4 of the best shampoos for menopausal hair
Ayesha Muttucumaru
Beauty & skincare
Boots Beauty Team
Discover some of the most common changes you can expect to happen to your hair during the menopause – & the shampoos that may help
Hormonal fluctuations during the menopause can show up in a wide range of unexpected ways. Changes to skin and sleep are among the most well known, but it can also lead to shifts in the texture and strength of our hair. So, if you’ve noticed your hair becoming finer, or you’re shedding more of it, you’re not alone.
"Your hair grows in cycles, and these cycles are influenced by your body’s hormone levels," says trichologist, Anabel Kingsley. "The three stages of the hair growth cycle are anagen (growth), catagen (an intermediary phase) and telogen (a resting/shedding phase).
"The shifting balance of oestrogens (female hormones) and androgens (male hormones i.e, testosterone) in your body can cause hair loss and density changes in the time leading up to, during and after menopause."
Hormones aren’t the only factors at play. Menopause can be a stressful time, sending a "cascade of cortisol (the stress hormone) through your body, which in turn may raise androgen levels, ie testosterone, and impact your hair growth cycle", says Anabel.
"Stress can also impact your eating habits, and how well your body digests foods and absorbs nutrients," she adds. This in turn, may have an effect on hair growth.
How can hair change during menopause?
Changes can differ from person to person, but some are more common than others in Anabel’s experience. Here are some menopausal hair changes you may notice:
Loss of volume & length
This is likely due to decreasing oestrogen levels. "Oestrogen is a hair-friendly hormone, helping to keep your hair in its anagen (growth) phase for longer," explains Anabel. "During menopause, oestrogen levels drop, meaning the anagen (growth) phase can become shorter."
Shifts in the balance of female to male hormones may lead to changes in the thickness of your hair. "As the hormonal balance is disrupted by less oestrogen protection, hair follicles can become more sensitive to male hormones, which start to shrink the follicle, making each hair produced finer than the last," says Anabel.
Your hair may break more easily
"New hairs that your follicles produce become gradually finer, and finer hair is naturally more fragile," Anabel explains. "Therefore, it’s increasingly important when reaching menopause that women seek products that help strengthen and protect hair against mechanical or chemical damage as they can cause further weakening."
Heat defence, hydration and strengthening leave-in treatments may become your new haircare staples.
What is the best shampoo for menopausal hair?
Choosing the right shampoo, much like the best face wash, can set your routine off on the right foot. While the main aim is to use one that effectively cleans your hair and scalp of dirt, oil and pollution, many of today’s formulas have a whole range of added benefits to help with some of the most common menopausal hair changes.
Here are some of our favourites to try for healthy hair in the run up to, during and after menopause. Discover more top picks in our full range.
4 of the best shampoos for menopausal hair at Boots.com
Best hydrating shampoo for fine, menopausal hair
Try: Pantene Hair Biology Menopause Shampoo For Thinning Hair
• Size: 250ml
Enriched with vitamin B3 and white tea to help hydrate dry lengths and soothe a parched scalp, this shampoo delivers benefits from root to tip. Formulated to gently lift away impurities and moisturise without weighing hair down, your mane is left looking bouncy and beautiful.
Best daily shampoo for fine, menopausal hair
Try: L’Oréal Paris Elvive Fibrology Fine Hair Thickening Shampoo
• Size: 400ml
Containing a patented ingredient called filloxane, this shampoo helps volumise and bring extra body to the hair with each use. Plus, with a fiver getting you a hefty 400ml, it provides an impressive amount of bang for your buck.
Best shampoo for thinning, breakage-prone menopausal hair
Try: Philip Kingsley Density Thickening Shampoo
• Size: 200ml
• Sulphate-free
• Gluten-free
• Silicone-free
• Suitable for adults aged 20 years and over
With hyper-branched polymers and hydrolysed pea peptides, this shampoo helps build volume and improve hair strength. "It gives the appearance of a fuller head of hair without causing dryness," says Anabel. It also helps strengthen strands, potentially resulting in reduced breakage. Use with the line’s Density Thickening Conditioner and Density Thickening Protein Spray, for thicker-looking lengths.
