How aging affects hair loss.
We all hate to see that first gray hair or catch our reflection in the mirror for the first time and gasp as we notice our hair is thinning. Hairs like our bodies change with age. Two of the most prominent changes that occur to hair as we age are color change and hair loss.
The aging population usually notices the first signs of gray hair around age 30, which of course varies with some individuals going gray sooner and other much later. Hair changes color with age because the pigment that causes color, "melanin" is produced by hair follicles and they produce less melanin as we age, hence less of the natural color of our hair which means the hair strands look lighter than our normal color.
Scalp hair is not the only hair to change color; body and facial hair also turns gray as we age. Armpit, chest and pubic area hairs may gray a little but not as much as the scalp, body and facial hair does. The rate at which our hair turns gray is genetically predetermined. Individuals of lighter skin tones typically start to turn gray at an earlier age than individuals with darker skin tones.
How much hair you have on your body and how thick the hair becomes is determined genetically. Just about everyone will experience at least some hair loss due to the aging process. Everyone's rate of hair growth slows down with age. As we age, hair that used to be thick and coarse will become thin, fine, and light-colored. As we age some hair follicles will even stop producing hair altogether.
Men will typically start to show signs of hair loss by the time they turn 30. Approximately two-thirds of all men will show a significant amount of hair loss by the time they are 60 years of age.
Men, women and even children can experience hair loss. Children tend to experience hair loss less frequently and when they do it is usually associated with an infection such as ringworm. Women tend to have thinning hair versus the balding head that men experience. Women may experience a loss of body hair as they age. They may however, discover much to their chagrin that they have developed a few coarse facial hairs, usually around the chin or lip areas as they age.
Men may notice that the hair on their eyebrows, ears, and even nose will become longer and coarser as they age.
You cannot stop the aging process and the changes that occur as we age such as hair color changes and hair loss are just two of the changes that cannot be stopped but we can manage the changes such as coloring our gray hairs and trying new hairstyles that may cover up thinning or balding hair areas. If you are concerned about the changes to your hair as you age, speak to a professional hairstylist for ideas on how to manage these changes. Your doctor can advise you on the causes and treatment for hair loss.
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