You’re brushing your hair and noticing more strands than usual. It’s on your pillow, in the shower, maybe even on your clothes throughout the day. You run your fingers through your hair and wonder if it feels thinner than it used to. Hair loss can be unsettling at any age, especially when it seems to be happening without an obvious reason. If you’re in your late 30s or 40s, one possible explanation is perimenopause hair loss. For many women, increased shedding is one of the earliest signs of that transition. The challenge is that, compared to menopause, perimenopause is far less understood. There is a real dearth of research (everything tends to get lumped in with menopause), so women can be left trying to work out what’s happening with no clear guidance.
Hair changes during this stage are real, common, and too often overlooked. And while research specifically focused on perimenopause hair loss is still developing, we understand enough about hormonal changes to explain why it happens — and what can help. Here’s the lowdown.
What Is Perimenopause?
Perimenopause is the phase leading up to menopause. It’s when changes to hormone levels begin to kick in. Typically, it begins in our mid-to-late 40s, but it can start as early as our late 30s. The phase often lasts several years before periods stop completely. Unfortunately, it is a time when hormone levels can fluctuate wildly rather than gracefully decline. It is these fluctuations that are behind many of the symptoms seen during perimenopause.
While irregular periods, hot flushes, night sweats, mood changes and low libido are often highlighted, the reality is that these shifts affect multiple systems in the body. Including your hair!
Does Perimenopause Cause Hair Loss?
Yes. Common symptoms are increased shedding and reduced volume. Strands can feel finer and less resilient. Because these changes develop over time — and because hormone levels change so unpredictably — they’re easily mistaken for stress, diet, or other lifestyle factors rather than being linked back to perimenopause itself.
Why Hair Loss Happens During Perimenopause
Our hair grows in a cycle. At any given time, some strands are growing, others are slowing down, and some are being shed to make way for new hair. When hormonal shifts start happening behind the scenes, they can have a big effect on this cycle.
Two key drivers here are oestrogen and progesterone. Both help keep hair in its growing phase for longer, which is why, when levels are stable, hair tends to feel thicker and more consistent. As these levels begin to fall, that balance shifts. The growing phase becomes shorter, and more hairs move into the shedding stage at the same time.
The third hormone is androgen, a male hormone we all have. As the other two drop, androgen levels increase. A particularly unwelcome development, as androgen also shortens the growth phase and shrinks follicles too. The result? Increased hair fall, reduced density, lower volume, and hair that doesn’t feel as strong as it once did.
How to Manage Perimenopause Hair Loss
Regretfully, getting clear answers during perimenopause isn’t a straightforward process. There is no silver bullet test that confirms it, and of course, symptoms can fluctuate and don’t tend to follow a neat pattern. Hair changes can be treated as secondary concerns, too, or missed altogether.
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) can be used to manage symptoms of perimenopause as well as menopause. But it’s best to think of HRT as a way to manage the ride rather than stop the journey, and it isn’t a cast-iron fix for hair changes.
What you can do is focus on how your hair responds to hormonal changes.
A Simple Routine to Support Perimenopause Hair
During this phase, supporting your hair from both the inside and out is a smart move to deliver optimum results.
- Hair Gain Hair Capsules & Hair Gummies – Support the hair growth cycle from within with the signature AnaGain™ ingredient, key nutrients and hair vitamins, helping maintain stronger, healthier strands during hormonal change.
- Hair Gain Hydrating Shampoo & Conditioner – Gently cleanse while restoring moisture and strength, helping hair feel softer, more manageable and less prone to breakage.
- Hair Gain Hair Mask – Deliver deeper hydration and nourishment to improve elasticity and support hair that may be feeling drier or more fragile.
- Hair Gain Scalp Foam – Support a healthier scalp environment and, when used alongside the Hair Mask, help reduce hair breakage and fall by up to 60% from the first use*.
- Peptide Puff™ Dry Shampoo – Refresh hair between washes while supporting volume and helping hair look fuller. Aerosol and paraben-free and packed with hair and scalp loving ingredients!
Used consistently, a Hair Gain routine helps support how your hair looks, feels and behaves over time — rather than simply masking the effects of hormonal change.
When Should You Be Concerned?
During perimenopause, change comes with the territory, and hair is no exception. Remember, the aim isn’t to fight the changes, but to help your hair stay as strong, hydrated and resilient as possible as your body adjusts.
But if hair loss feels unusually sudden, more severe than expected, or continues without improvement over several months, it’s worth speaking to a GP or a trichologist.
Final Thoughts
Perimenopause hair loss is frustrating, particularly because it isn’t discussed as widely as menopause or other well-known hair issues. But, know that it’s a common part of this transition — and one that can be supported with the right approach.
As awareness around perimenopause continues to grow, so too does understanding of how it affects hair. In the meantime, focusing on nutrition, routine and long-term support can go a long way.
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*Independently tested May 2023, results achieved when used as a regime with Hair Gain Scalp Foam
