Hair change in texture and type

I am 57 yrs.old. Went through mmenopause at 53. My hair changed drastically. It did not get thin but it is now very kinky and wiry, brittle. The hardest part to take is the kinkiness especially around the hairline and the nape of my neck. It was previously shiny and curly and wash and wear.  It has changed so drastically that in the middle of the night when I am half sleep and run my hand through my hair it wakes me up because I think that I am touching someone else's head!! My hair was so pretty I even modeled hair cuts for curly wash and wear hair for a beauty salon.  I've had the test for thyroid and the blood test the dermatologist did for hormones and it was all normal.  I don't know of anyone else with this problem. Is there any solution possibly. I am trying to accept this but my hair always looks terrible. I've never taken HRT. At the nape of my neck and at the sideburns it is especially rough like a man's beard. Is there anything I can do or take??? It has changed from the inside out just like the previous question posted by the mother with the 2 yr.old.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

I'm afraid I don't have any specific information to share with you.  Over the years I have had a few patients tell me that their hair texture changed during periods of hormone changes--pregnancy for instance--from straight to curly or the reverse.  However, I know of no diseases or syndromes which cause this, nor of any treatment.  If the dermatologist who examined you didn't find any hair disease per se, I'm afraid I don't know of one either.  Sorry.

Dr. Rockoff

[lil sunshine]

My 10 year old daughter who started puberty at age 7 and has had monthly periods since age 10{BDAY next month} has red hair. It used to be so silky and curly. Now it's really coarse and she has developed this weird "cow lick" and where it's situated she has a huge kinky mess. We blow it dry and use a straightening iron after she washes it but this one section is horrible. She has been tested for thyroid as I have thyroid problems.
It's bad enough when we get older but then everything else goes to pot. I hope you can get your hair problem fixed. The lady who cuts my daughter's hair suggested mink oil spray, which can be bought at Walmart.
Good luck,
Bonnie

[peppamintpatti]

A related discussion, kinky hiar was started.

[de12]

A related discussion, change in hair texture was started.