Most men and women will naturally experience some type of hair loss, as they get older. But age, changing hormones and heredity cause some to lose more hair than others. The result can be thinning hair to total baldness, known as alopecia (al-o-PEE-she-uh).

Menopause slows the rate at which the female hormone estrogen and androgen are produced and there is actually less estrogen being created then there is androgen and it it's this imbalance that initiates hair loss.

Women need more of the female hormone estrogen to keep hair growing on their heads, which is why more men suffer from hair loss then women. All women have the male hormone testosterone, which reacts with an enzyme called 5 alpha-reductase to create another hormone called DHT, or DiHydrotestosterone, which strangles the hair follicle and keeps hair from growing your head.

Anything that affects estrogen levels will affect how well your hair grows. Most women, who are struggling with menopause, see many different symptoms, including thinning hair, have turned to hormone replacement therapy, or HRT.

The dangers here is that HRT has many side effects, including an increased risk of cancer, heart disease, blood clots, and strokes. A study conducted by the National Institute of Health back in 1991 by the to determine benefits and risks of HRT was canceled in 2002, after it was found that HRT increased a woman's chances of developing ovarian cancer and breast cancer.

Because there is a relationship between hair loss and menopause what can be done about it?

Some home remedies recommendations that can help:

· Start eating more fruits and vegetables and ensure the hair follicles are getting the proper nutrients needed to support healthy hair.
· Reduce the amount of chemicals you put on your hair. Try switching to botanical hair care products.
· Protecting you hair from the sun, which can stress your hair.
Hair loss treatment options:
· Topical 2% minoxidil. This is applied it twice a day to your scalp. Results are usually seen after 5 - 6 months. It's recommended to take a DHT blocking, hair vitamin along with the minoxidil to provide the follicle with the required nutrients and remove DHT. This will reverses the shrinking process of hair follicles and encourages hair growth.
· Hair replacement systems. Although this method is very expensive and works best for women with mild to moderate hair loss. You must have healthy scalp to have this procedure done.
· Wigs and hair weaves.
· You may want look into Soy isoflavones which have estrogenic effects (without the risk of synthetic HRT) and have helped many women's hair thinning problems.
· Talk to your doctor about bio-identical hormone replacements.

Other causes of Female Hair loss

Medical Causes of Female Thinning Hair or Hair Loss
· Pregnancy - Changes in hormone levels
· Thyroid Disorders - usually seen in women with menopause
· Pituitary Problems - excessive, normal, to low levels of hormone production
· Anemia - decrease in normal number of red blood cells
· Chemotherapy - the medication attacks more then just cancer cells
· Chronic Illness - can interrupt the hair growth cycle causing loss

Psychological Causes of Female Thinning Hair or Hair Loss
· Anxiety - can cause you to twist and turn your hair causing hair loss
· Emotional stress - like depression which can effects your body
· Traumatic events - can shock the body causing hair fall
· Eating Disorders - with a lack of the required vitamin and nutrients causes hair loss

Lifestyle Causes of Female Thinning Hair or Hair Loss
· Excess vitamin A
· Lack of B, C vitamins - Try including some fruits and vegetables in your diet.
· Iron deficiency - Try to include more beans
· Lack of protein - Try to include more Fish in your diet
· Lack of exercise - Try walking 30 min a day
· Pulling or twisting hair - This could be hair styles that pull hard on the roots