Hair changes on Hrt

[L G]

           One thing that I have been trying to find more about but have been seemingly been unable to fine more about is the changes that HRT has on the hair on your scalp. The only info I could really find out I could find out was that hair might change in texture or color. So what hair is changed or what effects can really be expected? If I Got a buzz cut would it affect that hair before starting HRT? Or is that something that is generally something that I would only "concern" myself over if I had areas with hair loss?

[Harlow]

No expert here. But I think it mainly pertains to male pattern baldness. But with changes in your body I'd imagine it could change the texture as well.

I was never "thinning" per se, although I've always had very fine hair, same with sisters mom etc. I have found quite a bit of new hair growth in the corners of my forehead (normally where people part their hair). So that was a nice surprise!

Hopefully someone here can give you more info and detail. But for someone who had no thinning problem and to find new scalp hair around the hairline is pretty cool

[Carrie Liz]

Basically, HRT does two things to help hair out.

First of all, HRT blocks the production of testosterone, and so therefore it also blocks the hair-loss-causing Dihydrotestosterone. DHT basically latches on to hair follicles, rendering them weakened and inactive, then slowly killing them. This is what causes male-pattern baldness. So part one of the hair equation is the removal of DHT. This allows the weakened hair follicles to recover, and grow hair again. (If, in areas of hair recession, there is still a lot of peach fuzz, that means that most likely the hair is still salvageable, and has only been rendered inactive. Once the DHT is removed, it should grow back at least partially. If the patch of scalp is shiny, however, then the follicles are dead, and they're not going to grow back.)

Part two of the equation is estrogen. Estrogen keeps hair in its active growth phase longer. So a higher percentage of hair will be in the active growth phase at any given time, and it will stay there longer, which means that hair becomes thicker and can grow to a longer length before falling out and going back to the inactive phase. (This is generally what causes hair loss in women, is that when they go through menopause, E levels drop, which causes the hair to be in its inactive phase longer, making it thinner.)

I've heard it said that HRT can reverse approximately 5-7 years worth of hair loss. And even if there is no hair loss, the extra estrogen in the system should, once again, result in thicker hair, and should help it be able to grow to a longer length.

[kelly_aus]

It caused some regrowth for me along my hairline.. The funny thing is, I don't think I had actually lost any - going back through old pics doesn't reveal any hair loss..

[L G]

Part two of the equation is estrogen. Estrogen keeps hair in its active growth phase longer. So a higher percentage of hair will be in the active growth phase at any given time, and it will stay there longer, which means that hair becomes thicker and can grow to a longer length before falling out and going back to the inactive phase. (This is generally what causes hair loss in women, is that when they go through menopause, E levels drop, which causes the hair to be in its inactive phase longer, making it thinner.)

So I should expect my hair to grow faster/more past certain lengths then? I have always kept my hair at a decent shaggy length (barring berating from people for special events), so would it happen to help keep it more consistent throughout I guess?

[MadeleineG]

I've heard it said that HRT can reverse approximately 5-7 years worth of hair loss.

Carrie, do you happen to know, off hand, where you heard this? That's much more positive than I'd been anticipating and would like to find some corroboration. Thx.

[Carrie Liz]

I have no idea where I read it, unfortunately. I think maybe it was while I was researching the effects of Finasteride and Dutasteride somewhere WAY back. I just keep quoting it because I remember reading it at some point, and based on my own personal experience it's holding up. When I compare pictures, my hair is about as thick now as it was when I was like 22. I've regrown a LOT. And it's still coming back in. It really started sprouting back up around the 4-5 month mark, and has been rapidly regrowing ever since. Especially along the edges of the hairline.

[pebbles]

I had long hair before and after, HRT It did cause some changes, My "natural" hair colour has lightened by one or two tones in the past couple of years, I think this is due to HRT although I can't say for sure.

My hair was quite fine before but it was also quite thin and greasy, As such it wasn't all that nice honestly and was a pain to maintain.
HRT Really did improve the quality of it alot, Over the past couple of years my natural colour has lightened by one or two tones While it's still got a very fine texture, It's not really that thin anymore, I suspect I might have had the first stages of MPB and not noticed which HRT reversed I did notice new hairs sprouting along my hairline 6 months in. But most notably is how much less oily my hair and skin are this makes it fluffier and also reduces the amount I have to wash it which improves it's quality overall.

[Ltl89]

I haven't noticed any changes so far.  All in all, my hair texture is the same as it was before hormones.  If you didn't lose any of your hair, you probably won't have any major or drastic changes. Then again, I'm still only a few months in, so it may be too soon to tell.  As it stands, I will need to keep straightening my hair everyday for the style I like which sucks.

[Carrie Liz]

It took me 4-5 months before I saw the hairs starting to sprout back up. So yeah, it's WAY too early for you to say anything yet, LTL. Hair is basically just an accumulation of dead cells above the skin surface, so what's already there isn't going to magically change somehow. No changes would even be possible until the hair that was under the skin when you were starting hormones has completely grown out.

[Harlow]

It caused some regrowth for me along my hairline.. The funny thing is, I don't think I had actually lost any - going back through old pics doesn't reveal any hair loss..

Same exact thing with me! Like an early Christmas gift XD

[Jill F]

Mine was getting thin up top like Glenn Danzig's.  I have to say it's much thicker about a year later and my hairline is noticeably advancing.  I hope in another year it will look even better.

[JaneNicole2013]

I'm three months low-dose HRT (including finestride/propecia) and I noticed after a month or so my hair was fuller and softer...much different texture. My "bed head" is also more manageable in the morning. I also have quite a bald spot, some of which is filling in. People who don't know what I'm doing have even commented on my hair being different.

[Ltl89]

It took me 4-5 months before I saw the hairs starting to sprout back up. So yeah, it's WAY too early for you to say anything yet, LTL. Hair is basically just an accumulation of dead cells above the skin surface, so what's already there isn't going to magically change somehow. No changes would even be possible until the hair that was under the skin when you were starting hormones has completely grown out.

I hear what you're saying, but I doubt it will do much for me in the long run.  I never had any hair loss issues, so it will only change the texture if anything.  Since I started estradiol in June and spiro in July, I imagine I would have already seen a difference in texture.  Then again, I blowdry and straighten my hair almost everyday, so I'm sure that has an impact too. 

[svaso]

I was forming a major bald spot on the back of my head and was pretty distressed about it.  The guys at work were of no help in being quiet about it.  I've been on HRT(E & Spiro) for a little over a year, and it has been completely filled in and growing as well and fast as the rest of my hair.  The corners of my hairline have only receded a little bit before HRT, and have only filled in slightly.

**Stacy 

[ssneha23]

A similar story here. .. After a year on hrt my hair line has become fuller. An M had started to firm with a bald spot at the top. .. both of which have completely filled in... People who don't know about my meds are surprised by this change.  I often have to field questions on whether I have had hair transplant or something. ..

[JLT1]

 Well,

It's been 22 months since E climbed and T dropped.  I've been on full load HRT for 11 months with two months off for a surgery.  All I had before this mess of a transition started was a small rim from ear to ear around a huge bald crown. I started noticeably loosing hair 24 years ago.  When I started seeing small hair come in, I then started using 5% monoxadil, primarily in the hope of being able to do a hair transplant.

Now, it's a little thin on the very top for a woman. I have quite a bit more hair than I did 17 years ago, probably more like where I was at 22 years ago.  I can get a relatively inexpensive hair transplant in combination with my planned FFS and it will look good.

The combination of HRT and monoxadil really worked well for me.

Hugs,

Jen
   

[big kim]

I had a small bald patch at the crown and slight recession at the front.My hair was a dark brown colour with a lot of grey.Within 9 months the bald patch had filled in and the recession stopped.The colour went quite a few shades lighter brown although most of my hair was grey.

[LizMarie]

May I suggest that you also consider using a dermaroller once a week if you are using Minoxidil?

This link is to a double blind study that found that microneedling of the scalp in conjunction with Minoxidil produced, on average, 4 times as many new hairs per square centimeter as Minoxidil alone.

Yes, I have extensive male pattern baldness and it seems to be slowly reversing but is still horribly bad at the present time. Microneedling appears to be helping me.

http://www.ijtrichology.com/article.asp?issn=0974-7753;year=2013;volume=5;issue=1;spage=6;epage=11;aulast=Dhurat

[Maggiee17]

ever since starting hrt ,y hair has been so much thicker and softer. on top of that ive seen a big drop in body hair