Hair not growing like it used to? Menopause may be why.

Because the hormones that shape the hair cycle change. Estrogen and progesterone fall, the growth phase gets shorter, strands come in finer, and androgens count for more at the follicle. A drier scalp, stress, poor sleep, low iron and thyroid changes often add to it, which is why the thinning is gradual and why the medical causes are worth ruling out.

It depends on the cause. Shedding from stress, low iron or a thyroid change can recover once the cause is treated, while thinning from hormonal change tends to be gradual and ongoing. A doctor or dermatologist can tell you which one you have, and that is the first step before any routine.

No, and we will not promise it. A supplement and a cosmetic serum cannot replace a medical treatment: the FDA-approved over-the-counter option for female pattern hair loss is topical minoxidil, so ask your doctor or dermatologist about it. This routine supports the hair you have, from the inside and at the scalp. Plan on at least three months, because hair grows about a centimeter a month.

Ask your doctor first, and bring both labels. The capsules contain vitamin K2, which matters if you take a blood thinner, and iodine from kelp, which matters with thyroid conditions. They also contain botanicals such as maca, ashwagandha, saw palmetto and green tea, and the serum contains melatonin and maca. We make no claim about how any of them interacts with a prescription, so we do not say it is fine.

Yes, it can. The capsules have 2,500 mcg of biotin per serving, 8,333% of the daily value, and high-dose biotin can interfere with some lab tests, including thyroid and heart tests. Tell your doctor and the lab that you take it, and ask whether to pause it before a blood draw.

Start when you first notice the part widening or more hair in the brush, and give it three to six months before you judge. Most people look for changes in texture and scalp comfort first, then in how the part looks. Take a photo of your part in the same light on day one and once a month after that, because a month-by-month photo shows what the mirror does not.

The Hair Nutraceutical 45+ has biotin, vitamins A, C, D3, E, B2, B12 and folate, zinc, selenium, iodine from kelp, vitamin K2 (MK-7), 500 mg of hydrolyzed bovine collagen and two botanical blends with astaxanthin, maca, resveratrol, ashwagandha, saw palmetto, green tea, bamboo silica and hyaluronic acid. It does not contain iron. It is not vegan: the collagen is bovine and the capsule is gelatin. The Scalp Serum is water-based, with niacinamide, rosemary, panthenol, sage and burdock, and also contains melatonin. The full labels are further down this page.

If your thinning is sudden, comes in patches, or comes with fatigue, cold intolerance or heavy periods, see your doctor first. Iron (ferritin), thyroid and vitamin D are the usual things to check, and they are checked with a blood test, not guessed. This routine is not a substitute for that. It is for ongoing support once the medical causes are out of the way.

One works from the inside and the other at the scalp, so neither replaces the other. A jar of capsules is 30 days at four a day, and a serum bottle is about a month. Because results take months to judge, the three-month option is the one most people need, and it works out lower per bottle. If your scalp feels dry or tight, the Pre-Wash Scalp Oil is an optional extra for wash day, sold separately.