Sunday, November 2, 2008

How to Care for Grey 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.

Age also has an effect on our hair in other ways. As we get older our hair is prone to getting drier, and so needs more moisture than ever before. Older hair also loses some of its elasticity and the texture alters. A number of women will notice that their hair becomes thinner and lacks life, for others it seems dry and coarse. This occurs because as we age, the size of the hair follicles diminish and hair growth slows. Consequently 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 want to keep your grey, endeavour to use a hair shampoo and conditioner that is targeted especially for grey hair. Grey hair can look yellow or greenish on some people. To neutralize the yellow colour and leave your hair shiny and beautiful, try using a greying shampoo that contains a violet based colour, instead of your usual shampoo. Highlights or lowlights can disguise any grey you want to disguise by blending them into the rest of your hair. The same goes for colouring your hair. Avoid going more than two shades lighter than your natural hair colour to avoid looking older than you really are.

Moisturizing (conditioning) is a must for older hair. Use a weekly deep conditioning treatment - recommended for aging hair. This will help to maintain the moisture levels in your hair. With aging your hair loses its elasticity and this makes it harder to style, so try using a protein treatment at least once a month to help your hair along. For men and women, thinning hair can be given a more voluminous appearance by using volumizing products such as conditioners and mousses. - 16004

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