Noticed that your hair is starting to get thinner than how it was years ago? Well, you are not alone. Thinning hair is common for everyone, especially when you’re 50 years old and above. Most people’s hair in their middle age becomes finer as the diameter of their hair follicles and the hair they produce reduces. This means that hair that falls out in some parts of their scalps may not regenerate as the hair follicles remain in their resting phase. When the hair does regenerate, the hair is not as strong and healthy as it was before. (Image Credit: Freepik.com)
By the time that you are 60, you will most likely have thinner hair that has less body. That’s why Older women tend to go for shorter hairstyles. But, there are some lucky individuals who, even in their 60s, still have their long, thick hair. There are few tips and tricks you can do to maintain your hair’s health as you age. If you’re looking for a quick fix for your thinning hair and hair loss problems, your best choice is to consider hair replacement services. Hair replacement is a treatment for hair loss and is one of the best remedies as recommended by doctors.
Why Does Hair Become Thin and Turn Grey?
Our hair follicles go through a hair growth cycle. In this cycle, the hair lengthens then the follicles enters its resting phase as it shrinks. By this time, the hair remains its length until the follicle releases the hair. Since the hair has its own cycle, an individual normally loses 80 to 100 strands of hair a day. When the amount of hair exceeds the amount of you should be shedding, this is when the hair becomes thin.
Once your hair follicles are done with their resting phase, they may start to produce new hair. Take note that this cycle may not repeat indefinitely. Normally, a hair follicle reactivates around 25 times before it enters its resting phase again.
As for your hair colour, this has something to do with melanin. The colour of our hair is produced by a cell located at the base of the hair follicle. Such cells produce melanin pigments that feed through the hair root. Your hair colour highly depends on genetics. Black melanin produces black or brown coloured hair while red melanin produces auburn, gold, and red pigment. The hair can turn grey due to tyrosinase (decrease in the activity of an enzyme). This happens as the enzyme produces melanin from tyrosine, a kind of amino acid.
4 Tips To Improve Thinning And Aging Hair
The thinning of your hair which is caused by hair loss, can be such a bother for anyone. Once you start to notice an excess shedding of hair, the first thing you can do is to try to prevent it. Here are some of the best tips to improve thinning and ageing hair:
Boost Hormones to Reduce Hair-Loss
Hair loss can increase after the menopause, and this happens as the oestrogen levels fall. When this happens, the relative influence of the small amount of testosterone hormone that is made in the adrenal glands and ovaries also increases. Dihydrotestosterone, which is testosterone converted into a stronger hormone, is what causes the male or female pattern hair loss.
One way to boost your oestrogen hormone is to take replacement therapy. This can help improve your hair’s quality. Then again, this is something that you should discuss with your doctor. Some treatments might not be as safe and effective to you as it is for some people. Another thing you can do to boost your hormones is to consume plant oestrogens such as lignans and isoflavones. Although not as active as human oestrogen, these plants can still provide useful hormone boost.
Consider Taking Supplements For Your Hair
Vitamins and supplements are one way you can obtain nutrients, especially if you don’t get them from the food you eat. Before buying just any supplements, you may have to talk to your doctor about it. Some supplements might not be safe for you as it is for others. With a variety of supplements, these pills help to keep our body, hair, and skin healthy as we age. If you only plan to take supplements for your hair, it is best to take ones that contain protein.
People who are experiencing thinning and ageing hair should take multivitamins that guard against deficiencies. You can find some that are suitable for your age, and some are also tailored for hair, skin and nail support. Soy isoflavones are supplements to boost oestrogen hormones. Take note that if you are suffering from a hormone-dependent condition such as breast cancer, you will have to talk to your doctor before taking the supplement. However, there has been evidence that suggests they can be beneficial in these cases.
You can also take probiotics which supply beneficial digestive bacteria to increase conversion of soy isoflavones to a stronger oestrogen. We have mentioned about lignans earlier, and the best way to obtain them is from flaxseed oil.
Avoid Certain Foods For Healthier Hair
If you’ve lived long enough, you might have heard a lot of people saying that eating healthy can do so much for us. As cliche as it sounds, it’s a proven fact. The food we consume every day has an impact on our body and hair! How can food keep our hair healthy? Well, just like the skin, when we eat salty foods, we tend to bloat. As for the hair, too much salt can cause a negative impact to our hair follicles. Experts have found that reducing our salt intake can lessen the chances of hair loss and baldness.
Other ways to have a healthy diet is to reduce sugary and junk foods. Processed foods also have the same impact as it contains huge amounts of salt and unnecessary chemicals. This does not mean that you should avoid or stop yourself from eating your favourite foods. Make sure to take small amounts from time to time and never forget to drink a glass of water after. Speaking of water, water can also be a very good remedy for keeping your thinning hair healthy. As water flushes out toxins from your body, it helps your hair follicles produce healthier and stronger hair.
