Unfortunately, hair is no exception to the consequences of time. Aging may show itself through brittle, lackluster, and thinning tresses. As you age, it is important to adapt your hair-care routine to your hair’s changing needs. Continue reading to learn how to properly mend aging hair. It’s not too late to achieve shiny, luscious locks!
How Does Hair Change with Age?
As you age, your hair experiences change just like the rest of your body. When you get older, your hair has a shortened life cycle, which causes finer hair to fall out. New hair cells don’t regenerate fast enough to replace the dead ones, eventually leading to hair loss. Many women in their 40s experience hair changes due to hormonal imbalances during menopause. During menopause, your levels of estrogen are diminished, giving a dominance to testosterone. Testosterone makes dihydrotestosterone, which can shrink and destroy hair follicles.
With age, you may notice the following changes in your tresses:
Thinning
Your hair may gradually get thinner with age due to a slowing hair growth process. This can often cause hair to appear flat and lackluster.
Texture
Curly and wavy hair lose their uniformity with age. This tends to increase the appearance of frizz and flyaways.
Dryness
Hormonal fluctuations contribute to changes in your scalp’s sebaceous glands. Hair follicles produce less oil for your scalp and hair. A slower sebum production can lead to dry, brittle hair.
Graying
With age, your pigment cells that make melanin gradually die, causing your hair to turn shades of gray and white.
How To Mend Aging Hair?
- Pay Attention to Your Scalp
When it comes to our hair-care routines, we often pay more attention to our strands than we do our scalps. However, focusing on scalp care will play a pivotal role in mending aging hair. A scalp exfoliator or cleanser is key to fortifying stronger, shinier hair from your roots to your ends. With age, our scalp’s cell regeneration diminishes, which affects its ability to retain moisture and support healthy hair growth. Scalp exfoliation promotes cell turnover by removing dead skin cells from the follicle. A scalp exfoliator clarifies your scalp by removing oil, dirt, and product buildup to make way for healthier follicle growth. Debris can make hair appear dull and weighed down, so it is essential to regularly cleanse your scalp.
Another way to show your scalp some T.L.C is by giving yourself scalp massages. Scalp massages are known to increase blood circulation. Improved blood circulation helps nutrients reach your hair follicles more efficiently. Scalp massages may also stimulate hair growth by stretching the cells of your hair follicles.
- Eat a Balanced Diet
You can’t change age or genetics, but you can control what you eat. A colorful diet, rich in essential vitamins is a sure way to mend aging hair. A vitamin deficiency can lead to dull, weak hair. Build strong hair from the inside out with these foods:
- Leafy Greens: Leafy greens are packed with vitamin A, iron, folate, and vitamin C. These minerals and vitamins support healthy hair growth and balance your sebum production.
- Eggs: Eggs are high in vitamins A and E, biotin and folate, which are nutrients known to support overall hair health.
- Berries: Berries have strong antioxidant properties and help improve blood circulation.
- Fatty Fish: Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, herring and tuna contain omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3’s may prevent hair follicle inflammation, a condition that often leads to hair loss.
- Avocados: Avocados are considered a superfood with high levels of vitamins B and E. Avocados strengthen the hair, encourage hair growth, and support scalp health.
- Sweet Potatoes: Sweet potatoes are rich in vitamin A, a nutrient associated with strong hair health.
You can also take a daily multi-vitamin, like the one from Better Not Younger, to feed your follicles.
- Forego the Daily Shampoo
While it is crucial to maintain a clean scalp, it isn’t necessary to shampoo every day. Frequent hair washing can strip your scalp of its natural oils, making strands appear dry and brittle. If you’re experiencing split-ends, dandruff, frizz, or dull hair, you may be over washing your hair. Consider washing your hair only two or three times a week to restore hydration and shine in your strands.
- Don’t Skimp on Conditioner!
As you age, your hair struggles to maintain hydration, so conditioning is key. Not only does conditioner make hair easier to manage, but it will improve the softness and shine of your tresses. Conditioner provides a protective layer for your hair-shaft, preventing damage from occurring. You can also use a deep conditioning mask to deliver a more intense level of hydration to your strands. When choosing a conditioner, look for moisturizing ingredients like natural butters and essential oils.
- Be Gentle
Aging hair is delicate, so it should be treated gently. Whenever possible, try to avoid aggressive brushing and styling techniques. It is best to detangle your hair starting with your ends, working your way up to the roots. Hairstyles that tightly pull your hair away from your crown can lead to breakage. Furthermore, heat styling can strip your hair of natural oils, leaving your ends broken or brittle. To prevent heat damage, take a hot tools hiatus or use a heat protectant before styling.
Conclusion
Aging hair doesn’t have to be a chore. A few improvements to your hair-care routine may be all you need to mend your aging hair. From scalp massages to a nutrient-rich diet and gentle styling practices, you can support a healthy mane for the many years to come.
