Hair Loss | Hormone Therapy Hub

Get your Confidence Back!

These pictures are before I starting wearing alternative hair.

As if Mother Nature didn't already do a number on us during Perimenopause and Menopause with the hot-flashes, night sweats and brain fog, now I'm starting to see more scalp! Yikes! What's a menopause lady to do, she considers alternative hair of course!! Yes, it's a thing. Alternative hair can be a topper, wig or extensions.

I have never had "GREAT" hair and as time went on, my hair became more and more thin. I couldn't really do much with it, so I wore it in a clip most of the time. I had a significant bald area on my crown, so pulling it back allowed me to camouflage that area and then I used tons of hairspray to make it big on top!

Hair Toppers

My first alternative hair piece was a topper, but I eventually learned that a topper wasn't the right choice for me. The clips that hold the topper to your hair are in the area where my hair is the thinnest, and I could feel the clips pulling even more hair out. I think I should have been advised to get a topper that was large enough for the clips to be in the areas where I do have hair or looking back, I should have gone with a wig from the beginning!

Hair Loss during
Perimenopause and Menopause

During perimenopause and menopause, many women experience hair loss, which can be attributed to a combination of hormonal changes, genetics, and environmental factors. One of the primary hormonal shifts involves a decrease in estrogen levels. Estrogen plays a crucial role in the hair growth cycle; it helps to prolong the growth phase and maintain hair density. As estrogen levels drop, the balance between hair growth and shedding can be disrupted, leading to increased hair thinning and loss.

Additionally, progesterone levels also fluctuate during this transitional period. Progesterone has a protective effect on hair follicles, and its decline can exacerbate the effects of testosterone, which may convert to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Elevated DHT levels can shrink hair follicles, leading to finer hair strands and a reduction in overall hair volume. This hormonal interplay often results in a condition known as androgenetic alopecia, which is characterized by thinning hair along the crown and temples.

Stress is another contributing factor during this time, as women may face emotional and physical stressors related to aging, health changes, and life transitions. Stress can trigger telogen effluvium, a condition where hair follicles prematurely enter the shedding phase. Additionally, nutritional deficiencies that may arise during menopause, such as lower iron or vitamin D levels, can further compromise hair health. Together, these factors can lead to noticeable changes in hair density and texture, prompting many women to seek solutions to manage this common but distressing aspect of aging.

Me Today, no wig!

My initial journey with wigs took me from a topper to a full-on wig in about 4 weeks. Once I started experiementing with wigs, I soon realized that having to pull my bio-hair back with a wig grip handband was alot of work, so when joking with my husband one evening I said, "I feel like it would be easier if I just shaved my head!"

He immediately responded with, let's do it now! It was a shock at first, but the buzzed hair is like human velcro and I don't have to wear anything under my wigs! I'm also working with my stylist to get it grown out enough to have a decent pixie cut by summer so I can swim with my grandkids when we go to Orlando, Florida.

Some of my favorite Wigs!

To date, I have purchased seven wigs. They have ranged in price from around $275 to $400. I've learned to shop around and pay attention when online wig companies have sales, you can sometimes get a really good bargain, if you know what to look for. Two of the seven wigs have been ruined by hot tools because I didn't pay attention to the heat setting per manufacturer.

It's definitely a journey. I've been at it for five months and am finally comfortable with the idea that I'm wearing a wig. My brain and eyes had to get on the same page. At first, it just looked and felt like too much hair. But in time, after I asked enough people for their opinion and found the best options for me, it's no different than getting my nails done. They are fake and I don't think twice about it, but for hair it felt different and more personal until I finally realized, it's just hair. I have also found most people notice I look different, but they have ZERO clue it's a wig!

For me, once I found a brand I liked and then a color or two that works for me, it become much easier to shop online. I have always gravitated toward wavy bobs. I'm not crazy about the straight bob, but some of my friends like this one the best and it's actually my least favorite.

Take me to The LA Wig Company