Hi there Chicky,
By now I’m sure you know my philosophy on anti-aging — what I call the whole-listic approach to anti-aging. Just like all of you ages (your whole), all of you needs to be anti-aged — inside out- head to toe. Today, we’re tackling the head…or hair, to be more precise. Thin, brittle, witchy-poo hair can be a dead giveaway that you’re on the other side of young. So if you want to look the part of a spring chicken, you need to tend to your locks. It’s time to age-proof your hair.
I’m sure you’ve noticed that the latest trend in haircare is anti-aging products. But beware. Although many of those anti-aging hair products may be effective, you don’t really need for a product to be labeled as anti-aging for it to help your hair look youthful.
For me, it’s more important to understand what happens to our hair as we age, so we can choose products that address our specific needs — whether or not they are “anti-aging”. Get it?
So lets get to it. This is what happens to your aging head of hair and what you can do to age proof it.
Gray hair
First, the most obvious sign of hair aging — gray hair. Basically, hair turns gray when color-producing cells called melanocytes stop producing pigment called melanin. Gray hair is hair with less melanin – white hair is hair with no melanin. Contrary to popular belief, stress does not cause hair to gray (at least that’s what the science says. I don’t know if I agree). Other than aging, and your ethnicity (Caucasians go gray faster than Asians and African Americans), your genetic makeup determines how and when you will gray. Also, vitamin B-12 deficiency or thyroid problems may cause premature graying.
What to do about it…
♥ Color can make you look younger, but it can also make you look older. I read somewhere (don’t remember where exactly. Sorry) that as women get older they should color their hair the color it was when they were children. It said to get a picture of when you were a child and take it to your salon to have the color matched. That actually makes sense to me. That’s the hair color you were meant to have ..that’s your youth color. Try it for yourself and see if that’s how it is for you. It is for me. I had blonde highlights in my hair about ten years ago and as soon as I dyed my hair back to my original color, so many people told me I looked younger. You will never, ever see me with blonde highlights again.
products…
Getting your hair professionally colored is the best, but you can also get good at-home color. Try different brands and see which work best with the texture of your hair. I get my hair dyed at a salon, but in between appointments I use Clairol Nice ‘n Easy Root Touch-up. I hate going to the hair salon (who has time of that?), so if I can prolong my visits I’m doing it.
Root touch-up sprays are great too. They’re super quick and very effective, and I like them better than the “crayons” or powders that are hard to apply, look and feel chalky, and don’t last as long. There are several on the market, but I have only used these two…
Rita Hazan Root Concealer Touch-up Spray
L’Oreal Paris Root Cover Up is a cheaper alternative. Works just as well, although it doesn’t last as long as the Rita Hazan one.
Thinning hair
The rate at which out hair grows slows at midlife because of reduced estrogen levels. Not only will hair grow more slowly, but it won’t be able to grow as long as it once did. Menopause causes androgen (male hormone) levels to increase, which can cause thinning of the hair. Androgens do not necessarily decrease your number of hairs, but reduce their diameter and length of each hair. The result is a loss of volume.
What to do about it…
♥ There aren’t any drastic products out there to regrow aging hair, unfortunately. Rogaine, an over-the-counter product that contains minoxidil, is a medication that slows hair loss and promotes hair regrowth in some people. It is mostly used for the treatment of alopecia, a form of hair loss, but it takes time for hair to regrow. Most people need to use this medication regularly for four months to see the benefits, and it must be used continuously to maintain hair growth. But that’s for extreme cases. For mild hair thinning there are several products available.
products…
Keranique Hair Regrowth Kit is a system that is said to contain an ingredient “that is the only FDA approved non prescription treatment for women’s hair loss”. The system is supposed to improve hair volume, texture and shine.
Art naturals Organic Argan Oil Hair Loss shampoo . Like I mentioned above, increased levels of androgen causes hair loss by cutting off blood supply to hair follicles. This shampoo is supposed to contain androgen blockers that help prevent this from happening. It also contains caffeine which has been shown to be effective in helping hair growth.
Living Proof Full Thickening Cream This is a styling cream that helps fine hair look and feel fuller and thicker.
Bumble and Bumble has a thickening line that is supposed to be pretty effective. I haven’t tried any of these myself but they have pretty good reviews.
Nioxin System 2 is especially for thinning and fine hair. My husband uses these products and swears by them.
Dryness
Gray hair can be coarse and wiry. Plus as we age, sebum (our natural oils) production slows down.
What to do about it…
♥ Putting the moisture back into your hair often is a must. It will not only make it look shinier, but will prevent it from breaking. Use a good conditioner in the shower and apply a rich moisturizing hair mask weekly. Conditioner helps smooth your hair cuticle, so that the hair is better protected and less likely to lose moisture.
products…
Pureology Hydrate Hydra Whip hair mask. This mask is super rich and nourishing. Has a lot of benefits other than hydrating hair. Also protects from color fading.
L’oreal Total Repair Mask for a much cheaper alternative. I think this is just a s good to be honest. “Repairs the 5 signs of damage – split ends, weakness, roughness, dullness, and dehydration”.
Coconut oil is said to stimulate hair growth by getting deep into the follicles. I don’t know if that’s true but it does make hair shiny and soft. If you don’t mind having to wash your hair a few times to get it off, then it’s a good one.
Argan oil makes hair softer, silkier and shinier. It is a great hair conditioner, and it can even help to treat split ends and tame frizzy hair.
Brittleness
As we age, loss of keratin protein levels makes our hair lose it’s elasticity just like our skin, causing it to become brittle. But dry, brittle hair could also be a result of the products we use. Hair that is repeatedly treated with chemicals, bleaches, and color (um, aging hair) can also become brittle and prone to breakage.
What to do about it…
♥ Use protein-rich hair treatments. Another way to treat brittleness is to take a hair vitamin with biotin and silica to help strengthen your hair.
♥ Conditioner gets rid of tangles, so you are less likely to pull, damage and break your hair. Plus, hydrated hair is more elastic and doesn’t break as easily.
♥ Towel Dry gently
products…
Philip Kingsley Elasticizer is a pre-shampoo treatment that restores moisture and elasticity to the hair. I’ve gone through two tubs of this and just ordered my third.
Dullness
Loss of fatty acids and keratin proteins makes hair duller. Heat styling and coloring not only damage the outer surface of the hair but damage the inner part (the cortex) too. Wiry, gray hair doesn’t reflect light as well as your youthful hair did either.
What to do about it…
♥ Condition your hair after every shampoo. This smooths your hair cuticle (the outermost layer) and allows light to bounce off of it.
♥ Apply conditioner from mid-length to the ends. Applying condition to your roots can make your hair look dull and flat.
♥ Put the shine back in your hair by applying oils like coconut oil or Argan oil on the ends. Again, not too much or your hair will look and feel oily.
♥ Rinsing of shampoo thoroughly is important to prevent buid-up of product. Rinse until the water runs clear and there are no bubbles on the shower floor.
♥ Do not overload your hair with styling products. It can make your hair look greasy. Use just enough to smooth and style your hair.
products…
Look for products that contain ‘glossers’ or ‘laminates’. These include silicone derivatives – ‘methicones’ – like phenyl trimethicone.
John Frieda Luminous Color Glaze Clear Shine . This is a clear shine formula, so it can be used by every hair color shade.
Frederick Fekkai Brilliant Glossing Creme Transforms hair’s texture. It’s lightweight and infused with olive oil.
Oscar Blandi Clear Shine Glaze This ammonia-free glaze prevents color from fading and makes hair super shiny.
Volume and length
As we age we not only loose volume but the rate of growth slows down.
What to do about it…
♥ Biotin supplements help hair grow faster and stronger. I take 5000 mcg’s every day and my hair grows really fast, although, I don’t necessarily grow more hair.
♥ A good cut will strengthen hair and help it to grow. Gotta cut those split ends.
♥ When all else fails, there’s always extensions. I use them. I call them my party hair. I will do an entire post on hair extensions because I think it’s a highly under-used anti-aging goody.
So that’s how hair ages and the specific things you can do to tackle each thing. But there’s more you need to do if you want your hair to look as youthful as the rest of you. The one thing that has been a game changer for my hair is this…
Keratin Treatment
I’ve been getting Keratin treatments twice a year for about 7 years. I can’t live without it. I have naturally wavy, frizzy hair and living in humid Miami doesn’t help. Hair is made up of keratin ( a protein), so this treatment puts the protein back into the hair, which is often lost due to age. It reduces frizz, makes hair super shiny and smooth, and makes it much easier and quicker to style. In fact, I rarely blow dry my hair anymore which in turn protects it from additional heat styling.
Nourish your hair from the inside
Hair needs the same well-rounded diet needed for good health in the rest of your body.
♥ Eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids like salmon, sardines, mackerel, and flaxseeds. This is good for boosting your hair’s shine, preventing dryness, and keeping your scalp from flaking.
♥ Eat dark green vegetables which are strong sources of vitamins A and C, needed by the follicles to produce sebum, hair’s natural conditioner.
♥ Eat protein. A strand of hair is composed of mostly protein, which means your hair needs protein to grow. Include plenty of eggs, poultry, and beans in your diet.
♥ Eat vitamin E-rich foods like avocado, olive oil, and wheat germ.
♥ Biotin is one of few ingredients to have scientifically been shown to help hair health.
♥ Iron carries oxygen to hair and promotes growth. Without it, hair can become dull, thin, and dry. It is found in spinach, oysters, and cashews,
Sun protection
Just like you have to protect your skin from the sun, you also have to protect your hair. Sun exposure will zap the shine, moisture and color from you hair.
products…
Frederick Fekkai Pre-soleil hair Radiance and Protection Mist is awesome. As a beach bum, i can’t live without it. It has UV filters to protect hair from the sun, plus adds shine. you don’t have to wait to go to the beach to use. If your hair is exposed to the sun, use it.
Sun Bum Beach Formula 3 in 1 Leave in Treatment – This conditioning and detangling treatment protects hair from the sun and heat styling, plus has a lot of other great benefits for hair. It says it improves elasticity, slows color fading and prevents split ends.
And that’s all she wrote, Chicky. Whew, that was a long post, and one that almost didn’t happen. TMI: my internet went down before I saved my next to last draft, after I had spent hours on it. Not good. Luckily most of it had been saved. So….please, please, please don’t let this be in vain and try these tips. I really and truly want to help you look young and feel great about yourself. We all need more good hair days, right?
Let me know in the comments if this helped. And if you know someone who can benefit from this information, send her my way.
xoxo,
V