Thinning hair & Dry skin

Hair, Skin & Nail

Nourishing from Within: A Guide to Hair and Skin Changes

Noticing more hair in your brush or feeling like your skin has lost its glow? You’re not imagining it — these shifts are common and often frustrating signs of hormonal changes during perimenopause. The same hormones that guided your cycles also influence the health of your hair follicles and skin cells. As those hormones fluctuate, your hair and skin can become drier, thinner, and more fragile.

What’s Happening in Your Body? Estrogen helps keep hair in its growing phase and supports oil production and collagen in the skin.

When estrogen drops:

Hair may shed more quickly, and follicles may shrink — especially if androgens (like testosterone) are relatively high.
Skin loses hydration and elasticity, because estrogen supports collagen and hyaluronic acid.

Actionable Tips for Healthy Hair and Skin:

Power Up with Protein: Your hair and skin are made of protein (keratin and collagen). You need to consume enough of it to provide the necessary building blocks.

Try This: Ensure you have a source of protein at every meal—eggs, chicken, fish, lentils, or a quality protein powder in a smoothie.

Incorporate Healthy Fats: Omega-3 and other healthy fats are essential for building a healthy skin barrier and keeping your scalp and hair hydrated.

Try This: Eat avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil daily.

Be Gentle: Your hair and skin are more fragile now.

Try This: Use a gentle, sulfate-free shampoo. Avoid tight hairstyles that pull on the scalp. Use a hydrating, simple moisturizer and always wear sunscreen.

The Power of Collagen: Should You Be Taking It?

Collagen supplements are everywhere — but do they actually help your hair and skin?

What is it?

It’s the most abundant protein in the body, making up a major part of your skin, nails, hair, and joints. As estrogen drops, collagen production slows down, which can lead to:
Skin that feels thinner or less elastic
Fine lines or wrinkles becoming more visible
A loss of plumpness or bounce
Should you supplement? Some research suggests that collagen peptides (broken-down, absorbable forms) may help improve skin hydration and elasticity. Results for hair are less certain, but many women find it worth trying.

How to Use It:

Look for a hydrolyzed collagen or collagen peptides powder that dissolves easily into drinks or smoothies. Flavorless options make it easy to take consistently.

DHT and Hair Loss: The Role of Shifting Hormones

Estrogen isn’t the only hormone impacting your hair. During perimenopause, your body’s balance shifts — and androgens like testosterone can have more noticeable effects.

One testosterone byproduct, DHT (dihydrotestosterone), can shrink hair follicles and disrupt the hair growth cycle.

Why this happens:

In younger years, estrogen keeps DHT’s effects in check.
As estrogen falls, DHT becomes more dominant.
Some women have a genetic sensitivity to DHT that makes their follicles more likely to shrink in response.

This leads to:

Shortened hair growth cycles
Finer, weaker hair strands
Diffuse thinning, especially around the crown (not just a receding hairline like in men)

Understanding this shift can help you seek more targeted treatments if needed — especially if hair loss is rapid or distressing.

This article is intended to inform and empower, not to replace personalized medical advice. If you have any concerns about your health, please speak with your doctor or a qualified healthcare provider.