Is Hair Loss on Arms And Legs Normal During Menopause?
Menopause and perimenopause can cause many unpleasant symptoms for women, including hot flashes, insomnia, irritability, and hair loss. While these symptoms don’t necessarily indicate a serious health condition, they can be difficult for women to deal with on a daily basis, and hair loss especially can affect a woman’s overall self-esteem, making her downright self-conscious during this time.
The good news for women is that many symptoms of menopause are quite manageable, and there are many supplements, dietary changes, and treatments available to address these symptoms. To determine your best option for treating hair loss and other symptoms of menopause, note a bit more about what happens to the body during this time, and be sure to discuss any health concerns you have with your doctor or healthcare professional.
What Is Menopause?
As a woman ages, she experiences a natural slowing of the production of hormones needed for conception and childbirth, affecting her ovulation and menstruation. Menopause refers to a woman foregoing regular menstrual cycles for a full twelve months.
Perimenopause refers to the time period leading up to menopause, when a woman’s production of hormones begins to fluctuate. Women might enter the first stages of perimenopause in their thirties, although most women begin to experience the first symptoms of perimenopause in their late forties.
Symptoms of Menopause and Perimenopause
Most women will experience any or all of the following symptoms once they start to enter perimenopause; some symptoms will get progressively worse during the last stages of perimenopause and the first stages of menopause:
- Insomnia
- Hot flashes
- Irritability and mood swings
- Fatigue
- Weight gain
- Loss of muscle tone
- Irregular periods
- Heavy cramping during periods
- Heavier bleeding during periods
- Spotting in between periods
Many women will also experience some hair loss during this time. This hair loss might be along the temples and front of the head, similar to male pattern baldness, or it might occur along the entire scalp. In rare cases, a woman might actually lose clumps of hair in the shower or while brushing her hair.
Is Hair Loss on the Arms and Legs Normal During Menopause?
Along with all the symptoms mentioned above, it’s not unusual for a woman to experience hair loss on the arms and legs during menopause. Hair growth is affected by the body’s production of hormones, and a reduction in estrogen levels can mean less body hair overall. Estrogen helps hair grow faster and stay on the body longer, which is why men go bald far more often than women!
Women may also notice that the hair on their arms and legs is thinner, lighter, and less noticeable, as their hair loses its pigment due to age and hormone imbalances. In some cases, a woman may not even need to shave her legs once she reaches a certain stage of menopause, simply because the hair on her legs is light and thin and virtually invisible.
Other Causes of Hair Loss in Women
While the hormonal fluctuations common during menopause can affect a woman’s overall hair growth and cause loss of hair on her head and elsewhere, there are other reasons why a woman might experience hair loss at any time of her life. These reasons include:
- Lack vitamins and trace minerals, especially iron
- Stress, anxiety, depression, nervous disorders
- Illness
- Genetics
- Over-processing the hair
- Pulling the hair into tight buns, knots, and so on
- Poor blood circulation
- Thyroid conditions
- Certain medications
- Harsh shampoos
A woman can also suffer from alopecia, a condition that causes the hair to fall out in clumps or handfuls, and which can result in random bald spots on the head and scalp. Women with anxiety disorders can also inadvertently tug on their hair, pulling it out (trichotillomania), and some tight, abrasive hats and other head coverings might interfere with healthy hair growth.
Addressing Hair Loss in Women
If you’re a woman experiencing severe hair loss, your first step would be to see a doctor and rule out thyroid issues and other such health concerns. If your hair loss is somewhat minimal, however, there are many things you can do to increase hair growth and improve the overall texture and appearance of your hair; note a few suggestions:
- Increased exercise and physical activity results in increased blood circulation. Blood brings nourishing vitamins and trace minerals to the surface of the skin, including the scalp, which can then encourage healthy hair growth.
- Stress often affects hair growth and can even lead to hair loss. Reducing and managing stress are both vital for healthy hair growth.
- Vitamin B6 is thought to help with healthy hair growth. Taking a B vitamin supplement can increase hair growth and help prevent hair loss.
- Omega oils also promote healthy hair growth; these oils are found in salmon, tuna, and other varieties of fish, as well as avocado and olive oil. Add these to your diet or opt for an omega oil supplement.
- Hair and scalp masks designed to treat hair loss can stimulate blood flow to the scalp, deposit lots of nourishing vitamins and minerals on the scalp, and make thin hair appear thicker and fuller. You can find these masks at beauty supply store or at your hair salon.
When to Talk to Your Doctor
Along with seeing a doctor if you notice extreme hair loss, it’s also good to consult with him or her if you notice hair loss after taking a new medication. Your doctor may be able to adjust the dosage so that you don’t experience this side effect, or find another medication that doesn’t affect your overall hair growth.
It’s also good to consider seeing a dermatologist if you have an overly dry, flaking, or itchy scalp. Note the shampoos and other such hair care products you use during your visit. Your hair loss may be due to a skin irritation, allergy, or other such cause, and not menopause.
