Changes in Hair Thickness and Texture with Age
Did you know that your head ages faster than any other part of your body? Your hair, in particular, ages six times faster than your face and 12 times faster than your skin.
Let’s delve deeper into this interesting fact, specifically how your hair’s thickness and texture change as you get older, along with what you can do to age-proof your hair.
Hair Thickness
No matter how thick of a head of hair you were born with, you will gradually lose its thickness as you age. Hair amount is at its peak at age 35, but at age 45, it will wane by 5 percent, and at age 50, 11 percent.
The pattern of hair thinning is different for both sexes. For men, thinning or balding commonly occurs on the crown of the head and along the hairline, whereas for women, hairline does not usually recede, but hair thinning is prominent all over the head.
In addition to the gradual thinning of your hair, the diameter of its strands also fluctuates. On average, individual hair diameter increases through the early 40s, then begins to decrease around age 45. Diameter has an impact on the strength and flexibility of your hair: the larger its diameter, the more strength-giving protein it contains; the smaller its diameter, the less flexibility and rigidity it has. Hair strand diameter also determines how your hair appears: whether it looks sparse or thick. If you have large hair diameter, it can make your hair look fuller even though it has fewer active follicles and less fibers.
Hair Texture
As the diameter of each of your hair strands changes, so does the curvature of your hair. If you have curly or wavy hair, you must be aware that its texture is never uniform in every section. Unfortunately, as you get older, this inconsistency increases, and the curvature of your hair loses its uniformity.
During your teenage years, you may have noticed that your skin and hair were very oily. This is no longer the case at age 40 and beyond: there is a dramatic change in the oil production in your scalp. Because the scalp no longer produces oil as much as it used to, hair is more likely to feel dry. After age 40, you will start to feel less need to wash your hair because it no longer feels greasy or dirty as it once did.
How to Age-Proof Your Hair
While aging is inevitable, it doesn’t mean that you should just allow it to steal the youth and beauty of your crowing glory. Here are a few tips for maintaining the beauty and glow of your hair as you age:
1.) See a hair doctor.
If you’re noticing signs of hair thinning or balding, don’t delay—see a hair doctor immediately. A hair doctor will help you pinpoint its cause and recommend dietary changes and effective treatment options to help regrow your hair and stop it from falling out. Hair loss treatments typically include oral prescription medication (Propecia), topical treatment (Rogaine), and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy.
PRP therapy can be administered in conjunction with the medications mentioned above. In a PRP therapy, your hair doctor will draw up your own blood, run it into a centrifuge to concentrate the platelets, then inject it into the areas on your scalp that need increased hair growth. PRP injections promote natural hair growth and maintain it by boosting blood supply to the follicles and increasing the thickness of your hair shaft.
2.) Stay away from toxic hair products.
Natural oils are very important to your hair’s overall health and strength. Using hair products that contain harsh chemicals can deplete your hair of its natural oils and damage it. They can also irritate your scalp.
Learn to read the labels on bottles of shampoos and other hair products and avoid them if they contain isopropyl alcohol, propylene glycol, and polyethylene glycol.
3.) Keep it fresh with sulfate-free shampoo.
Sulfate-free shampoo helps you keep your hair fresh without the worry of stripping it of its natural oils.
If your scalp is super oily, a good rule of thumb is to shampoo it lightly every day, and every two to three days, if it is normal and healthy.
Highly Skilled Hair Doctor in Kansas City and Liberty, MO
At Darling Hair Restoration, our highly qualified hair doctor, Dr. Scott Darling, constantly makes sure he stays abreast of the latest hair restoration solutions and hair transplant surgery techniques. We have already helped countless men and women in the Kansas City and Liberty communities regain their self-esteem and sense of self-worth that come from having lush, beautiful hair. Let us help you, too!
To learn more about our hair restoration products and services, please contact us at (816) 792-3400, or you may use our appointment request form. We now offer virtual consults for your convenience.