Over time, our hair grows thinner, weaker, and more prone to damage with age. Our scalp also becomes dry as it produces less and less oil through the years. As a result, older people may experience more hair fall and hear breakage as time goes by. However, this doesn’t mean that you should let time take its course; there are plenty of ways you can maintain healthy and luscious hair even as the rest of you ages.
Once you hit your forties, it’s time to start paying more attention to the health of your hair and scalp. Here are some of the best ways to take care of aging hair to keep it young and healthy as you age:
1. Address hair loss
Male and female pattern hair loss can affect people of any age, but it is more common in the older demographic. If you find yourself losing more hair than usual, it’s high time to contact a trusted aesthetic clinic for treatments on male or female pattern hair loss. They can offer you different types of treatment depending on the severity of your hair loss, including minoxidil sprays, low-level laser therapy, oral spironolactone, and hair transplants.
2. Tone down the dye
Once the gray hair starts growing, many people tend to dye their hair to bring back their youthful appearance. However, the chemicals in hair dye tend to weaken hair strands and make them more prone to damage. And for aging hair that is already weaker, to begin with, hair dye means bad news.
The best way to avoid excessive damage to your hair is to stop dying altogether and let your gray hair grow out. Contrary to popular belief, you can still look radiant despite having gray or white locks upon your crowning glory. Let the gray take over and watch how graceful and luscious it can look without dye.
If you can’t avoid dying your hair, it’s best to look into hair dye products that have mild effects on hair. Moreover, deep conditioning is a must to offset the harmful effects of chemicals of the dye on your locks.
3. Bring back moisture
As we’ve mentioned, dryness is a common problem for older people’s hair and scalp. That said, one of the best ways to keep aging hair looking youthful is by moisturizing it. Make it a habit to deep condition your hair or apply an oil treatment at least once a week. Since your scalp doesn’t produce as much oil as before, doing this can help replenish moisture and lock it into your scalp and hair strands.
However, it’s also important to avoid over-conditioning your hair. Too much conditioner can accumulate on your scalp and make it harder to breathe, which can also lead to hair fall and breakage.
4. Easy on the shampoo
If you’ve grown accustomed to shampooing every day, it’s time to stop that habit before it dries out your scalp even more. Instead, shampoo your hair once every few days or every other day to let your scalp recuperate between washes. At the same time, use a mild shampoo that is best suited for sensitive or damage-prone hair. Organic shampoo is often the best option as it contains fewer chemicals than regular shampoo on the market.
5. Protect your hair from heat
Older hair is weaker, and thus more prone to damage brought about by heat. With that in mind, avoid using heat styling tools and use heat-free alternatives like traditional curlers. It’s also a good idea to let your hair air dry instead of drying it with a hairdryer.
If you must use a heat styling tool, use a heat protectant spray to minimize heat damage on your hair. Moreover, wear a hat if you’re going to be spending a lot of time outside to prevent your hair and scalp from drying out.
6. Be gentle with the hairbrush
Many of us grow up with our parents telling us to brush our hair at least a hundred times a day to keep it healthy. However, not only does this take up too much time, but it is also an easy way to cause unnecessary breakage.
Brush or comb your hair only a few times (just to get the tangles out or make it tidy) after it has completely dried out. Furthermore, use a wide-tooth comb or a soft bristle brush to protect your scalp and delicate strands from damage.
Our hair needs a lot more care and attention as we age. To protect your mane from excessive damage or hair loss, incorporate these tips into your routine; you’ll be amazed at how simple steps can bring back your hair’s youthful glow.
