Surgical Menopause Facial Hair Loss Products: what works for me!
Table of Contents
Introduction
I posted an article about female hair loss and this post is to expand on that one. I explained that when you have your ovaries removed, you’re in surgical menopause. This loss of hormones affects our entire body and some of us experience hair loss and hair growth in unwanted places.
This hair loss/growth that happens REALLY affects our self esteem and confidence right?? What woman likes hair on her chin, thinning eyebrows, sparse eyelashes, and thinning hair on her head? That’s why I’ve explored surgical menopause facial hair loss products.
I NEVER do reviews or talk about things I use, BUT when I find something that TRULY works, I have to share it. Especially with women who might be suffering from the same problem.
Disclaimer: These products that I’m recommending worked wonderfully on me and I hope you see the same results. However, I can’t say 100% that they will. We can hope for the best!
In this post, I will share the surgical menopause facial hair loss products that I’ve found to be most helpful.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information.
Understanding Facial Hair Loss After Surgical Menopause
Reasons Why
The difference between surgical menopause and natural is that surgical menopause happens as soon as your ovaries are removed. Unlike natural menopause that is gradual, giving your body time to adjust to all of the changes that are happening. Read more about this here!
In my blog posts about hair and skin changes during surgical menopause, I’ve explained how the cut off of hormones, estrogen in particular, are the main reason for hair loss.
Our brows, lashes, and scalp hair is sensitive to estrogen. BUT our hair follicles around the chin and mouth are MORE responsive to androgens.
We’ve always had male hormones like androgens and testosterone in our bodies in small amounts, but estrogen kept them regulated. Well, with it cut off, the androgens are more active…
LADIES!!! CAN WE GET A BREAK HERE??????
A common timeline can be up to four weeks after surgery to notice more hair shedding than usual. This shedding can go on and peak at three months and last up to six months.
Usually this hair loss is temporary, however, if you’re like me and can’t take HRT, (hormone replacement therapy,) you may have to take some additional steps to help it grow back.
Surgical menopause changes you and the things that worked before may not work now. You are working with a changed system, so have patience because there are still things you can do!
My Journey With Facial Hair Loss
I Was Fortunate
I’ll be honest and tell you that after having four surgeries, with the last one being a bi-lateral salpingo oophorectomy, (removal of both ovaries and fallopian tubes,) I did not notice any changes in my hair. I was never warned about it, so I never looked for it.
It was only after my last couple of blog posts that I noticed that I indeed had some thinning! This was just a month ago! Mind you, it’s been five plus years since my surgeries, so I think I’m one of the lucky ones.
A couple of years before my surgeries, when I was in my late forties, I did have some thinning. It was on the part between my bangs and the rest of my hair and I was devastated by it! I actually asked a friend if she could see it and she said YES!!
I asked my gynecologist about it and she said I had “male pattern baldness!” I almost fell over!!
I don’t think she was right as I treated it, it regrew and I never had that hair loss again until just recently. At that time, I believe it was caused by hormones/stress.
I was fortunate that the first things I did to regrow my hair and lashes/brows back worked and I’ll be sharing that with you below so that you can STOP wasting money on trying different things.
Medical-Grade Solutions
There Is Hope!!
What I used to regrow the patch of thinning hair I had was generic Minoxidil. At the time, you could only get it in 3% strength. The men’s was 5% but it said that it was for MEN ONLY.
Now, it’s common to see Rogaine for women in 3% and 5% concentrations and I will definitely be using the 5% myself.
It does take time, as long as normal hair growth takes and the hairs typically come in soft, almost like baby hair. I’ve been covering my gray roots for years and those new hairs took the color up just fine and it looked normal after coloring it.
It doesn’t take much, especially if you’re only using it in small areas. I would literally squeeze a few drops of the liquid right on the spot and tilt your head, so it won’t run down into your eyes and let it settle into your scalp.
I would do this once a day, twice a day if I wasn’t going anywhere. After it dries completely, you can go ahead and style it. You don’t have to wash it out. For me, it was never irritating whatsoever.
With the exception of chemotherapy, insurance doesn’t typically cover hair regrowth treatments, even with a prescription. Thankfully, a lot of the more inexpensive treatments actually work!
The main thing with topical treatments is to have patience. It’s going to be awhile to see results but if you are consistent, I believe you’ll see some improvement.
One more thing: Keep in mind that if the cause of your hair loss is from stress or surgery, your hair will most likely start growing again on it’s own. If you actually have female pattern baldness or an actual condition like alopecia causing the hair loss, the regrowth will probably stop when you stop using the product.
Supplements and Internal Support
Since I started my blog, I’ve REALLY become aware of my health. I’ve learned so much that I want to share.
One of the things I’ve done recently is supplements. I take one for hair, skin and nails that has hyaluronic acid and argan oil in the actual pill! I’ve been taking these supplements for about 3 months and I have noticed the change, especially in my fingernails, so I know it’s working.
I would say at least two full months of daily use to give a supplement a chance to prove itself.
My Top 3 Recommended Products
These Products Rock!!
In my journey so far, I’ve been lucky and hit on winners for eyelashes and brows. I don’t have to look any further for a product that gets the job done!
It’s A 10! Miracle Leave-In Product
It’s a leave-in product for your hair that is awesome! You spray it on clean, damp hair and style. Your hair will stay shiny and super healthy looking until you brush or wash it out!
Grande Lash-MD Lash Enhancing Serum. I’ve tried several different lash serums but this one… After 6 weeks of once nightly use, my eyelashes are long, full and they do not come out. They are the best lashes I’ve ever had and I’m so happy about this!
Grande Brow Brow Enhancing Serum This is the same brand as the lash serum and I’m absolutely sold on this. You can stop looking for lash and brow serums. They are worth the money because they WORK!!
Tips for Success
Probably the most important thing about these products I’m using is the fact that I’ve been consistent in using them! It’s not hard to do because they are all very easy to use.
Like I mentioned before, PATIENCE is key here!! You won’t get results overnight but if you use these consistently for at least 30 days or more, you will see results!
I was tickled pink to look at my brows and think that maybe the tint I used wasn’t washed out. No, it wasn’t that. My brows had actually filled in and my lashes are now so full and long, it’s fun to apply mascara and it looks beautiful!
Plus, you can use all of these items at the same time!
It’s time to do something nice for yourself and when you see results like I did, you’ll be so glad that you made the choice to give yourself some love!!
