The Menopause Guides

The Menopause Guides

Sources behind our hair guides

These 43 sources underpin The Menopause Hair Guide and our hair loss articles, including 23 peer reviewed papers and reviews. They were checked on 8 November 2026.

  1. Women’s Health Concern (patient arm of the British Menopause Society). Menopausal hair loss: more than ‘a bad hair day’. Factsheet. November 2025. Source
  2. British Association of Dermatologists and British Hair and Nail Society. Hair loss: female pattern (androgenetic alopecia). Patient Information Leaflet. Updated October 2024. Next review October 2027. Source
  3. NHS. Hair loss. Page last reviewed 24 January 2024. Next review due 24 January 2027. Source
  4. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Menopause: identification and management. NICE guideline NG23. Last reviewed 15 April 2026. Source
  5. van Zuuren EJ, Fedorowicz Z, Schoones J. Interventions for female pattern hair loss. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016;(5):CD007628. PMID: 27225981. Source
  6. Lucky AW, Piacquadio DJ, Ditre CM, Dunlap F, Kantor I, Pandya AG, Savin RC, Tharp MD. A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 5% and 2% topical minoxidil solutions in the treatment of female pattern hair loss. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2004;50(4):541 to 553. PMID: 15034503. Source
  7. Almohanna HM, Ahmed AA, Tsatalis JP, Tosti A. The role of vitamins and minerals in hair loss: a review. Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2019;9(1):51 to 70. PMID: 30547302. Source
  8. American Academy of Dermatology. Thinning hair and hair loss: could it be female pattern hair loss? Last updated 13 December 2022. Source
  9. American Academy of Dermatology. Do you have hair loss or hair shedding?. Source
  10. Randolph M, Tosti A. Oral minoxidil treatment for hair loss: a review of efficacy and safety. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2021. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2020.06.1009. PMID: 32622136. Source
  11. Grymowicz M, Rudnicka E, Podfigurna A, Napierala P, Smolarczyk R, Smolarczyk K, Meczekalski B. Hormonal effects on hair follicles. Int J Mol Sci. 2020;21(15):5342. PMID: 32731328. Source
  12. Kantor J, Kessler LJ, Brooks DG, Cotsarelis G. Decreased serum ferritin is associated with alopecia in women. J Invest Dermatol. 2003;121(5):985 to 988. PMID: 14708596. Source
  13. Trost LB, Bergfeld WF, Calogeras E. The diagnosis and treatment of iron deficiency and its potential relationship to hair loss. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2006. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2005.11.1104. PMID: 16635664. Source
  14. Gan DC, Sinclair RD. Prevalence of male and female pattern hair loss in Maryborough. J Investig Dermatol Symp Proc. 2005;10(3):184 to 189. PMID: 16382660. Source
  15. Birch MP, Messenger JF, Messenger AG. Hair density, hair diameter and the prevalence of female pattern hair loss. Br J Dermatol. 2001;144(2):297 to 304. PMID: 11251562. Source
  16. Price VH, Roberts JL, Hordinsky M, et al. Lack of efficacy of finasteride in postmenopausal women with androgenetic alopecia. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2000;43(5 Pt 1):768 to 776. PMID: 11050579. Source
  17. Jimenez JJ, Wikramanayake TC, et al. Efficacy and safety of a low-level laser device in the treatment of male and female pattern hair loss: a multicenter, randomized, sham device-controlled, double-blind study. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2014;15(2):115 to 127. PMID: 24474647. Source
  18. NHS. Vitamin D. Source
  19. NHS. Iron. Page last reviewed 3 August 2020. Source
  20. NHS. The Eatwell Guide. Source
  21. Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Female pattern hair loss. Patient information leaflet PIL1150. Source
  22. Mirmirani P. Hormonal changes in menopause: do they contribute to a ‘midlife hair crisis’ in women? Br J Dermatol. 2011;165 Suppl 3:7 to 11. PMID: 22171679. Source
  23. Ali I, Wojnarowska F. Physiological changes in scalp, facial and body hair after the menopause: a cross-sectional population-based study of subjective changes. Br J Dermatol. 2011;164(3):508 to 513. PMID: 21128905. Source
  24. Hunt N, McHale S. The psychological impact of alopecia. BMJ. 2005;331(7522):951 to 953. PMID: 16239692. Source
  25. Cash TF, Price VH, Savin RC. Psychological effects of androgenetic alopecia on women: comparisons with balding men and with female control subjects. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1993;29(4):568 to 575. PMID: 8408792. Source
  26. Headington JT. Telogen effluvium: new concepts and review. Arch Dermatol. 1993;129(3):356 to 363. PMID: 8447677. Source
  27. US Food and Drug Administration. Biotin interference with troponin lab tests: assays subject to biotin interference. Source
  28. Alopecia UK. Source
  29. NHS Devon (MyHealth Devon). Alopecia (hair loss). Source
  30. Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust. Potential for biotin interference in immunoassays. Laboratory notice. Source
  31. Chaikittisilpa S, Rattanasirisin N, Panchaprateep R, et al. Prevalence of female pattern hair loss in postmenopausal women: a cross-sectional study. Menopause. 2022;29(4):415 to 420. PMID: 35357365. Source
  32. Treister-Goltzman Y, Yarza S, Peleg R. Iron Deficiency and Nonscarring Alopecia in Women: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Skin Appendage Disord. 2022;8(2):83 to 92. doi: 10.1159/000519952. PMID: 35415182. Source
  33. Ramos PM, Sinclair RD, Kasprzak M, Miot HA. Minoxidil 1 mg oral versus minoxidil 5% topical solution for the treatment of female-pattern hair loss: A randomized clinical trial. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2020;82(1):252 to 253. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2019.08.060. PMID: 31473295. Source
  34. Ramos PM, Melo DF, Radwanski H, Almeida RFC, Miot HA. Female-pattern hair loss: therapeutic update. An Bras Dermatol. 2023. PMID: 37003900. Source
  35. Huang CH, et al. Health-Related Quality of Life, Depression and Self-esteem in Patients With Androgenetic Alopecia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Dermatol. 2021;157(8):963 to 970. PMID: 34232264. Source
  36. Ludwig E. Classification of the types of androgenetic alopecia (common baldness) occurring in the female sex. Br J Dermatol. 1977;97(3):247 to 254. PMID: 921894. Source
  37. McNeil Products Ltd. Regaine for Women Once a Day Scalp Foam 5% w/w Cutaneous Foam. Summary of Product Characteristics. Text revised 12 May 2026, emc updated 1 June 2026. Source
  38. British Association of Dermatologists. Frontal fibrosing alopecia. Patient information leaflet. Updated July 2018. Source
  39. American Academy of Dermatology. Hair loss types: Central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia signs and symptoms. Updated 14 March 2022. Source
  40. American Academy of Dermatology. Dermatologists caution: Minoxidil can be toxic to cats and dogs. Updated 17 August 2026. Source
  41. Panahi Y, et al. Rosemary oil vs minoxidil 2% for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia: a randomized comparative trial. Skinmed. 2015;13(1):15 to 21. PMID: 25842469. Source
  42. The Institute of Trichologists. Classes of registration. Accessed 8 November 2026. Source
  43. International Association of Trichologists. Locate a Trichologist: International Register of IAT Certified Trichologists. Accessed 8 November 2026. Source