Sue Perkins details injury on set of new show with Mel Giedroyc
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The comedian, who shot to fame with comedy partner Sue Perkins hosting shows such as The Great British Bake Off, is going solo for her next project. In a similar vein to Bake Off, Mel is on a mission to find Britain’s best woodmaker. Handmade: Britain’s Best Woodworker is currently airing on Channel 4 every Thursday and will last for six episodes. While Mel seems like the perfect host, off-screen she states that her husband, children and close friends and family see a different side to her. And this is not helped by the effects of the menopause.
“I do have a dark side,” Mel said when talking to the Independent. “Only my husband, children, close friends and family ever get to see it. “I wouldn’t say I go into deep dark black dog depression – I’m lucky in that way, but everyone has their ups and downs and I always try to look on the bright side.”
Like many of us, Mel has to battle the everyday things such as tiredness, stress and a hectic work schedule, and sometimes this can lead to her “spiralling quite badly”.
Mel went on to talk about how her changing moods have been affected by starting the menopause.
At 53 years old, Mel has reached the typical age when menopause starts to naturally occur.
When asked if the menopause has “kicked in”, Mel coyly responded that her “hormone journey,” as she refers to it, has been “interesting”.
She said: “I’ve noticed of late, the old hormonal journey is quite interesting. The old peri-menopausal express has come to town!
“I’m not in the full hot flush yet, but I very much feel it’s coming. I’ve noticed mood-wise, it gets quite interesting.
“I’ve been feeling, shall I go to the doctor? No! I don’t want to be disturbing the doctor when there’s a global pandemic on the go. But I do feel I’m embarking on a roller coaster into the land of menopause. Hoorah!”
Talking about her experience in a comedic way, Mel went on to talk about some pretty serious early symptoms.
“I looked up online the symptoms, causes and effects of the menopause and I’ve absolutely convinced myself that I’ve got a fully receding hairline. What does one do? Do you go and have the old Wayne Rooney plugs put in?,” Mel added.
Although not entirely sure that she is experiencing hair loss, Women’s Health Concern explains when going through menopause, the condition of women’s hair does begin to worsen.
Glynis Ablon, MD, an associate clinical professor at the University of California in Los Angeles and a dermatologist at Ablon Skin Institute and Research Center in California told Everyday Health: “About half of all women will have some element of hair loss by the age of 50, and by the age of 60, approximately 80 percent of women will experience some hair loss.”
The reason why some women experience increased hair loss or hair thinning during the menopause is due to a dip in oestrogen levels.
This hormone provides a protective barrier against testosterone turning into the follicle shrinking DHT hormone.
Liz Earle Wellbeing also suggests that stress, as a result of menopause can also lead to increased hair loss.
Hair loss, or as it is known medically, female androgenic alopecia is characterised by the thinning of hair over the crown of the head. Women also notice a widening of their natural parting or a less full ponytail.
As in Mel’s case, a receding hairline is a more common indicator of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) rather than menopause, but symptoms do affect every woman differently. The most common symptoms of menopause include the following:
- Hot flushes
- Night sweats
- Vaginal dryness and discomfort during sex
- Difficulty sleeping
- Low mood or anxiety
- Reduced sex drive (libido)
Problems with memory and concentration.Luckily for many women, there are multiple successful treatments for both menopause and its symptoms – including hair loss.
The most effective of these being hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Oestrogen can help to protect hair follicles and therefore it makes sense for more oestrogen to be put back into the body, which is what HRT aims to achieve. In addition a healthy diet full of iron can help to alleviate hair loss and overall keep you fit and healthy.
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