Do you have thin, limp hair that is difficult to style? Does the aging of your hair worry you? Before fighting an enemy, it is necessary to get to know them. Discover the cause of aging of hair so that you can better deal with it.
Summary
Age and hair, the whole story. After many years of research, our laboratories have proven that, just like with our skin, time also takes its toll on our hair. How? For the first time, three studies were conducted in collaboration with 4 European dermatological experts who are specialists in hair (from France, Italy, Germany and Spain), making it possible to define hair aging and its characteristics.
We're talking about " hair aging ”, a phenomenon which is different to hair loss (also called alopecia), and which is not only limited to the whitening of hair...
Just as your face bears the marks of time with wrinkles and a sagging face shape, your scalp is also affected over the years. Cell renewal is no longer optimal and its ecosystem gradually deteriorates. There is less blood circulation, which also occurs at a slower rate, and fewer nutrients necessary for hair growth (vitamins, trace elements) are supplied. Result: hair becomes visibly thin.
The appearance of gray and then white hair is another sign that hair is aging. It does not occur at the same age for everyone: it is determined by genetics. However, all men and women are affected to some extent. Why? Because over time, the melanocytes (the cells located at the base of the hair follicle) produce less and less melanin, which is the pigment that gives hair its color (this can be darker or lighter). When these cells stop producing melanin, the hair that grows is no longer colored. Instead, it is white.
The second cause of hair aging: internal factors, which are influenced by your body, as well as your lifestyle.
And last but not least, the third cause of hair aging comprises all of the environmental factors.
Some of these factors are directly involved in damaging the beauty of the skin and hair, and accelerate their aging. Sun exposure and pollution are two key factors. You already know that they affect your skin's health and beauty, so why would it be any different for your hair? In large amounts and without any protection, the sun damages the scalp: it dries it out and can change the pH, thus resulting in the appearance of dandruff. This process is ultimately the same as when the skin on your body peels after a sunburn. This can also be seen with pollution particles. Damaged and sensitized, hair becomes dry, dull and fragile, and ends up aging at a faster rate.
Whilst there are many causes of aging of hair, it is important to know that, once it is set in motion, it can quickly turn into a vicious circle. Firstly, hair aging naturally makes hair drier and duller. A guaranteed disadvantage is that, if the fiber is badly maintained and thus weakened, aging of hair will accelerate. To limit the process, use tailored hair products, just as you would apply sun cream to protect your skin against the sun, and get rid of dirt particles by brushing your hair every night. Small, practical actions which help to prevent aging of hair.
