You don’t have to be menopausal to understand the dramatic changes it bestows on the skin, hair and body. Estrogen is in many ways a significant “beauty” hormone because as it depletes, so does hydration and elasticity in the skin, shine and thickness in the hair, and many other aesthetic factors. Shockingly, there aren’t yet many studies on the impact of menopause in these areas, which brings me to today’s news.
One of our favorite supplements for thinning hair, Nutrafol, just announced an industry first: a six-month, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study that tested the safety and efficacy of its Women’s Balance formulation in improving hair growth and quality in perimenopausal, menopausal and postmenopausal subjects with self-perceived thinning hair.
Designed specifically for menopausal women, Women’s Balance launched last year and is different from its Core formula in that it features a patented Synergen Complex Plus, which includes known hormonal-supporting ingredients such as saw palmetto, ashwagandha and maca.
“There is unfortunately a lack of research for the physical and emotional effects that menopause has on women,” says Dr. Sophia Kogan, Nutrafol’s cofounder and chief medical advisor, in a press release. “At Nutrafol, our mission is to empower women to take control of their hair health, and hormones. After years of research, rigorous clinical testing and the accumulation of unsurpassed data, we have a proven and effective option with our Women’s Balance formulation.”
The study measured terminal, vellus and total hair counts, and revealed a progressive increase in hair counts for Nutrafol subjects compared to placebo subjects at three and six months (they also experienced significantly less shedding).
Glenn Dale, MD dermatologist Valerie Callender, MD believes a holistic approach to hair health is vitally important, and when backed by scientific data, is then considered a breakthrough in women’s health and women’s wellness. “I incorporate Nutrafol Women’s Balance into a hair-wellness regimen in all of my female patients that present with hair thinning. I believe that healthy hair contributes to the inner strength of women, and that Nutrafol combined with other modalities that address hair thinning results in optimal results. This well-designed clinical study demonstrated improved hair growth and hair quality in menopausal women. A common complaint in patients is hair shedding, and in this study, hair shedding was improved—this later result is probably the most important highlight in this study. This study gives prudence and credibility to what we, as clinicians, believe is important to our patients, and allows us to be confident in our recommendations.”
