We all have a different relationship with our hair. Whether it’s long and straight, short and curly, thick and full, thin and stringy, wavy, curly…we all contend with something and want to protect our locks for as long as possible.
And we contend with issues with our hair more as we get older. In our teens perhaps we were a little more carefree and unbothered about hair care, but as we age so does our hair, which can lose its colour, while scalps become drier and the diameter of hair follicles get smaller.
Fear not, though, ageing hair is not necessarily something to fear, and there are things we can do to keep it looking young and shiny.
So, what are the signs of ageing hair and what can we do to protect our hair?
Going grey
Going grey is nothing to feel worried about, it is a natural process as we age and is caused by the hair losing melanin.
Melanin is a pigment-producing component that produces melanocyte cells, which play an important role in the colour of our hair.
Some things can be done if you are not ready to fully embrace the silver fox look, but it will involve the use of hair colouring.
You can go for an all-over colour option or use highlights to target specific grey areas. You can also use temporary spray-on dyes or powders if you want to save money going to the hair salon.
Experts also recommend not washing your hair more than every other day as overwashing can strip out naturally produced sebum, which nourishes and moisturises the scalp.
Hair loss & thinning
Hair loss as you get older is not always something to be overly concerned about, but if you notice more than usual it could be an issue.
For women in their 40s, oncoming menopause is something that affects the hair a lot.
The body goes through a lot of physical changes as it adjusts to unpredictable hormone levels, and one side-effect is hair thinning or even bald patches. Research suggests hair loss is a result of lower production of oestrogen and progesterone.
You can use hair growth supplements for women to try and counter the effects of thinning, and use shampoos and conditioners to help volumise and improve hair thickness.
Texture and dryness
Thyroid issues can cause the hair to dry out, which makes it feel brittle and even break.
Those types of problems can contribute to aging hair loss.
Certain medications that control hormones, such as thyroid medication or birth control pills, can also make hair fragile.
To improve the health of your hair you could try a hair serum, which is used on freshly washed and damped hair to protect against chemical and mechanical damage and seal split ends.