Are you familiar with the common and often reassuring statement “I would never harm a hair on their head?”
While this statement could be said with all the sincerity in the world, ironically, still more times than not, this same statement doesn’t hold true when it comes to harming the hair on our own heads.
From brushing your hair when it’s still wet to washing it too often, it turns out that many of us are committing these hair crimes daily—And we may not even know it.
While these hair sins are harmful to everyone’s hair, they are especially damaging to the hair of seniors, a demographic that is already prone to hair breakage, hair loss, and brittle and dry hair.
But don’t tear your hair out over this (That wouldn’t help your situation much anyway)—There are simple tweaks that can be made to your routine to repent from these hair sins and escape the hairy situation that you’re stuck in.
Read on to learn 7 helpful hair care tips that will bring you that much closer to achieving the beautiful, vibrant, and healthy hair that you’ve always dreamed of, regardless of the current state of your hair or how old you are.
What Happens to Our Hair as We Age?
It’s no secret that our bodies change as we age—And yes, even our hair isn’t immune to this transformation.
Hair tends to become thinner, lose some of its natural color, and may become more brittle and prone to breakage. Furthermore, the rate of hair growth can slow down, the scalp can get drier, and the hair may also become finer in texture.
These age-related changes are often due to a combination of genetic factors, hormonal shifts, and the natural aging process, and they may vary from person to person.
However, proper hair care and a healthy lifestyle can help mitigate some of these effects, allowing you to showcase the healthiest, most beautiful version of your hair, regardless of the genetic cards you were dealt.
Long Live Your Lucious Locks—Must-have Hair Care Tips for Mature Women and Men
1. Be Gentle with Your Precious Tresses
Be gentle with your hair! Remember that you and your hair are on the same team—There is no need to take out your aggression and frustration on your poor, fragile follicles.
Fortunately for all of us, there are plenty of simple, yet effective modifications you can make to your hair care routine to snip some of the stress off your precious hair:
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Invest in a high-quality hairbrush
Investing in a solid, reliable brush that won’t tug on your tangles or break the bonds of your hair is well worth the hassle, and trust me—Your hair will thank you for it ten-fold.
Choose a brush with a firm, comfortable handle that is easy to grasp in the palm of your hand. Furthermore, experts generally recommend that the brush bristles be made of high-quality materials such as natural boar bristles and nylon bristles.
Owning a high-quality hairbrush not only works wonders on your hair but it also lasts much longer due to its sturdy, durable composition.
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Brush your hair gently and on a regular basis
Although the quality of your hairbrush is important, the way in which you use it is equally just as important.
Don’t yank, pull, or tug at your hair, forcefully tearing the brush bristles through your breaking hair while simultaneously scratching and scraping up your sensitive scalp.
Instead, make sure to take your time and brush your hair gently, thoroughly, and with care by slowly and softly running the bristles through the strands.
It is also important to brush your hair several times throughout the day, as this prevents tricky tangles and annoying knots from developing into devastating destruction for your hair.
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Wrap your head in a silk hair wrap or sleep on silk pillowcases
Silk’s smooth and slick material reduces the friction on your hair while you sleep, which prevents further hair damage during the night.
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Be aware of the ingredients in your hair care products
Stay away from harsh chemicals that can further strip your hair of its natural oils responsible for maintaining healthy and moisturized hair.
Some ingredients that you should be avoiding when purchasing your hair care products include alcohol, parabens, phthalates, ethanol, silicon, formaldehyde, sulfates, artificial fragrances, and preservatives.
Instead, try to look for more natural products that promote healthy hair restoration such as biotin, coconut oil, keratin, shea butter, honey, aloe vera, and many others.
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Avoid heat styling when possible
It should come as no surprise that frying our hair is not good for its health, even if it can make our hair look fabulous. Try to avoid using your heat styling tools whenever you can—However, if you must use them, make sure to apply a heat-protecting spray to your hair beforehand and shoot for the lowest heat setting while styling.
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Avoid brushing your hair when it’s wet
Scientifically, your hair is significantly weaker when it's wet, but why is this?
When wet, the keratin proteins of your hair form weaker bonds, causing the strands to become more elastic and prone to breakage when they are stretched, tugged, or pulled, such as during the process of brushing, for example.
Consequently, it is much better for your hair health to brush out all of the tangles and knots before getting into the shower and wait until your hair is dry and durable before brushing again.
However, if you have the right tools, there are safe alternatives for detangling your hair when wet, rather than breaking it with the harsh bristles of a brush.
For example, you can apply a detangling spray to—you guessed it—safely detangle your hair without even touching it. You can also detangle your hair in a much healthier way by using a wide-toothed comb, brushes that are specifically designed to be used on wet hair (yes, they exist!), and even gently running your fingers through your hair.
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Use a gentle microfiber towel to dry your hair
Just like we’ve recently learned, hair is weaker when wet. This means that anything that comes into contact with wet hair has the potential to harm it.
The friction between your follicles and the harsh, abrasive material of many towels, while you are rubbing or drying your hair, can cause unwanted structural damage.
Rather than applying further friction onto your vulnerable hair strands, instead, you can opt for a microfiber towel, which is much softer and gentler on your hair.
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Opt for looser, more relaxed hairstyles
It’s simple. Tighter hairstyles tend to tug on your hair, which adds additional stress to your hair, leading to more breakage. By choosing a more relaxed hairstyle such as a low ponytail or loose bun, you are reducing the stress on your hair, keeping it stronger and healthier.
When you make a conscious effort to treat your hair with care, gentleness, and kindness, you will be rewarded right from the roots.
2. Maintain a Healthy Diet for a Healthy Mane
You are what you eat, and guess what? This also applies to the hair on your head.
As we age, our bodies undergo various changes, including a decrease in the production of essential nutrients for hair health.
This means that just as you need to keep an eye out for the quality of ingredients that you are putting onto your hair, you should also be keeping an eye out for the quality of ingredients that you are putting into your body.
A well-balanced diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and protein and drinking plenty of water provides the nourishment required for hair follicles to thrive. For example, nutrients like biotin, vitamin E, and omega-3 fatty acids promote hair strength and growth while reducing the risk of hair thinning and greying.
Better yet, the benefits of a healthy diet aren’t only directly tied to healthy hair.
A healthy diet also supports the overall well-being of the body, reducing the impact of age-related conditions that can further affect a senior’s hair quality.
To learn all the tips and tricks that you need to jumpstart your healthier, more nutritious diet, click here.
Do you want to learn easy ways to significantly increase your water consumption but aren’t sure where to start?
Click here.
3. Wash Your Locks Less Frequently but Still Thoroughly
Cleaner is always better, right?
Well, the answer to that question is both yes and no.
While you do want to wash your hair thoroughly every time you hop into the shower to remove the residue caused by a buildup of dirt, oil, or any hair products left behind, there is such a thing as too clean or cleaning too often.
Washing your hair too frequently can actually harm your hair health, further drying it out and stripping it of its natural oils, which only exacerbates these hair conditions that seniors already suffer from.
This lack of moisture and natural oils often leads to unwanted consequences for your hair such as tangling, frizzing, and breakage.
Rather than washing your hair on a daily basis; Instead, hair experts recommend that you wash your hair only once or twice a week.
Oily or greasy hair isn’t typically a common hair issue that seniors face due to the dryness and lack of oil in your hair that occurs as you age. However, if your hair does feel “dirty” or “greasy” in between washes, there are options to freshen up without wetting your hair such as dry shampoo.
4. Ditch the Dye and Embrace Your Grey
Forget about blonde, redhead, or brunette—Grey is gorgeous too!
In fact, grey hair is even a fashion trend that has gained massive popularity, with several people of all ages dyeing their hair this radiantly shiny, eye-catching color.
That’s right—Blondes, redheads, and brunettes alike are spending hours at the hair salon to achieve the same silver fox look that you are so desperately trying to hide with dye.
However, rather than running from the silver strands sprouting from your roots, you too can embrace the grey.
Not only does going grey save you endless hours of root touchups, countless visits to the salons, and a significant amount of money but it also is much healthier for your hair.
Overtime, regular dyeing sessions and the frequent application of these harsh chemicals to your hair can cause it to wear out at a rapid rate, leaving your locks drier, more brittle, and more prone to hair loss, which are already common hair care complications that many encounter as they age.
Remember that grey is wisdom. Knowledge. Strength. Perseverance. Experience. Stability and Dignity.
Only those who are fortunate enough to live longer lives will get to receive the priceless gift of growing grey and old, so wear your grey proudly.
5. Don’t Skimp on Trimming Your Tresses
For those of us who yearn for long locks, it may seem counterintuitive to trim the ends of our tresses for healthier hair growth, which often results in staying far away from the scary sound of sharp, snipping scissors altogether.
However, there is a method to the madness of trimming, and this is why it is so vital for vibrant and voluminous hair.
Split ends can cause your hair to break and become shorter, giving the illusion of slower growth, but regular trimming removes split ends, preventing them from traveling up the hair shaft and causing further damage. This helps your hair look smoother, shinier, and more vibrant.
By eliminating damaged, dead ends, you are also reducing the risk of breakage, which can make your hair appear healthier, longer, and thicker.
Next time you are about to scram at the sight of scissors, think about this:
Would you rather have a little bit longer, straggly, broken, and brittle hair that appears shorter, thinner, and more lifeless than it really is?
Or...
Would you rather have slightly shorter, neat, healthy, and strong hair that appears longer, thicker, and more voluminous?
The choice lies in your hands.
6. Moisturize and Apply Treatments to Avoid a Dry and Damaged Head of Hair
For mature men and women especially, applying moisturizing treatments to your hair is highly beneficial, keeping it soft, hydrated, and healthy.
The following moisturizing treatments are some solid options for reviving and rejuvenating dry and lifeless hair:
- Hair masks
- Deep conditioners
- Oil massages
- Protein treatments
- Leave-in conditioners
- Hyaluronic acid-infused products
- Aloe vera gel
- Applying coconut or argon oils to scalp and ends
7. Get Help from Your Doctor to Achieve Your Healthy Hair Goals
Hair and health go hand in hand, so if you feel like you’ve tried every tip and trick in the book with minimal results to your mane, it might be time to talk to a doctor.
Medical professionals such as dermatologists and trichologists are experts who can identify and address underlying health conditions, medications, or nutritional deficiencies that might be affecting your hair's health to get down to the real “root” of the problem. They have the authority and expertise to recommend specialized treatments or medications if necessary.
Furthermore, your doctor can provide guidance on lifestyle changes, stress management, and dietary adjustments to support your hair's overall well-being.
By working with a healthcare provider, you can create a personalized plan that not only improves the appearance of your hair but also ensures its long-term vitality and health.
Everyone deserves to feel confident in their own skin and love themselves, from the hair on their heads down to their toes.
