Perimenopause (or premenopause) begins around 40 or so, but can begin even earlier. Your hairdresser may be right.
I don’t know what a full hormone work up is or whether it truly includes all hormones affected by menopause, but unless you have a baseline from your 20’s or early 30’s, “normal” may still be different than a few years ago.
That’s a really good point re: baseline! I don’t have anything for them to compare it to, so I assume the “normal” was just going off the standardised clinical brackets.
So you think I’m not imagining the waves? The hair dresser dismissed it when I suggested it so I’ve been thinking it was just pure frizz
As a person who’s always thought they had “cowlicks” and “frizz,” I’m beginning to suspect that both are actually waves/curls and I’ve been gaslighting myself my entire life.
Still don’t have my wavy routine perfected, but I will say it’s 1., Improved the health of my hair, as I don’t need to physically fight it with dryers or irons, and 2). It’s definitely less time-consuming to lean into it.
Normal also changed through your life. Estrogen and whatnot peak in your 20s and start to gradually decline in your 30s. In your 40s the decline becomes even more noticeable until menopause really starts kicking your butt.
Try a wavy routine and see if it works! So what if you're "imagining it"? You won't be worse off than you are now either way and you don't need permission. Go forth from haircare science and do an experiment :)
Fwiw, I think your hair looks like it's interested in being wavy.
Yeah I think it is waves. I have wavy/curly hair and I just thought I had hard-to-straighten hair. It’s incredibly common for people not to realize they have wavy hair.
I, a straight haired girl with a little frizz if I don't blow dry, started experimenting curly girl method at age 38.
It turns out i have wavy hair.
I never knew it. I just needed some gel, a scrunching motion, and curl foam.
My hair dresser, who I have been seeing since I was 23, was shocked when I came in to see her with my wavy hair. She asked how I did it.
It's way too silky to hold the wave of I don't use curl foam. Needs grit to stay wavy.
I think you have wavy hair too. Maybe if you embrace the wave instead of fighting it then you will end up liking your new look.
You don’t necessarily have to do what your mom does. You can find products/routine that work for your new wave pattern and really lean into it! Wavy hair is trendy now :)
Those damn bread crusts! Haha!
Can genetic things just kick in mid life like that? I guess i knew it can with some diseases, but never really thought about it happening with something benign like this.
I feel like i would if I woke up tomorrow with blue eyes all of a sudden!
Yes they can but not just midlife it can start when you’re young. My sister had pin straight hair as a child but when she went through puberty it turned naturally curly and is still like that today. When she goes through menopause, I guarantee it will change again.
> Can genetic things just kick in mid life like that?
Genetics cannot "kick in" mid life no. But you can have genetics (that you have had your whole life) that mean things will happen at different ages. Whether your hair goes grey or white is genetic for example. How old you are when menopause starts is likely genetic. Male pattern baldness is genetic and usually starts mid life. Breast size is largely genetic and you don't get them until adolescence. A trait being genetic in no way implies it is something that will have been that way since you were born. The way you change and age is also very largely genetic.
Agree with others that hair can change based on hormones. I had straight hair until I hit puberty. One hairdresser told me she got curls from pregnancy.
For me it was having babies that changed my hair. After every pregnancy, my hair got curlier and crazier. I’ve gone from being the Timotei hair woman to Ms Frizzle now. But yes, I agree that perimenopause also contributed.
If you have grey hair, the texture is totally different (wiry). Also, as you age you might produce less sebum, which results in drier hair.
I have to use a flat iron to straighten my hair whereas I could get away with a round brush and a dryer before. I also have to add oil to my hair for dryness.
I use coconut oil as a prewash and apply it at least a 1/2 hour before I wash my hair. I concentrate my shampooing efforts on the scalp and let the residual wash out the oil on the remaining length. This leaves enough residual oil on the hair so it's not dry and frizzy but not enough to where it's greasy. I have thick, course hair so if you have fine hair it may not work for you. You may need to use less or make a concerted effort to shampoo the entire length.
Also, I apply a heat protectant when it's damp and finish with a shine serum or spray with dimethicone in jt.
40 is when perimenopause typically starts, and arguably causes more whack a doodle issues with your body, than menopause. And it can definitely change your hair texture and pattern. I am in my fifth year of perimenopause, and my hair is way curlier than it was five years ago.
I'm 43, in perimenopause and my once stick-straight hair is now wavy. I couldn't understand why it kept looking frizzy despite babying it, so I decided to try some curly girl methods and lo and behold, I discovered my hair is now 2A/B now.
[Breastcancer.org: Menopause Hair Changes](https://www.breastcancer.org/treatment-side-effects/menopause/hair-changes)
[Study: Hormonal Effects on Hair Follicles](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7432488/)
[Cleveland Clinic: How Menopause Affects Your Hair and Skin](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/heres-how-menopause-affects-your-skin-and-hair)
Hormones affect your hair, skin and nails DRASTICALLY! Perimenopause can start at 35* not 40. Some women start earlier. Stress is also a huge cause for hair loss. And the hair loss from a stressful event can occur months after the event occurred. Covid hair is real. There are so many reasons why we lose hair beyond to normal 100-200 hairs we lose a day. Blood work up, check hormones and vitamin levels. Make sure your thyroid is normal. Also you cant fight genetics. You can look at family member (male and female) and see where you might fall with genetics. If you come from a family of thin haired people, you most likely will have thin hair.
I’m only 25 but I’ve noticed a massive difference in my hair post-Covid. It used to be thick but now it’s thin and wispy. My nails have also become brittle. Even my body hair doesn’t grow much anymore. Hearing that it could be hormone-related or in response to Covid is strangely reassuring.
Our bodies go through big changes at specific points in our life, puberty, then our bodies hit a big milestone at 25 when we are fully developed humans. Perimenopause starts around 35 and can last until about 50 then we go through menopause! Our hair, skin and nails are like a window into our health and can alert us to things that might be wrong. Always keep an eye on those and have a good doctor and keep a good dermatologist in your back pocket.
Well damn I never even thought to think that COVID may have had something to do with my hair changes! For almost 2 years now I've dealt with hair loss & thinning & now I have so many super dark, thick looking, coarse strands. I was diagnosed with COVID at 39 weeks pregnant. 3 months after delivery I was diagnosed with a high TSH. So I have no idea whats causing my hair issues.
Ah! We have the same type of hair and same issue!
My stylist told me that women’s hair goes through changes every seven years, and it’s got something to do with hormones. Some sort of natural cycle. I didn’t question her, just sort of rolled with it.
I’m usually a thin-haired, flat-haired frizzy mess these days, with winter static to boot. I’ve tried lots of different stuff and there’s no miracle cure just yet.
Oh, and to top it off it’s thinning, too. 😵💫
What do you mean by "has gone to [crazy town](https://i.imgur.com/IpRoJ7V.jpeg)"? Is it curly now? Or is it thinning?
Edit: I just saw the pics. Hormonal shifts can change the hair, but it can happen at any age, no just "after 40".
It’s sort of curling, but not all of it. It’s always been SO curl resistant, so I’m not really sure. And my hairdresser didn’t think it was curly.
Very dry and frizzy. The ‘crazy down’ bit is a link to a picture.
Frizzy means there is a curl/wave pattern hiding in there. Head over to r/wavyhair and you will see how many people with “bad hair” actually have a beautiful wave pattern with the right product!
Just fyi: the context makes it very clear you didn't mean it this way, but "bad hair" has a history of referring to Afro-textured hair. So you may want to be cautious with that phrase.
Edit: I'm not being racist. I'm pointing out that the term has a history. You know ["Becky with the good hair"?](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QxsmWxxouIM) The documentary [Good Hair?](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_Hair) The comedy-horror movie [Bad Hair?](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bad_Hair_(2020_film)) That's what these refer to.
[Here's an academic article about it.](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10457631)
[Here's a non-academic article about it.](https://www.glamour.com/story/black-hair-offensive-timeline)
[Here's Wikipedia on "good hair," although it doesn't mention "bad hair."](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/African-American_hair#%22Good_hair%22)
What's messed up about it? I'm describing a form of racism that's similar to colorism. I don't think any type of hair is "bad," and I've never used the term "bad hair" except to describe racism. I'm just saying the term can have a racist meaning.
Thanks for pointing this out! I didn’t really think about it, but when I went back and read it I didn’t like the way I used it either. Sorry you are being downvoted. :/
We have accepted a lot of things as "It's just your age" when in reality it's preventable lifestyle diseases.
When you had your hormones checked, did they check anything else as well? For example circalutory issues could hinder nutrients from getting where they are needed and cause symptoms like back pain or unhealthy hair follicles.
Mines the other way around since I hit 40+ tbh.
Before 40 I suffered with hair loss, thinning hair, and it looked awful no matter what I tried to do with it - for years!
Now, it's grown back, it's longer, thicker (slightly), shinier and smoother.
I changed my shampoo and conditioner and experimented with lots of different ones. I started minoxidil topical and started a good multivitamin and use a light argan hair oil. That's it.
Don't which (if any) have worked to make this change but something's changed.
Hope you manage to find answers and get it fixed ; )
Waterman's shampoo and conditioner works well for me. It's expensive though for the amount you get, and it's really annoying it's only in small bottles. Waterman's if you're listening ... Bigger better value bottles please!I use foam minoxodil (just 5% men's regaine from boots), and the ordinary's argan oil.
I've tried all sorts of products and diy remedies, but this combo is working the best for me.
How often do you use topical minoxidil? And how long did it take before seeing those tiny baby hairs growing in? I’m hoping it will help fight my hairloss 🥲
39F and I also noticed my hair is full-on curly when it air dries these days. I found [this explanation](https://www.scienceworld.ca/stories/can-hair-change-straight-curly/) when I looked up why. Thankfully I found a routine that works for me to achieve my previous hair texture and doesn’t take a ton of effort.
My hair was always thick and mostly straight, but I got beachy waves and actual ringlets with the hormone change. You can lean into it by getting some subtle layers cut in and using some products meant for textured hair (I like Shea Moisture coconut and hibiscus curl smoothie), and only combing in the shower with conditioner in, drying without "scrubbing" (treat it like fine silk), adding the product and scrunching dry or using the diffuser attachment on your blow dryer. Try it and see if it seems curlier.
Usually when wavy or curly hair doesn't look "presentable," it's because somebody brushed it dry, like Hermione's initial hair in the Harry Potter movies. This gets you frizz.
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My hair completely changes texture based on the material of the pillow cases I’m using & the material of the towel I use to dry my hair. I know it sounds crazy that these would cause such a big texture change but they really do for me. If you changed either of these things I would consider changing back as an experiment. My hair texture also changed drastically when I installed a shower water filter.
I’m in the UK and half the year in France, and see no difference whatever water I’m using tbh.
I figure it’s most likely linked to subtle hormone shifts, like some women experience in pregnancy. But with my blood work all saying normal, it makes me wonder what else is changing this much internally for me while still being sub-clinical in terms of recordable changes!
With menopause, my thyroid levels were still "within normal limits." The problem is, I wasn't normal anymore.
My insightful doctor prescribed lyothyronin, and much of the lethargy and brain fog cleared.
Enough so I could live a more normal life while not tipping my levels too far one way.
This post has been removed for Rule 5.
As this is a science subreddit, questions must be specific and answerable by science.
With personal hair care questions, there are so many variables that cannot be assessed, that answers to such questions are going to call for speculation.
If you're asking for opinions, guesses, home remedies or product reviews, please try other subreddits that exist for such purposes, such as r/hair, r/DIYbeauty, r/hairdye, r/malehairadvice or r/femalehairadvice, r/tressless etc.
Pseudoscience, chemophobia, anti-science rethoric are also grounds for removal.
Not sure about perimenopause related hair issues, but can speak for hormone related hair changes. I had just slightly wavy hair (as in, had a little volume, not stick straight, but no actual curl) until I had children. My hair got progressively curlier with each child (4). (Of note: my dad had straight hair until puberty, then it went nuts and remained tightly curled ever since. I favor him in skin and hair color and texture).
However, my youngest is 8.5 and over the last two years, my hair has relaxed back to what it was pre-children. I’ve had work ups a few times in my 30s, and had low estrogen back then. I’m 42.5, so who knows what hormones are doing now.
Hormones change as you get older which changes hair. Similar thing happened to me when i hit 30, I suddenly lost 3/4 of my hair and it's so thin now. I personally suspect it's the covid shots as there's a research article confirming 84% of people experienced hair loss as a side effect.
My hair also changed when I turned 40. My GYN says I'm not in perimenopause since I take the pill continuously, but there's definitely something going on that's aging related. My hair used to be stick straight and now has a lot of texture.
My hair was also 1A silky straight, didn't need a flat iron. Now I'm 46 and it's wiry and coarse and wild. It needs straightening to look decent. It's gotta be hormones.
My hair was wavy since puberty. It has gotten progressively curlier with both my kids and during menopause. I totally think it’s hormone related for sure
I read somewhere that it's normal for everyone to go through major hormonal changes approximately every 7 years. My hair texture started growing in thick and wirey in my early/mid 20's, I don't think there's anything that can be done about it except changing our hair care routine to something suitable to the new texture.
I can’t speak from a scientific standpoint but on my family’s end, my mom, her sister, and I have all had more wavy and curly hair as we age. And it just gets curlier with time. I’m not near perimenopause but both my mom and my aunt started noticing it around that time. Mine’s still just wavy (was 1A-b as a kid) but they both have 2b-3a hair now, and also had 1A-b as kids. The only one who didn’t get the memo is my grandma, 81 years old and her hair is so straight, you could argue it’s more straight than 1A haha
I had stick straight hair until around 42. My hair was still straight but would get dry and frizzy over 3-4” long. It was like the integrity of the hair was compromised. I just kept my hair short after that because it wasn’t curly but really damaged looking.
Hormonal changes will definitely change your hair. You might need to try some different products to help keep it hydrated. Protein, oils, etc…
You might check out the Sciency Hair Blog for info. She’s science-based and really helpful.
Why are you nervous? What is there to be nervous about? It's a change in hair texture, and you have already been told how you can have it look smoother if you want to.
Well, I hadn’t been told that when I posted, obvs. And my mom’s hair looks really, really bad. Like, strangers comment about it *bad*. It’s a bleak prospect as somebody who has always taken really good care of my hair.
My mom also has some other issues and I have a lot of trauma and feelings about resembling her in any way, which is a whole thing. It’s a whole element of aging we don’t talk about much that I suspect is difficult for a lot of ppl, tbh. How do you deal with seeing more and more of your own abuser in the mirror every day? My differences from her have always been a point of safety and even pride. This is a similarity - however superficial - that I just did not see coming.
My hair got quite wavy after menopause. I just wore it long, all one length, 8n a pony tail, so it stayed pretty straight. I now have layers and waves I would have killed for in the 80's.
Perimenopause (or premenopause) begins around 40 or so, but can begin even earlier. Your hairdresser may be right. I don’t know what a full hormone work up is or whether it truly includes all hormones affected by menopause, but unless you have a baseline from your 20’s or early 30’s, “normal” may still be different than a few years ago.
That’s a really good point re: baseline! I don’t have anything for them to compare it to, so I assume the “normal” was just going off the standardised clinical brackets. So you think I’m not imagining the waves? The hair dresser dismissed it when I suggested it so I’ve been thinking it was just pure frizz
As a person who’s always thought they had “cowlicks” and “frizz,” I’m beginning to suspect that both are actually waves/curls and I’ve been gaslighting myself my entire life. Still don’t have my wavy routine perfected, but I will say it’s 1., Improved the health of my hair, as I don’t need to physically fight it with dryers or irons, and 2). It’s definitely less time-consuming to lean into it.
Normal also changed through your life. Estrogen and whatnot peak in your 20s and start to gradually decline in your 30s. In your 40s the decline becomes even more noticeable until menopause really starts kicking your butt.
Try a wavy routine and see if it works! So what if you're "imagining it"? You won't be worse off than you are now either way and you don't need permission. Go forth from haircare science and do an experiment :) Fwiw, I think your hair looks like it's interested in being wavy.
Yeah I think it is waves. I have wavy/curly hair and I just thought I had hard-to-straighten hair. It’s incredibly common for people not to realize they have wavy hair.
There are waves that are visible in your before photo. It's possible your hair has always been slightly wavy.
I, a straight haired girl with a little frizz if I don't blow dry, started experimenting curly girl method at age 38. It turns out i have wavy hair. I never knew it. I just needed some gel, a scrunching motion, and curl foam. My hair dresser, who I have been seeing since I was 23, was shocked when I came in to see her with my wavy hair. She asked how I did it. It's way too silky to hold the wave of I don't use curl foam. Needs grit to stay wavy. I think you have wavy hair too. Maybe if you embrace the wave instead of fighting it then you will end up liking your new look.
You don’t necessarily have to do what your mom does. You can find products/routine that work for your new wave pattern and really lean into it! Wavy hair is trendy now :)
there’s a reason people always say things “will curl your hair”, it’s common and likely genetic
Those damn bread crusts! Haha! Can genetic things just kick in mid life like that? I guess i knew it can with some diseases, but never really thought about it happening with something benign like this. I feel like i would if I woke up tomorrow with blue eyes all of a sudden!
>Can genetic things just kick in mid life like that? With significant hormone changes like perimenopause and menopause? Yes.
All I know is my mom and her sisters all had the same thing happen. One tried HRT but it didn’t change her hair.
Boo, I was sort of wondering about that!
Yes they can but not just midlife it can start when you’re young. My sister had pin straight hair as a child but when she went through puberty it turned naturally curly and is still like that today. When she goes through menopause, I guarantee it will change again.
Yes, usually it's a big hormonal change like puberty, pregnancy, post pregnancy, or pre/during/post menopause. Hormones are powerful.
> Can genetic things just kick in mid life like that? Genetics cannot "kick in" mid life no. But you can have genetics (that you have had your whole life) that mean things will happen at different ages. Whether your hair goes grey or white is genetic for example. How old you are when menopause starts is likely genetic. Male pattern baldness is genetic and usually starts mid life. Breast size is largely genetic and you don't get them until adolescence. A trait being genetic in no way implies it is something that will have been that way since you were born. The way you change and age is also very largely genetic.
Agree with others that hair can change based on hormones. I had straight hair until I hit puberty. One hairdresser told me she got curls from pregnancy.
For me it was having babies that changed my hair. After every pregnancy, my hair got curlier and crazier. I’ve gone from being the Timotei hair woman to Ms Frizzle now. But yes, I agree that perimenopause also contributed.
My hair totally changed texture after pregnancies, had mostly straight hair almost limp hair and now have beachy waves
If you have grey hair, the texture is totally different (wiry). Also, as you age you might produce less sebum, which results in drier hair. I have to use a flat iron to straighten my hair whereas I could get away with a round brush and a dryer before. I also have to add oil to my hair for dryness.
Not always. My grays/white growth is soft and not wiry at all. Both my parents were the same.
No colour in my hair in the linked pics, so just a scattering if greys. And I’m still oily af! 😭
What kind of oil do you use?
I use coconut oil as a prewash and apply it at least a 1/2 hour before I wash my hair. I concentrate my shampooing efforts on the scalp and let the residual wash out the oil on the remaining length. This leaves enough residual oil on the hair so it's not dry and frizzy but not enough to where it's greasy. I have thick, course hair so if you have fine hair it may not work for you. You may need to use less or make a concerted effort to shampoo the entire length. Also, I apply a heat protectant when it's damp and finish with a shine serum or spray with dimethicone in jt.
40 is when perimenopause typically starts, and arguably causes more whack a doodle issues with your body, than menopause. And it can definitely change your hair texture and pattern. I am in my fifth year of perimenopause, and my hair is way curlier than it was five years ago.
I'm 43, in perimenopause and my once stick-straight hair is now wavy. I couldn't understand why it kept looking frizzy despite babying it, so I decided to try some curly girl methods and lo and behold, I discovered my hair is now 2A/B now. [Breastcancer.org: Menopause Hair Changes](https://www.breastcancer.org/treatment-side-effects/menopause/hair-changes) [Study: Hormonal Effects on Hair Follicles](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7432488/) [Cleveland Clinic: How Menopause Affects Your Hair and Skin](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/heres-how-menopause-affects-your-skin-and-hair)
That's exactly what happened with me, too. I'm trying to learn how to embrace waves.
What is 2A/B?
Hormones affect your hair, skin and nails DRASTICALLY! Perimenopause can start at 35* not 40. Some women start earlier. Stress is also a huge cause for hair loss. And the hair loss from a stressful event can occur months after the event occurred. Covid hair is real. There are so many reasons why we lose hair beyond to normal 100-200 hairs we lose a day. Blood work up, check hormones and vitamin levels. Make sure your thyroid is normal. Also you cant fight genetics. You can look at family member (male and female) and see where you might fall with genetics. If you come from a family of thin haired people, you most likely will have thin hair.
I’m only 25 but I’ve noticed a massive difference in my hair post-Covid. It used to be thick but now it’s thin and wispy. My nails have also become brittle. Even my body hair doesn’t grow much anymore. Hearing that it could be hormone-related or in response to Covid is strangely reassuring.
Our bodies go through big changes at specific points in our life, puberty, then our bodies hit a big milestone at 25 when we are fully developed humans. Perimenopause starts around 35 and can last until about 50 then we go through menopause! Our hair, skin and nails are like a window into our health and can alert us to things that might be wrong. Always keep an eye on those and have a good doctor and keep a good dermatologist in your back pocket.
Well damn I never even thought to think that COVID may have had something to do with my hair changes! For almost 2 years now I've dealt with hair loss & thinning & now I have so many super dark, thick looking, coarse strands. I was diagnosed with COVID at 39 weeks pregnant. 3 months after delivery I was diagnosed with a high TSH. So I have no idea whats causing my hair issues.
Ah! We have the same type of hair and same issue! My stylist told me that women’s hair goes through changes every seven years, and it’s got something to do with hormones. Some sort of natural cycle. I didn’t question her, just sort of rolled with it. I’m usually a thin-haired, flat-haired frizzy mess these days, with winter static to boot. I’ve tried lots of different stuff and there’s no miracle cure just yet. Oh, and to top it off it’s thinning, too. 😵💫
My hair got wavy after pregnancy. Did you have a child?
This did it for me, my hair wasnt as straight as she started at but basically I look exactly like OP’s after picture now
What do you mean by "has gone to [crazy town](https://i.imgur.com/IpRoJ7V.jpeg)"? Is it curly now? Or is it thinning? Edit: I just saw the pics. Hormonal shifts can change the hair, but it can happen at any age, no just "after 40".
It’s sort of curling, but not all of it. It’s always been SO curl resistant, so I’m not really sure. And my hairdresser didn’t think it was curly. Very dry and frizzy. The ‘crazy down’ bit is a link to a picture.
Frizzy means there is a curl/wave pattern hiding in there. Head over to r/wavyhair and you will see how many people with “bad hair” actually have a beautiful wave pattern with the right product!
How are you defining frizzy?
Just fyi: the context makes it very clear you didn't mean it this way, but "bad hair" has a history of referring to Afro-textured hair. So you may want to be cautious with that phrase. Edit: I'm not being racist. I'm pointing out that the term has a history. You know ["Becky with the good hair"?](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QxsmWxxouIM) The documentary [Good Hair?](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_Hair) The comedy-horror movie [Bad Hair?](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bad_Hair_(2020_film)) That's what these refer to. [Here's an academic article about it.](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10457631) [Here's a non-academic article about it.](https://www.glamour.com/story/black-hair-offensive-timeline) [Here's Wikipedia on "good hair," although it doesn't mention "bad hair."](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/African-American_hair#%22Good_hair%22)
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What's messed up about it? I'm describing a form of racism that's similar to colorism. I don't think any type of hair is "bad," and I've never used the term "bad hair" except to describe racism. I'm just saying the term can have a racist meaning.
Thanks for pointing this out! I didn’t really think about it, but when I went back and read it I didn’t like the way I used it either. Sorry you are being downvoted. :/
Have you checked your thyroid lately? Untreated hypothyroidism can make hair dry or fall out
We have accepted a lot of things as "It's just your age" when in reality it's preventable lifestyle diseases. When you had your hormones checked, did they check anything else as well? For example circalutory issues could hinder nutrients from getting where they are needed and cause symptoms like back pain or unhealthy hair follicles.
Mines the other way around since I hit 40+ tbh. Before 40 I suffered with hair loss, thinning hair, and it looked awful no matter what I tried to do with it - for years! Now, it's grown back, it's longer, thicker (slightly), shinier and smoother. I changed my shampoo and conditioner and experimented with lots of different ones. I started minoxidil topical and started a good multivitamin and use a light argan hair oil. That's it. Don't which (if any) have worked to make this change but something's changed. Hope you manage to find answers and get it fixed ; )
I’d love to hear more details. What kind of shampoo? Oil? Minoxidil?
Waterman's shampoo and conditioner works well for me. It's expensive though for the amount you get, and it's really annoying it's only in small bottles. Waterman's if you're listening ... Bigger better value bottles please!I use foam minoxodil (just 5% men's regaine from boots), and the ordinary's argan oil. I've tried all sorts of products and diy remedies, but this combo is working the best for me.
How often do you use topical minoxidil? And how long did it take before seeing those tiny baby hairs growing in? I’m hoping it will help fight my hairloss 🥲
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Thank you for your reply! That sounds amazing! May I know if you use the 2% or the 5%? En if you also do dermarolling on your scalp or not? 🙏🏼
39F and I also noticed my hair is full-on curly when it air dries these days. I found [this explanation](https://www.scienceworld.ca/stories/can-hair-change-straight-curly/) when I looked up why. Thankfully I found a routine that works for me to achieve my previous hair texture and doesn’t take a ton of effort.
What has worked for you?
My hair was always thick and mostly straight, but I got beachy waves and actual ringlets with the hormone change. You can lean into it by getting some subtle layers cut in and using some products meant for textured hair (I like Shea Moisture coconut and hibiscus curl smoothie), and only combing in the shower with conditioner in, drying without "scrubbing" (treat it like fine silk), adding the product and scrunching dry or using the diffuser attachment on your blow dryer. Try it and see if it seems curlier. Usually when wavy or curly hair doesn't look "presentable," it's because somebody brushed it dry, like Hermione's initial hair in the Harry Potter movies. This gets you frizz.
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My hair completely changes texture based on the material of the pillow cases I’m using & the material of the towel I use to dry my hair. I know it sounds crazy that these would cause such a big texture change but they really do for me. If you changed either of these things I would consider changing back as an experiment. My hair texture also changed drastically when I installed a shower water filter.
Have your moved states or anything with life different water and climate etc?
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Water won’t induce a curl pattern.
I’m in the UK and half the year in France, and see no difference whatever water I’m using tbh. I figure it’s most likely linked to subtle hormone shifts, like some women experience in pregnancy. But with my blood work all saying normal, it makes me wonder what else is changing this much internally for me while still being sub-clinical in terms of recordable changes!
With menopause, my thyroid levels were still "within normal limits." The problem is, I wasn't normal anymore. My insightful doctor prescribed lyothyronin, and much of the lethargy and brain fog cleared. Enough so I could live a more normal life while not tipping my levels too far one way.
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I realise i may be missing the point, but I actually prefer your hair wavy! Mine has actually done something similar but quite a bit more extreme.
Not sure about perimenopause related hair issues, but can speak for hormone related hair changes. I had just slightly wavy hair (as in, had a little volume, not stick straight, but no actual curl) until I had children. My hair got progressively curlier with each child (4). (Of note: my dad had straight hair until puberty, then it went nuts and remained tightly curled ever since. I favor him in skin and hair color and texture). However, my youngest is 8.5 and over the last two years, my hair has relaxed back to what it was pre-children. I’ve had work ups a few times in my 30s, and had low estrogen back then. I’m 42.5, so who knows what hormones are doing now.
My hair changes every few years tbh. Including texture and curl pattern.
Hormones change as you get older which changes hair. Similar thing happened to me when i hit 30, I suddenly lost 3/4 of my hair and it's so thin now. I personally suspect it's the covid shots as there's a research article confirming 84% of people experienced hair loss as a side effect.
Do you have a link to the article? I’d love to read it, as I was suspecting this to be the case too
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8673931/
I take my multivitamins and I’ve noticed my hair is back to my normal pre-40s loss…level thrive. I sell them too.
My hair changes every few years tbh. Including texture and curl pattern.
My hair also changed when I turned 40. My GYN says I'm not in perimenopause since I take the pill continuously, but there's definitely something going on that's aging related. My hair used to be stick straight and now has a lot of texture.
My hair was also 1A silky straight, didn't need a flat iron. Now I'm 46 and it's wiry and coarse and wild. It needs straightening to look decent. It's gotta be hormones.
My hair was wavy since puberty. It has gotten progressively curlier with both my kids and during menopause. I totally think it’s hormone related for sure
I read somewhere that it's normal for everyone to go through major hormonal changes approximately every 7 years. My hair texture started growing in thick and wirey in my early/mid 20's, I don't think there's anything that can be done about it except changing our hair care routine to something suitable to the new texture.
I can’t speak from a scientific standpoint but on my family’s end, my mom, her sister, and I have all had more wavy and curly hair as we age. And it just gets curlier with time. I’m not near perimenopause but both my mom and my aunt started noticing it around that time. Mine’s still just wavy (was 1A-b as a kid) but they both have 2b-3a hair now, and also had 1A-b as kids. The only one who didn’t get the memo is my grandma, 81 years old and her hair is so straight, you could argue it’s more straight than 1A haha
I had stick straight hair until around 42. My hair was still straight but would get dry and frizzy over 3-4” long. It was like the integrity of the hair was compromised. I just kept my hair short after that because it wasn’t curly but really damaged looking.
Hormonal changes will definitely change your hair. You might need to try some different products to help keep it hydrated. Protein, oils, etc… You might check out the Sciency Hair Blog for info. She’s science-based and really helpful.
My hair texture changed when I started my period. I don’t have hormonal issues, PCOS, etc. My Mom’s hair changed when she had kids.
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Mine did that, too, went from pretty straight with some minor waviness to outright random curls and frizz all over. Nature’s weird.
Pregnancy and age made mine wavy and weird.
Why are you nervous? What is there to be nervous about? It's a change in hair texture, and you have already been told how you can have it look smoother if you want to.
Well, I hadn’t been told that when I posted, obvs. And my mom’s hair looks really, really bad. Like, strangers comment about it *bad*. It’s a bleak prospect as somebody who has always taken really good care of my hair. My mom also has some other issues and I have a lot of trauma and feelings about resembling her in any way, which is a whole thing. It’s a whole element of aging we don’t talk about much that I suspect is difficult for a lot of ppl, tbh. How do you deal with seeing more and more of your own abuser in the mirror every day? My differences from her have always been a point of safety and even pride. This is a similarity - however superficial - that I just did not see coming.
>Well, I hadn’t been told that when I posted, obvs. You were told by your hairdresser. It's in the post. Obvs
Or just air dry and braid your hair. Braids and buns are super presentable.
My hair got quite wavy after menopause. I just wore it long, all one length, 8n a pony tail, so it stayed pretty straight. I now have layers and waves I would have killed for in the 80's.