How Does Aging Affect Your Hair?

By Jennifer Summers

The changing colour of our hair is the most obvious sign of aging. As we get older our hair begins to produce less melanin, the same melanin that gives our skin its colour. This causes our hair to become grey. Grey hair can appear at any age. It's not always a sign of aging, it's caused by a reduction of pigment (grey hair) or a complete loss of pigment (white hair), and the reason it happens is not fully understood.

Aging also affects our hair in other ways. As we age our hair is prone to becoming drier, and so requires more moisture than ever before. Older hair also loses some of its elasticity and the texture changes. Some women will notice that their hair becomes thinner and lacks life, for others it appears dry and coarse. This happens because as we age, the size of the hair follicles diminish and hair growth slows. As a result there is not so much new growth to replace what we lose.

Sebum (oil produced naturally by our skin) diminishes as our body ages, and so our hair, therefore, loses its natural shine and smoothness. Plus, during the menopause our making of keratin slows. This protein fibre is vital to keeping our hair healthy and strong. For all you guys, there is the subject of going bald, thinning hair and coarse hair, especially the facial hair. Opt for the right type of hair colour to disguise your grey hair, but don't go more than a couple of shades darker or lighter than your own hair colour. If you use a dark colour it can accentuate a dull complexion.

If you wish to keep your grey, try to use a hair shampoo and conditioner that is targeted specially for grey hair. Grey hair can look yellow or greenish on a number of people. To neutralize the yellow colour and leave your hair shiny and good-looking, try using a greying shampoo that has a violet based colour, instead of your usual shampoo. Highlights or lowlights can camouflage any grey you want to mask by blending them into the rest of your hair. The same with hair colourants, keep away from going more than a couple of shades lighter than your own hair colour to steer clear of looking older than you really are.

As the years go by your hair loses its elasticity and then it becomes more difficult to style, so try opting for a protein treatment to use once a month to support your hair. For both women and men, thinning hair can be given a more voluminous look by using volumizing products such as conditioners and mousses. Apply a weekly deep conditioning treatment - that is recommended for aging hair. Moisturizing (conditioning) your hair is a necessity as we get older. This will preserve the moisture levels in your hair.

About the Author:

Jennifer Summers is a great source of information on grey hair products, regularly providing informative advice on grey hair colour.

Dry Hair: How to care for and treat Dry Hair

By Jennifer Summers

The look of your hair is the one attribute of the body over which you can have direct control. You can alter the length, shape, colour and style of your hair according to the age you wish to appear, and the monetary and social standing you want to assert. The style, length and condition of hair all play a part in how we perceive the people we meet. If you are to get the greatest possible results from your hair care practice, you need to opt for the right hair shampoo and conditioner for your hair type. We can identify hair that is in first-class condition. It is easy to manage and it shines, - it just looks great.

Your hair is dry if: * it feels dry or rough * it tangles effortlessly * it is hard to comb or brush * it looks lifeless * it has been chemically treated (permed, bleached or colored) * it is likely to have split ends * it is dry and coarse. You should select a shampoo and conditioner that is targeted at dry hair if your symptoms match any of the above pointers. Dry hair is hair that does not hold an adequate amount of moisture. This is more often than not because the cuticle has become worn and permeable, so that the cortex cannot keep hold of water. It shows signs more often in long hair, because the hair has been growing for a greater length of time and has therefore weathered more. It is more general in females than in males, for the reason that women more often wear their hair long. The dryness can influence more of the hair if it is given repetitive chemical treatments, such as perming and bleaching/colouring.

Wage war on the damage from the use of heat-styling, environmental pollution, chemical treatments and colouring. Deep-condition your hair often. Keep your hair shiny and strong by replenishing lost moisture. Use quality products and wash your hair often. Moisturizing Shampoos and Conditioners are the correct products - Ideal for very dry hair. Restoring lost moisture from blow-drying.

And essentially - do not forget to condition it well. Leave-in Conditioners and Re-constructive detanglers are the correct products to use. A light leave-in conditioner is great for creating shine and body to straight hair and for taming. Have the ends cut regularly by a skilled stylist, so as to prevent weathering effects such as split ends.

In a normal, undamaged hair shaft, very little water can get either into or out of the cortex. This is because the cuticle covering the cortex is intact. But if hair is processed too many times the cuticle scales may never return to their original tightness and the protection they once offered is lost. Over-porous hair is dry, and tends to develop split ends. The damaged cuticle is fragile, and the damage worsens as time goes by. Dry hair feels dry. It does not shine and is difficult to style. It responds to intensive conditioning, however. Careful brushing, drying and combing after washing are important.

Look for a bottle that says: Moisturizing or Replenishing. It is prepared to be kind to dry, damaged hair. These hair shampoos are heavier on the moisturizing constituents, sometimes leaving a very thin film of conditioners on the hair to help keep it silky and smooth. They work best on dry, frizzy, damaged hair.

About the Author:

Jennifer Summers is a great source of information on dry hair products, regularly providing informative advice on the best dry hair care.