At any age grey hair can materialize. It's not always an indication of aging, it's caused by a dropping off in pigmentation (grey hair) or a complete lack of pigment (white hair), and the basis for it is not fully known. The most obvious symbol of aging is the changing colour of our hair. As we age our hair produces less melanin, the same melanin that gives our skin its colour. This is the reason our hair turns grey.



Age also has an effect on our hair in other ways. A number of women will notice that their hair thins and lacks life, for others it will appear to be dry and coarse. As we get older our hair starts to get drier, and needs more moisture. Older hair often loses some of its elasticity and the consistency alters. This is because as we get older the size of our hair follicles get smaller and hair growth slows down. Therefore there is not as much new growth to replace what is lost.

Sebum (oil produced naturally by our skin) lessens as our body ages, and so our hair, as a result, loses its natural shine and softness. Plus, during the menopause our production of keratin slows. This protein fibre is important to keeping our hair healthy and strong. For men, there is the issue of going bald, thinning hair and coarse hair, especially the facial hair. Select the correct type of hair colour to disguise your grey hair, but don't go more than two shades darker or lighter than your natural hair colour. If you use a dark colour it can emphasize 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.

As the years go by your hair loses its elasticity and then it becomes more difficult to style, so try opting for a protein treatment to use once a month to support your hair. For both women and men, thinning hair can be given a more voluminous look by using volumizing products such as conditioners and mousses. Apply a weekly deep conditioning treatment - that is recommended for aging hair. Moisturizing (conditioning) your hair is a necessity as we get older. This will preserve the moisture levels in your hair.