In Home Care – Assisting Hands – Schaumburg, IL

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Home » Hair Care Tips for Thick, Healthy Hair After 50
Woman over 50 brushing her hair - hair care tips

Woman over 50 brushing her hair - hair care tips

Several age-related changes take place as seniors grow older. Muscles lose strength, vision becomes poorer—and hair becomes thinner. Maintaining a lustrous mane after 50 requires knowledge of certain hair care tips and tools. Here’s how seniors can revitalize their silvery locks.

How does hair change with age?

Hair consists of protein; each strand has a lifespan of about two to seven years. But as seniors age, this life cycle shortens. Fine hairs increasingly fall out and are replaced by even finer ones. Hair loss is the result and happens to nearly every older adult, male or female.

Aging women often have thinner hair due to the effects of menopause. The hormones that stimulate the growth of follicle fibers decrease and become dominated by testosterone. Due to these changes, some hair follicles stop reproducing hair, while existing hair drops out, never to regenerate.

The rich tones of hair also undergo changes as seniors age. Pigment cells no longer produce prolifically, leaving thick, brunette, or chestnut hair wispy and gray. Attempting to repair the loss of healthy color requires a trip to the salon—but chemicals and heating tools only deteriorate hair further.

What are some hair care tips for seniors?

Fortunately, aging people approaching 50 can take steps to strengthen and repair their hair. In fact, the following 10 easy hair care tips can be used by older adults of any age who wish to preserve the luster, health, and vibrancy of their hair.

1. Wash twice per week

Excessive hair washing dries out hair, leaving it brittle and prone to unsightly breakage. Washing hair is essential to maintaining a clean scalp—but limit the washing to twice per week. Avoid over shampooing and use a product indicated for a specific type of hair, such as dry, oily, or normal.

2. Use hair conditioners

A quality conditioner replenishes the natural oils and sheen lost through shampooing. Opt for a leave-in conditioner in addition to a rinse-out conditioner. This combination works wonders for increasing shine and moisture and preventing frizz. It also serves as an effective heat protectant.

3. Eat a nutritious diet

Maintain healthy hair by consuming a balanced diet. Foods rich in vitamins and minerals give hair the vitality seniors desire. Choose foods high in protein, iron, vitamin E, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids. Nuts, leafy greens, seafood, and lean meats deliver these essential nutrients and promote hair growth.

Eating protein is key to healthy hair, since strands consist mostly of protein. A lack of protein is associated with hair loss. Consume eggs and small portions of lean red meat to replenish protein supplies. If necessary, take multivitamins to obtain the nutrients not found through food.

Eat a nutritious diet can help with hair health for all ages

4. Discuss medications with a doctor

Drugs used to treat heart disease and lower lipids can impact a senior’s hair. If medications cause hair loss or interfere with growth, the older adult is encouraged to consult with their doctor. Adjustments to their drug regimen may be possible to help counter these negative effects.

5. Trim hair regularly

Split ends and breakage are snipped off when the senior trims their hair every six to eight weeks. The damage that split ends cause at the tips of hair extends upward to the shaft of hair, leaving it unsightly. Even a mini end trim freshens up hair without sacrificing length.

6. Limit styling products

Layering on hair care products fails to revitalize the hair as intended. Rather, it makes the condition of the hair worse, causing it to appear thinner and flatter. Choose one volume booster to add bounce, body, and lift. Avoid gels and pomades that attract dirt and oil.

7. Use gentle tools

Gentle styling tools support a healthy head of hair. After shampooing, for instance, run a wide-tooth comb through the wet air to detangle it. When blow drying, keep the setting on low rather than high to prevent excess heat from stripping the cuticles and reducing moisture.

8. Promote scalp health

A DIY scalp massage stimulates blood flow at the roots and boosts hair growth and health. Itching, flakiness, and dryness at the scalp lead to hair breakage and strands falling out at the root. Use a pre-shampoo scalp scrub to slough off dead cells and styling products and soothe the scalp.

9. Use safe dyes

Seniors who opt to dye their hair should see a pro colorist. A professional stylist can advise on the safest dyes for each type of hair as well as shampoos and conditioners for color-treated hair. Working with a stylist minimizes the stress of the chemical process involved in coloring hair.

10. See a health care provider

A visit to the doctor or dermatologist can pinpoint underlying conditions, like thyroid disease, nutritional deficiencies, or hormonal issues, contributing to lackluster hair. The health care provider can recommend the best hair growth supplements or topical products to reverse hair loss.

Assisting Hands Caregivers

Thick, healthy hair can be achieved even after 50 by implementing the above hair care tips. If you or an aging loved one could use extra support with eating healthier, taking medications, or getting to the doctor’s office, the caregivers at Assisting Hands Home Care are prepared to help.

Our senior home care agency provides a comprehensive range of non-medical services to give seniors the assistance they need to stay independent. Professional caregivers are tasked with cooking heathy meals, giving medication reminders, performing light housekeeping, and conducting fall risk assessments.

We provide transportation and escort to the medical clinic or pharmacy. As constant companions, our caregivers deter loneliness, isolation, and depression in aging care recipients. Seniors who need help washing their hair or performing other hygiene tasks receive discreet assistance from our caregivers.

Care from Assisting Hands Home Care is flexible and customized to meet a senior’s unique care needs. We serve Schaumburg, Illinois’, elderly population with dedication.

Schedule a free consultation at (224) 258-0736 and learn how compassionate in-home care elevates an older adult’s overall quality of life.