By Morgan Allman
You may think that as you get older, your hair just becomes this thing sitting atop your head, and no longer a possession to be prized. But you would be wrong, my friend. Your hair ages, just like the rest of your body, and not taking care of it can lead to a slew of further unwanted issues. But it’s not all bad. With these changes comes the opportunity to spice up your hair care routine with new products or maybe try out a new cut and style. When properly taken care of, your hair serves as a beautiful accessory, waiting to be shown to the world.
Grays
Luckily, that’s not your only option. When we age, our hair does more than just turn gray. Hair turns gray, because the pigment cells in the hair dies, but along with this comes thinning, reduced oil production, and a coarser texture. Dyeing your hair is always an option, but it’s no secret that frequent trips to the salon can get costly, not to mention time consuming. Alternative options include using deep conditioners or fortified hair masks specifically for gray hair in order to keep it hydrated and healthy.
If you do keep it natural, you may notice brassy or blonde hues showing through. This happens as your hair picks up pigments from your surrounding environment. Clear shampoos can help prevent this, but you may also want to add in a purple shampoo to keep your grays cool-toned and prevent any discoloration.
Oil Production
As we age, our scalp naturally produces less sebum, which is what keeps our hair smooth and shiny by transferring the oils to the hair shaft, in turn working to protect the inner layers of the hair. A lack of oil production can leave your strands dry and brittle. To add insult to injury, overly dry hair can cause breakage, split ends, and frizz. An easy way to combat this is to add a scalp serum to your hair care routine, like this nourishing duo from Better Not Younger.
Slowed Growth
It may seem like your hair growth has come to a staggering halt, but that also probably isn’t the case. This may be due to the potential breakage previously mentioned. This is especially true if you often apply heat in the form of blow drying and styling tools, which only strips even more moisture from your hair. Try air drying, alternate styling methods, or heat protectant spray to prevent this. Your hair may also seem to grow more slowly is your hair’s changing texture. Gaining waves and curls is fun, but remember that as the hair coils, it appears shorter, thereby making it appear to grow more slowly.
Thinning
There are two types of thinning we’re talking about here, both of which can cause your scalp to become more susceptible to UV damage. First, as our hair ages, we may go through temporary or more permanent periods of hair thinning where the follicles stop producing new strands. The second is when hair texture begins to change and fibers grow finer. While permanent hair loss may need a medical solution, both of these can be helped with volumizing shampoos, less frequent washing, and proper nutrition. Better Not Younger’s volumizing spray works to lift at the roots and give your hair a fuller look and feel.
If these reasons weren’t enough to convince you, there’s always plain, old self-confidence to sway your thinking. When you look good, you feel good, and there’s no denying that. So, take care of yourself, and take care of your hair, because it’s the only body you’ve got. Have other convincing reasons or tips to keep living your best hair life? Let us know below.