Female hair loss linked to hormone drop

Female hair loss linked to hormone drop

Big News Network.com Tuesday 14th June, 2005 (UPI)

Female hair loss may be caused by a reduction in women's hormones during menopause, a Japanese study has indicated.

According to cosmetics and toiletries manufacturer Lion Corp., researchers from the company confirmed in tests that female hormones were able to increase levels of a hair growth substance produced in hair papilla cells, the Mainichi Shimbun reported Tuesday.

About 60 percent of women aged 60 or over are distressed about their hair thinning, a survey conducted by Lion Corp. has shown. When tests were conducted, researchers found that the reactions of hair papilla cells to various substances differed between men and women.

When researchers added female hormones to the hair cells of women and measured levels of the protein BMP, which promotes hair growth, it was found that female hormones had the effect of increasing the production of BMP.

There is a possibility that by preventing a reduction of female hormones, a significant portion of hair thinning can be prevented, a representative of the company's biochemical center said.