Hair and Scalp Health For Women Over 60

Almost every woman we know has experienced some sort of hair loss, including us! Hair loss occurs about 50% of the time in women over 60. And what is hair loss- losing more than 100 strands of hair a day. We aren’t the only women who deal with this. That’s why we thought let’s do a deep dive and explore treatments, products and management of this situation. Let’s clarify, this post is just to let you know what was recommended for our individual situation. Consult a medical professional for any questions you may have regarding your own situation. Here we go.

Hair and Scalp Health for Women over 60

After a bout of Covid, four months later Bev noticed her hair was shedding more than normal. Bev has thin hair and was already using Zenagen Shampoo and Conditioner to help improve scalp health. She then added oral products, loaded with vitamins and minerals formulated to help hair health and growth. The shedding stopped but re-growth of hair was so so. Val tried these oral products as well- again results were minimal. Evaluation of the health of hair and scalp, starts with eliminating the the major causes of hair loss and scalp conditions.

Causes of Hair Loss for Women over 60

The causes of hair loss for women over 60 are: underlying health conditions, hormonal changes, STRESS, weight loss, medications, chemotherapy, radiation and genetic predisposition. After checking this list, we decided to get even more information and had a consult with Dr. Michelle Dawson, MD who evaluated our hair and scalp.

Consulting a Professional- Dr. Michelle Dawson, MD

We were referred to Dr. Dawson by our friends who have thinning hair and we thank them for this referral. Dr. Dawson is known in our area for her treatment of hair loss. She was so professional and took the time to explain hair loss in women over 60- the causes and various treatments. Here are the treatment options that are recommended.

Treatment Options-Oral, Topical and Cosmetic

Oral Treatment Options

Oral options, the over-the-counter vitamin preparations such as Nutrafol or Viviscal. Viviscal is preferred because there are less pills to take at once- better patient compliance. Val is trying this option. Viviscal has a marine ingredient component. There is research on fish collagen promoting hair growth.

Minoxidil is a medical oral agent. Currently, Bev takes it in a very low prescribed dose. On the horizon are clinical trials for a high dose, extended release Minoxidil. As with any medication, this is a discussion to have with your doctor.

Topical Treatment Options

Topical Minoxidil is a treatment option and there are are two forms available. One is an over the counter preparation and the other is a compounded RX Minoxidil. Either needs to be used daily for the best result. Once you stop use of these, the hair that was growing stops. This can cause dryness and change the texture of the hair.

Cosmetic Treatment Options

Dr. Dawson discussed two cosmetic treatment options. One is injecting a mixture of Minoxidil and Dutasteride into the scalp in a series of 4-6 treatments spaced 4-6 weeks apart. After the initial treatment, yearly maintenance is 1 every 6 months.

PRP treatment is the other cosmetic treatment option. They inject the patient’s own platelet-rich plasma into the scalp. Everyone responds differently to this. Keep in mind the older the patient, the less the response.

Hair growth is a slow process. Give any treatment you choose at least 6-12 months to evaluate results. We will let you know how our own hair project is going in future posts. Sharing this information is important to us and please let us know if you found this helpful. Love hearing from you.

Thank you Dr. Dawson for all of this great information. If you have hair concerns, make an appointment. Here’s her information.

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