Losing hair at a certain point in life is a sad reality that none of us can avoid. There can be many reasons behind hair loss, and aging is the primary factor among the most common reasons. As we age, we tend to lose our hair, and a majority of the elderly population does not know whether their hair can be regrown. Seniors' hair growth and hair loss is quite a disappointing story, but you can try out some remedies with full faith to restore not all but at least some of the crowning glory.
Let’s find the reasons behind hair loss and the possible solution to the problem to effectively combat this problem.
What Causes Hair Loss in Senior Citizens?
With our growing age, our hair gets subjected to intrinsic and extrinsic factors influencing hair follicle changes that clinically result in premature greying and hair loss. Hair loss typically impacts the quality of life, especially in the elderly patients since they lose self-esteem and confidence in their social circles, and thus it even increases stress levels in their daily lives. Hair loss not only affects the male populace, but also women after childbirth and menopause.
During this time, our hair goes through changes in the pilosebaceous units and hair follicle injuries, thus leading to issues that disrupt the normal hair life cycle and cause disruption. However, it is significant to know the difference between pathological and chronological signs of hair loss in individuals.
Some of the intrinsic factors of hair loss are as follows:
- Metabolism
- Nutritional status
- Gender features and hormone responsiveness
- childbirth, menopause
These factors affect sebum production, hair density, and fibre diameter, making the hair thin.
Some of the extrinsic factors for hair loss in elders include the following:
- UV rays
- Harsh chemicals and hair treatments
- Poor Diet and lack of exercise
- Bad hygiene of the hair
- Using phosphate and sulfate shampoo
- Illness induced medicinal hair loss
- Smoking habits
Recent studies have shown some facts. For instance, smokers lose more hair than non-smokers at a particular age, while people whose hair is extensively exposed to the harmful UV rays run a greater risk of greying hair.
The most common forms of hair loss in elderlies are mentioned below:
Androgenetic Alopecia causes hair loss. It is a hair condition in which pattern baldness is noticeable in both male and females. This is a non-scarring disorder wherein the hair follicle minimizes causing baldness in individuals. This is sometimes a hereditary reason.
Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia is the second most common form of baldness, which involves baldness in selective areas, including temples and eyebrows. This is a condition noticed in both men and women, particularly in postmenopausal women.
Senile Alopecia is a condition that is characterized by permanent loss of hair length and diameter. However, this condition is not hereditary. The onset age is around 50 in men.
Sometimes, elderly people also lose hair due to prolonged consumption of drugs. It is a drug-induced alopecia in the elderly, which is also becoming common nowadays.
How do I Stop My Hair from Thinning as I Age?
Here are a few useful tips to help you delay the process of hair thinning with age. It cannot be stopped, but it can be delayed to some extent and the results can be mitigated by following a few simple steps. They are discussed as follows:
Choose the right product- Choosing the right hair care products like Biotin Xtreme Hair Care can prove to be beneficial in maintaining your mane and you can delay the process of aging and thinning of hair. Stay away from blow dryers, curling wands, and flat irons. You lose the moisture coating from your hair by excessively using these heat tools to style your hair.
Protein-rich diet: This is a significant tip. Switch to a protein-rich diet to delay the process of hair loss. Protein works best for your hair. Often, we eat less as we age, causing nutritional deficiencies leading to hair issues. Nutritional deficiencies can be harmful to your hair. Adding some foods can be of help to maintain a healthy diet. For instance, you must include foods like avocados, green leafy veggies, eggs, berries, and meat to keep fit and healthy.
Evaluate your medicines- Check with your doctor to minimize the effects of drug-induced hair loss.
Never underestimate the role of a proper haircut in all this. Keep shorter hair that you can manage and take care of instead of having long and thin hair. Having fewer and longer layers gives the impression of better volume. Do not use any kind of hair spray on your hair as you age. Follow these simple hair loss remedies for aging adults to delay the impact.
