Changes to your hair might not be the first thing you associate with menopause. Hot flushes, disrupted sleep and changes to your periods tend to get much more attention, but some women also notice that their hair becomes finer, thinner or less full during perimenopause and menopause.
If you’ve started noticing more scalp through your hair, a wider parting or simply less volume than you used to have, you may be wondering whether there is anything you can do about it.
One treatment you may come across is platelet-rich plasma, or PRP. But can PRP hair treatment actually help with hair thinning during menopause?
Why Can Hair Become Thinner During Menopause?
Hair changes can occur during perimenopause and menopause as hormone levels change. The NHS includes changes such as hair thinning among the physical symptoms that can occur around this time.
However, it is important not to assume that menopause is automatically the cause of hair loss simply because the two happen at around the same time.
Hair thinning in women can have many causes. These include female pattern hair loss, stress, nutritional deficiencies, certain medications and medical conditions. Sometimes more than one factor may be involved.
This is why understanding the likely cause of your hair thinning is an important first step before deciding on treatment.
What Does Menopausal Hair Thinning Look Like?
Rather than suddenly losing large patches of hair, many women notice a gradual change.
Your ponytail might feel smaller, your hair may seem finer than it used to, or you might notice your parting becoming wider. The scalp can also become more visible through the hair, particularly over the top of the head.
For some women, this may be female pattern hair loss, which can become more noticeable around and after menopause.
Unlike male pattern baldness, female pattern hair loss doesn’t usually cause a completely bald area. Instead, there tends to be progressive thinning across the top of the scalp.
What Is PRP Hair Treatment?
PRP stands for platelet-rich plasma.
During treatment, a small amount of your own blood is taken and placed into a centrifuge. This separates the platelet-rich plasma from the other components of the blood.
The concentrated plasma is then injected into targeted areas of the scalp.
Platelets contain growth factors involved in the body’s natural healing and repair processes. The aim of PRP hair treatment is to use these naturally occurring components to support existing hair follicles and encourage healthier hair growth.
You can read more about how PRP hair treatment works.
So, Can PRP Help With Hair Thinning During Menopause?
Potentially, but the answer depends on why your hair is thinning.
PRP has been studied as a treatment for several forms of female hair loss, particularly female pattern hair loss, also known as female androgenetic alopecia.
A 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis examined 21 randomised controlled trials involving 628 women. It found that PRP treatment was associated with improvements in hair density and thickness. However, results varied according to factors including treatment protocols, which is one reason it is important not to present PRP as a guaranteed solution for hair loss.
The important distinction is that PRP isn’t a treatment for menopause itself. If hormonal changes have coincided with progressive thinning of otherwise active hair follicles, PRP may be an option worth discussing. But not every type of hair loss will respond in the same way.
What If My Hair Loss Is Female Pattern Hair Loss?
Female pattern hair loss is one of the most common causes of progressive hair thinning in women.
Rather than creating completely bald patches, it typically causes gradual thinning over the top and crown of the scalp. You might particularly notice your central parting becoming wider.
PRP has been studied specifically for this type of hair loss. We’ve looked at the research and what treatment involves in our guide to PRP for female pattern hair loss.
When Might PRP Not Be the Right Answer?
Not all hair loss is caused by changes within the hair follicle that PRP may be able to support.
Sudden or unexplained hair loss deserves proper investigation, particularly if it is severe, patchy or accompanied by other symptoms.
There can also be underlying causes of hair loss that need addressing rather than simply treating the scalp. If there is any reason to suspect this, it is sensible to speak to your GP before pursuing an aesthetic hair treatment.
How Many PRP Sessions Are Needed?
PRP isn’t usually a one-off treatment.
At Azthetics, we generally recommend an initial course of four to six treatments, typically spaced four to six weeks apart. The number required can vary depending on your individual circumstances and how your hair responds.
You can find out more in our guide to PRP hair treatment results and how long they take.
Maintenance treatments may also be recommended to help support results over the longer term.
Is There Downtime After PRP Hair Treatment?
PRP is a non-surgical treatment, so there isn’t the lengthy recovery associated with a surgical hair transplant.
You may experience some temporary tenderness, redness or swelling around the injection sites. We’ve covered what is and isn’t expected in more detail in our guide to PRP hair treatment side effects.
PRP Hair Treatment for Women at Azthetics
Noticing changes to your hair during perimenopause or menopause can be frustrating, particularly when you aren’t sure why it is happening or what you can do about it.
PRP may be suitable for some types of female hair thinning, but the first step is establishing whether treatment is appropriate for you.
Azthetics provides PRP hair treatment at our clinics in Bristol, Taunton and Weston-super-Mare. Your treatment journey begins with a consultation, where we can discuss your hair concerns, explain what PRP can and cannot do and determine whether it could be a suitable option for you.
Contact Azthetics to arrange your consultation or book online here.