Skin & Hair

Hair loss

Hair loss due to hormones, age, and genetics in women is called female pattern baldness, or "androgenetic alopecia." This usually results in overall thinning of the hair, a widened part, and sometimes thinning at the temples. Other possible causes should be ruled out — including iron deficiency, thyroid disease, and high testosterone levels from PCOS or testosterone supplements.

• Topical minoxidil 2% or 5% (available OTC) — increases blood flow to the hair follicle
• Finasteride — lowers DHT, which is responsible for hair loss
• Topical Ketoconazole — lowers DHT and treats dandruff
• Oral Minoxidil — increases blood flow to the hair follicle
• Spironolactone — blocks androgens (DHT and testosterone); works for women with high androgen levels as well as female pattern alopecia
• Dutasteride — lowers DHT

Acne

Hormonal changes during perimenopause and menopause can cause new breakouts when you thought acne was in the rearview mirror. This is not the acne of our teenage years — our mature skin is now much different, so treating it can be a bit tricky. However, there are answers to all of your mid-life skin needs, including acne breakouts.

Rx treatment options:

• Low-dose birth control (in perimenopause)
• Spironolactone (for hormonal acne)
• Tretinoin (generic Retin-A)
• Azelaic acid
• Topical or oral antibiotics
• Topical clascoterone cream

Aging skin

As we age, the sun damages our skin and the loss of estrogen also affects it. This can cause:

• Uneven skin tone
• Fine lines
• Wrinkles
• Sun spots
• Dry skin
• Loss of elasticity

There are some great ways to treat these and bring a youthful look back to your skin:

• Estriol face cream — this topical cream has been shown to improve your facial skin's moisture and collagen production, and decrease the appearance of fine lines.
• Tretinoin cream — this topical treatment decreases the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by increasing cell turnover.