How Hair Changes As You Age

Why does hair texture change with age?

Hair can take on a new texture as we age and this is due to our hair follicles shrinking. This can then affect the structure and thickness of the hair shaft. Hair may look duller and thinner than usual, or you may even notice a positive effect. ‘Sebum’, which is the body’s natural oil can decline with age, this results in the hair lacking shine and doesn’t feel as soft or smooth.

How hair colour changes with age

As we age our hair loses melanin. This is the pigment in our hair which defines our colour. When melanin is lost, our hair becomes white or grey. Some might notice their first grey’s in their 30’s or 40’s, however it’s different for everyone and some notice them much earlier.

Hair loss

One of the most common causes of hair loss is ageing. This is because as we age, hormone levels change. Both men and women can experience male or female pattern baldness. Whilst these are both similar they usually occur in different patterns.

Stress can also be a contributing factor to hair loss, due to the stress molecule Cortisol which can target and damage the hair follicles over time.

How can you stop these changes?

Unfortunately you can’t prevent all hair changes as a result of ageing, however, having an understanding of why you may experience them might help slow down some problems such as hair thinning.

Some contributing factors to ageing hair thinning or loss can be due to poor gut health, stress, thyroid problems and even menopause. These may dry out the hair, causing it to feel brittle or even break. It’s important to keep the hair and scalp nourished and hydrated as a lack of moisture will increase the probability of hair feeling brittle or breaking. This will also help with any changes in hair texture too. We recommend a good shampoo and conditioner, using a hair mask regularly and using styling products that will boost moisture and strength. Getting regular trims too will certainly help with maintaining a suitable style and healthy, manageable hair.

We can’t stop the hair greying process at the moment but the obvious way is to colour your hair. There are many methods and techniques to get the colour best suited for you to either completely cover or blend those greys away.

Whilst we may not like some of the changes that happen to our hair as we age, there are many steps you can take to improve and embrace your hair throughout your life.