I am 55 years old and experience all the typical menopausal symptoms such as night sweats, insomnia, hot flashes, mood swings. I do, however, have a phenomenon that I can't quite figure out. After I shampoo my hair (sometimes 2-3 times in succession) I notice that my hair starting at the scalp is tremendously oily. It is heavy to the touch too. I have changed shampoos and there is nothing new in my routine. Is this a possible stress-related symptom of menopause?
Answer:
Personally, I have not found any information about an oily scalp being a symptom of menopause, but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t be. Hormones affect almost everything in your body, including your hair. One of the more commons symptoms of menopause is hair loss and an increase in facial hair. This usually occurs because during menopause the net amount of androgens (male hormones) outweighs estrogen (female hormones). Androgens have been thought to be a culprit of an oily scalp, so perhaps menopause is indirectly the cause of your oily scalp.
Androgens activate the sebaceous glands, that is, the oil-producing glands. Stress is one factor that is known to increase the amount of androgen levels in the body of both males and females. So it could be the combination of stress and menopause that is leading to an increased level of androgens and hence, your oily scalp. Oil from the scalp (also known as sebum) is also more of a problem for people with fine hair, and the oil tends to travel quicker through straight hair, rather than thick, curly hair.
However, there are many solutions that can help battle an oily scalp. I’ll list a number of them:
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Shampoo frequently - people with oily scalps probably need to shampoo their hair everyday.
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Shampoo the scalp - focus on shampooing the scalp, rather than the hair, as this is the source of the oil. Be sure to give the entire scalp a good, hard rub to remove as much oil as possible.
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Shampoo twice - sometimes you may need to shampoo your hair twice. Make sure you shampoo long enough, and if the soap doesn’t lather up very well the first time, it means your scalp is still oily and needs to be shampooed a second time. A good foamy lather means most of the oil has been removed.
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Go without conditioners - if you need to use a conditioner, apply it only to the ends of your hair, and not the scalp. You could also try going without it.
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Don’t over brush - brushing your hair too frequently can make it oily because the comb carries the oil from your scalp down through the rest of your hair.
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Use the right shampoo - it is important to choose a shampoo that is specially designed for an oily scalp. Many brands offer this and can be found at your local grocery store.
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Relaxation - since stress boosts the levels of androgens in the body, learn to relax and reduce stress to help limit oil production.