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By Vanessa Lyn Gonzales | 6 min read
I used to joke that I was moulting like a Labrador. It was easier to laugh about it than to admit how much it was affecting me — the way I dreaded washing my hair, the dread of running my fingers through it and feeling what came away, the realisation that my parting was now something I actively styled around rather than styled with.
When I finally sat down and tried to understand what was actually happening, I was surprised to find that the explanation I had been given — "it's probably just stress" — was only a small piece of a much larger picture. Here are the five things that were actually driving what was happening to my hair.
Here is what the research actually shows.
1. Oestrogen decline — the one everyone mentions but nobody explains
Most women going through perimenopause are told that hair changes are caused by falling oestrogen levels. This is true, but the explanation usually stops there — which is not particularly useful.
Oestrogen plays a direct role in the hair growth cycle. It helps to prolong the anagen phase — the active growing phase — meaning more hairs stay in growth mode for longer.
When oestrogen declines, this protective influence diminishes. More hairs shift into the telogen (resting) phase simultaneously, and the shed that follows can be dramatic.
You are not losing more hair than is normal over a lifetime — you are losing it all at once, in a compressed period, because the growth cycle has been disrupted.
2. The DHT problem — this is the one nobody explains
Here is the part that changed how I understood my own situation. As oestrogen levels fall, the body's ratio of androgens — male hormones that women also produce in smaller amounts — becomes relatively higher.
One androgen in particular, dihydrotestosterone (DHT), is produced when an enzyme called 5-alpha-reductase converts testosterone. DHT binds to receptors in hair follicles and, over time, causes them to miniaturise.
Each growth cycle produces a slightly thinner, shorter strand. Without anything to slow this process, it compounds.
This is why DHT-blocking ingredients — like saw palmetto extract, which has been shown in some studies to inhibit 5-alpha-reductase — are specifically relevant for women experiencing hormonal hair loss, rather than generic volumising formulas.
3. Progesterone loss — the forgotten hormone
Almost every conversation about menopausal hair loss focuses on oestrogen. Progesterone is rarely mentioned.
But progesterone has its own protective relationship with hair follicles — it is a natural inhibitor of 5-alpha-reductase, meaning it helps keep DHT production in check. As progesterone levels fall during perimenopause, this natural brake on DHT is removed.
Oestrogen and progesterone decline together, and both losses contribute to the hormonal hair loss picture.
If you recognise what's described above, ThickTails has built a detailed guide to perimenopause and menopause hair changes — covering the hormonal science and how to build a consistent routine around it. Read the full guide here →
4. Scalp health changes — the thing nobody tells you to address
Reduced oestrogen affects the scalp directly, not just the follicle. Sebum production changes.
The scalp can become drier and more sensitive. Reduced circulation can mean follicles receive less of the nutrients they need.
These scalp changes create a less hospitable environment for hair growth — which is why scalp-specific care, rather than simply treating the hair shaft, becomes particularly important during the menopausal transition.
Clinical research suggests that topical caffeine, which improves microcirculation at the scalp and has been shown to penetrate the follicle even from a brief shampoo application, may help support the scalp environment in ways that are specifically relevant here.
“Understanding that five distinct things were happening simultaneously made it clear why a single product was never going to be sufficient.”
5. Nutritional gaps that open up without warning
Hormonal transitions place additional demands on the body, and certain nutritional deficiencies are significantly more common in women during perimenopause and menopause — particularly iron, vitamin D, and zinc. Each of these plays a direct role in hair follicle function.
Iron deficiency in particular is strongly associated with hair shedding, and research suggests that ferritin levels need to be above a certain threshold for optimal hair growth — a level that is often higher than what a standard blood test flags as "normal."
If you have had blood tests come back "within normal range" but are still experiencing significant hair loss, it may be worth asking your GP specifically about your ferritin levels and what level is considered optimal for hair health rather than simply adequate.
So what does this mean in practice?
Understanding that five distinct things were happening simultaneously — oestrogen decline, DHT increase, progesterone loss, scalp changes, and nutritional shifts — made it clear why a single product or single intervention was never going to be sufficient. What helped me was building a consistent routine that addressed each of these mechanisms: topical ingredients known to support DHT modulation and scalp health, alongside internal nutritional support.
Results take time. The hair growth cycle moves slowly, and consistent use over a minimum of 90 days is what the research consistently points to as the threshold for visible change.
But understanding why you are building a routine — what each step is actually doing — makes it considerably easier to stay consistent with it.
Understanding what's happening is the first step. Building a routine around it is the next.
ThickTails has developed a complete guide to perimenopause and menopause hair changes, covering the hormonal science and how to approach the next 90 days with a routine designed specifically for this transition. Use code HORMONEAWARE15 for 15% off your first order.
Build Your Hormone-Aware Routine →
Clinical references
1. Dhurat R, et al. "An Open-Label Randomized Multicenter Study Assessing the Noninferiority of a Caffeine-Based Topical Liquid 0.2% versus Minoxidil 5% Solution in Male Androgenetic Alopecia." Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2018. View on PubMed →
2. Evron E, et al. "Natural Hair Supplement: Friend or Foe? Saw Palmetto, a Systematic Review in Alopecia." Skin Appendage Disorders, 2020. View on PubMed →
3. Lueangarun S, Panchaprateep R. "An Herbal Extract Combination (Biochanin A, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3, and Ginseng Extracts) versus 3% Minoxidil Solution for the Treatment of Androgenetic Alopecia." Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2020. View on PubMed Central →
Vanessa Lyn Gonzales writes about women's health, hormonal transitions, and midlife wellbeing. This article is for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult your GP or a qualified trichologist regarding any health concerns.
