How long do hot flashes typically last?

Most women can expect hot flashes to last up to five years after menopause, according to MedicineNet. Researchers in one study also found that nearly one-third of women experience hot flashes for 10 years or longer following menopause, and overweight women also tend to experience more severe hot flashes.

Individual women experience menopause differently in terms of both severity and duration. While some women experience hot flashes for a very short period after menopause, a percentage of women have hot flashes for the rest of their lives, but hot flashes do tend to decrease in severity over time, as WebMD reports.