I am a 54-year-old woman who hasn’t had a period for 5-years. For the past 5-months the hair under my armpits hasn’t grown! Can you tell me why?

Answer:

There are many reasons why hair loss is linked to menopause - and these reasons affect everything from head to toe. 

During menopause many women complain of losing hair or thinning hair on their heads; however I’ve never heard of a woman complaining of hair not growing on her underarms.  Even though for many this may seem like a blessing in disguise - no use for razors, waxing, etc. - in reality it’s the body’s reaction to a hormone imbalance.

When a woman enters perimenopause (the stage before full menopause) her female and male hormones are thrown off balance. All of a sudden a body that’s been dominated largely by female hormones - estrogen and progesterone - is taken over by male hormones.

This occurs as the body begins producing less and less estrogen and progesterone. As a result the male hormones predominate, and levels of the male hormone androstenedione increase and make up for it. This process can sometimes cause male-like traits in females and as you already know, hair loss is largely a masculine trait. As a result, an increase in body hair and loss of scalp hair can occur.

During my research I haven’t come across any instances of body hair loss in women; loss of hair on the head yes, but on the body - no. It’s typically the opposite with perimenopausal women; many sprout hair in all sorts of unsightly areas. However, I do know that many perimenopausal women develop thyroid dysfunctions that slow down the function of the thyroid and the metabolism - causing sudden weight gain. While a low functioning thyroid can also result in hair loss, I can only speculate that I might be onto something here.

Regardless of the cause of your particular hair loss, your best option is to visit your doctor for a medical opinion.