Why Hair Texture Changes With Age

Hair texture changes gradually with age and sometimes becomes finer, drier or even shifting from straight to wavy. Below is the full description on why the hair evolves over time helps make sense of these shifts and highlights simple ways to care for hair at every stage of life.

How Hormonal Shifts Reshape Hair Over Time

Female hair loss

Hormonal shifts hair shape by influencing the hair follicle's life cycle(growth, transition, and resting phases) which leads to changes in density, texture, and growth patterns throughout life.

Some important hormonal influences:

High levels of female hormones like estrogen and progesterone during pregnancy can prolong hair the hair's active growth phase leading to thicker, fuller hair. A rapid drop can be seen after childbirth or during menopause pushes many follicles into the shedding phase and simultaneously causing temporary, significant hair loss.

Androgens like testosterone and its more potent derivative, dihydrotestosterone aka DHT can shrink the scalp hair follicles in genetically susceptible individuals, which then leads to shorter, finer hair and eventual male/female pattern baldness.


Ways To Support Healthier Hair Texture At Any Age

Eating fatty fish helps a lot

To support healthy hair texture at any age follow the below steps:

• Eat sufficient proteins and vitamins including eggs, leafy vegetables greens, nuts fish aka salmon and colourful veggies for hair healthy nutrients like protein, iron, zinc and vitamin A&C says this Bodycraft.
• Drinking at least 6-8 glasses of water daily to keep the hair hydrated from within.
• Fatty fish, flaxseed, and yogurt can improve scalp health.

Some hair care habits:

• Gently wash the hair as washing prevents dryness and focus shampoo on the scalp, condition mid-lengths to ends.
• Rinse with cold water to seal cuticles and add shine.
• Minimizing using heat on hair and always use heat protectants.
• Use wide tooth combs on wet hair and avoid harsh pulling or excessive processing dyes, perms.
• Cover the hair from sun and chlorine.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my hair texture suddenly changing?
Anemia and insufficient vitamin D levels can bring on thinning hair. A thyroid disease can also result in a sudden change in the texture of your hair. If you're experiencing a sudden and unexpected hair change, it's advisable to consult a doctor as soon as possible.

Why is my hair getting wavy as I get older?

Ever wondered why your hair takes on new textures as you age? The answer lies within your hair follicles. As time goes on, follicles often shrink, affecting the thickness and structure of your hair shaft. This can enhance your curls or, on the flip side, make your once-curly hair lose some of its bounce.

What does overhydrated hair look like?
Moisture overload tends to affect those who have high hair porosity, causing it to look limp, stringy, and even greasy. It is essential for all hair types, but it is even more crucial for those who have strong and defined curls.

Which hair type is rarest?

The rarest hair type (texture) is Type 1A, which is extremely fine, straight, and flat to the scalp, making it difficult to style or hold curls, often seen in people of East Asian descent; however, if considering hair color, natural red hair is the rarest, found in only 1-2% of the world's population due to the MC1R gene.