How Our Hair Changes While We Are Aging

Is aging just a fact that we are getting older or is there a lot more to it? We might know the answer, but it can be different for each individual. While skin anti aging conversation is running everywhere and tips & tricks are literally around every corner, with hair aging it is different. 

Logic imposes that no part of our body can’t be excused from aging, thus the same goes for hair. For those who are not on the lookout to pretend the obvious is not happening, the best solution when it comes to aging is to understand changes and do everything to facilitate them in the best possible way. If one does that instead of crying over spilled milk, aging will not be a suffering rather a fact of life. Acceptance over fighting the inevitable has a great positive effect on your soul and your looks, have you ever noticed?

What is human hair made of?

First things first. Have you ever asked yourself what human hair is made of? Personally, I was more interested in how to get it in shape, but it is never too late to learn. Hair is composed of 95% keratin, a fibrous and helical protein (in the shape of a helix), which is a part of the composition of the skin and of all the phanera (hair, nails, etc.). A hair follicle anchors each hair into the skin. The hair bulb forms the base of the hair follicle. In the hair bulb, living cells divide and grow to build the hair shaft.

What happens with hair over time?  

Shifts in our hair are inevitable as we get older. It is not possible to stop the changes (completely), but understanding those changes and your experience in texture and color can help slow down the process.

The most common symptoms of hair aging are hair loss, hair growth cycles getting shorter, the diameter of hair follicles getting smaller, the scalp can become drier, going gray, thinning, and experiencing changes in hair texture.

Scalp aging

Scalp ages. It gets older and becomes thinner, losing much of its elasticity. As it has fewer hair follicles, it leads to hair thinning and hair loss. That is accompanied by a drop of a number of blood vessels in the dermis, whilst at the same time hair often loses its color. What is to be done? You can feed your scalp from within with a diet rich in proteins, antioxidants, zinc, and magnesium.

That will help strengthen the scalp and reduce oxidative stress. Cutting down on chemicals and heat styling will keep your scalp and hair in better shape while managing stress will also contribute to helping slow down scalp aging. There are numerous anti-aging scalp treatments one can look into and they work in the direction of providing the appearance of denser, fuller-looking hair or they actually work on hair density. Slap serums can also be a valuable ally in scalp rejuvenation. 

Going gray

This is the most obvious symptom. Finding that first gray hair is pretty stressful and seemingly it happened overnight. Contrary to what you might believe, it didn’t grow overnight. Gray hairs are caused by the slowing of melatonin production in hair follicles. As we age, our follicles are losing the ability to produce melanin and are becoming more transparent.

The manifestation is gray or white hair. What we also know for a fact is that gray hair can appear from a shock to the system, but that’s a different story. Gray hair tends to be more sensitive to external factors like pollution which manifest as being drier and frizzier. What can be done? A lot. Obviously, if you dislike your gray hair look, you can dye it. If you like it, enjoy your silver waterfall. And then is the entire artillery to fight dry and frizzy hair.

Thinning and hair loss

Aging hair loss affects almost everyone. Experts say that normal hair loss is 100 hairs per day. Sounds pretty dramatic, but gotta trust the experts. Dramatic differences can happen due to hormonal fluctuations. Healthy scalp and hair growth are impacted by hormones and the balance between estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone is very delicate, and the slightest shifts in those hormones can lead to severe hair shedding and hair loss. Menopause and pregnancy are obviously life events that can trigger those symptoms.

What can be done? There are a lot of aspects you can take care of, such as: optimizing your diet (nutrition), checking vitamin and mineral deficiencies, working on your haircare and hair styling practice, work on dealing with stress. There is also a wide offer of different anti-age hair care treatments that can help and you should start by consulting your dermatologist or trichologist to discuss the treatment plan. Thinning can also be managed by a specific haircut that will make your hair appear voluminous.

Does hair stop growing?

Hair loss is one thing, but are we facing the fact that our hair stops growing at some point? If you are wondering at what age hair growth changes in females the answer is it occurs for most women between the ages of 44 and 55. The hair growth rate slows down as the hair spends less time in the growth phase and more in the resting phase, which means it will grow more slowly and will not be able to grow as long as it once did.

Drier and frizzy hair

Nutrient deficiencies may be developed as we age. As our scalp produces lesser natural oils there is less nourishment to your hair and that causes frizzy and wiry hair. Ensuring enough nourishment and keeping your hair as moisturized from outside and from within, should help you out.

Homemade recipe for excessive shedding

What you should do to fix the problem is to treat the scalp and strengthen the hair follicle. Paul Cucinello, the celebrity stylist & owner of Cucinello Studio NYC, suggests doing a mayonnaise-based mask one to two times per week to help prevent shedding and heal the scalp, which is often the root of the problem. 

How to do it and use it:

– In a small bowl, combine:

• three tablespoons of mayonnaise
• one teaspoon of honey
• three drops of rosemary oil and
• three drops of lavender oil

– Mix until smooth. 

– Apply onto clean, damp hair and massage into your scalp. 

– Place a shower cap on your hair and allow it to sit for up to an hour.

Homemade recipe to grow your hair fast

You might not like the smell, but you will love the effect as eggs are the most effective when it comes to hair growth. Eggs are full of protein which induces hair growth, while they contain zinc, iron, phosphorus and iodine, which are also beneficial.

How to use eggs to expedite your hair growth:

• crack one egg in a bowl 
• add a little bit of olive oil (or lavender, jojoba or coconut oil) 
• add one tablespoon of honey
• mix the ingredients and apply it to your hair
• Leave it on for 20 minutes 
• wash your hair with cold water and shampoo and follow your usual hair care routine.

Managing hair and scalp aging

You can do a lot to manage hair aging. Some things are from within, such as consuming a balanced diet, reducing stress levels, hydrating sufficiently, and making sure you are supplied with vitamins and minerals, while others can come from the outside and those are impactful as well. Naming a few of them: set an anti-aging hair routine, avoid excessive use of flat irons and hair dryers, and avoid harsh and frequent shampooing and chemical treatments. You should also learn about the benefits from cold showers.

Just like your aging skin, your hair needs you to provide it with extra love and care. Don’t forget about your scalp as it ages 12 times faster than body skin and 6 times faster than facial skin! Needs might be different when you hit 40, 50, 60, or 70, so “make some calls” and make sure you provide your hair and scalp with adequate care.