is help and advice available. If the HRT tablets are working in every other way then there may be some other cause of hair loss including pattern hair loss which is a genetic condition. It can happen at any time of life and it could be the menopause that triggered it.
