Increase in Facial Hair Growth During Menopause Everyday Health MenuNewslettersSearch Menopause Increase in Facial Hair Growth During Menopause By Dr. Joann Manson, MD, MPH, PhDReviewed: March 26, 2007Fact-CheckedQ1. I have been getting extra facial hair ever since menopause set in. Is this hormonal, and would taking a low dose of hormones correct the problem? Conversely, I have been losing a lot of the hair on my head! Is there anything that can help these problems? — Brandy, California It's not unusual for extra facial hair to appear after menopause. Why? The ovaries decrease and eventually stop production of the female hormone estrogen after menopause, but both the ovaries and the adrenal glands continue to make male hormones, such as the androgen testosterone. This shift in the ratio of male to female hormones can cause more hair to grow on the face. Will estrogen help reduce this growth? It probably won't have a significant effect, and having extra facial hair isn't a reason to start hormone therapy. You shouldn't take these hormones unless you're also having moderate to severe hot flashes and night sweats that are impairing your quality of life. If the facial hair isn't out of control, try plucking, waxing, or bleaching. Here's my question to you, though: Is this extra hair also on your chest or back? If there are substantial black hairs in these places, you should see your doctor. This type of hair growth can be a sign of several medical problems, including an enzyme deficiency that manifests itself later in life, a tumor, or a problem with the adrenal glands or ovaries. Also, you said you were losing hair on your head. Are you losing hair at the temples and in the front (as in male-pattern baldness), or is the hair loss more diffuse? Substantial hair growth on the body, plus male-pattern balding, also suggests a possible significant medical problem. See your doctor if you're experiencing these hair issues, and have your testosterone and other hormone levels tested. If the hair loss on your head is diffuse, it's less likely to be the result of hormonal abnormalities and less likely to be a serious health concern. You should probably still see your doctor, though, and consider taking a multivitamin. Ask your doctor to check you for anemia and thyroid problems, and maybe seek a referral to a dermatologist. Your doctor may still want to check your blood hormone levels, especially if there's hair on your chest or back. Finally, keep in mind that antihypertensive medicines can also cause excessive hair growth, so you may want to discuss this with your doctor if you take them. Q2. I have been getting extra facial hair ever since menopause set in. Is this a hormonal problem, and if so would taking a low dose of hormone replacement therapy correct it? Conversely, I have been losing an awful lot of the hair on my head! Is this common in menopause? What can be done to deal with both these problems at the same time, or is that even possible? — Brandy, California It’s not uncommon to see an increase in facial hair around the time of menopause because the ratio of testosterone to estrogen in your body will begin to change during this time. Even if your levels of testosterone were to remain the same throughout the course of menopause, your estrogen levels will decrease, creating a change in the balance of male and female hormones. What you describe, however, concerns me a little — not because of the increased facial hair but because you're also losing hair on your head. I would recommend that you see your doctor and have some hormone tests done. Most likely your doctor will find that you have something that's easily treatable and not worrisome, but you want to eliminate any chance of a tumor in your adrenal gland or ovaries, which can sometimes be the cause of hair loss and facial-hair growth. Also, your hair loss might be an indicator of a vitamin deficiency, so you'll want to find out if you could benefit from taking any supplements that your body might be lacking. If you aren’t experiencing hot flashes, night sweats, or other symptoms of menopause, I wouldn’t recommend that you use hormone therapy to treat these changes in hair growth and hair loss. Hormone therapy does have its own set of risks and it's best to avoid these if you're not dealing with difficult menopause symptoms. Instead you should ask your doctor about whether you’re a candidate for other medications that can counteract the effects of these hormone changes. Q3. I am 48 years old and have been perimenopausal for at least two years. Along with the usual irritability, hot flashes, and night sweats, I have noticed both an increase in facial hair (mostly on my chin) and loss of scalp hair. I am actually balding in front. This happened before, during my three pregnancies, but the hair grew back. This time it's not. What can I do? Sometimes women do notice an increase in their facial hair around or after the time they go through menopause. The ratio of estrogen to androgens (including the "male" hormone testosterone) will decrease with menopause, since ovarian estrogen production goes down but testosterone levels don't change as dramatically. This shift can be associated with increased hair growth and may explain why you have more facial hair. Don't worry, though, this symptom is consistent with menopause. However, you're also talking about having hair loss and frontal balding. It's unusual for women to have male pattern baldness and a receding hairline, even around or after menopause. This can be a sign that you have higher testosterone levels than is considered normal for menopause. So, be sure to talk to your doctor and get a full physical exam. Have your doctor check your testosterone levels and other hormones. I don't want to scare you, but sometimes this hair loss can be due to a tumor or a problem with the adrenal gland. It's not likely, but you want to get your tests done to be safe. NEWSLETTERS Sign up for our Women' s Health Newsletter SubscribeBy subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. 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