When you’re young, your youth is at the forefront of your mind. You, of course, know that you’re going to get “old” at some point but for the time being, you’re just going to enjoy your youth while you have it… And that’s the thing about being young… you never take a small moment to plant seeds for your future or “older years.”

Everything from opening a savings account to going to the doctor as often as you should, those are things that don’t appear on the radar of young people until they get older.

Have you ever seen people that are considerably young but have gray hair? You see it all the time. That’s because people experience premature aging all the time, and your hair is one of the biggest indicators of it.

For most people, they never think to look at their hair as a sign of aging… They’ll just wait for body aches, forgetfulness, and bruising before even realizing that they’re physically experiencing the ravages of time.

With your hair, most people tend to think that graying is the only indicator of old age but your lovely strands actually reveal so much more than what meets the eye… You won’t notice it if you don’t pay attention to your hair and take better care of it.

That’s not saying to become so self-absorbed that you can’t focus on anything except your hair but implementing better hair care habits and drinking plenty of water will definitely help in your efforts to maintain strong and healthy strands. But as you know, time waits on no one. Whether you’re in your 20s or 40s, your hair will let you know your age whether you want to believe it or not.

Here are some of the ways your hair will tell you you’re getting old.

Impact of Age on the Health of Your Hair

Age Affects the Texture and Thickness of Your Hair

Did you know that one strand of hair can live up to six years? Well, it can if you take care of it, but over time, you have to consider the fact that your hair is as old as you are and has encountered harsh conditions too.

Things like harsh chemicals, weather, and coloring/straightening all impact the texture and thickness of your hair. Over the course of time, your hair follicles will begin to thin and only produce thinner hairs, or it just won’t produce any at all… When this happens, it’s due to senescent alopecia, which is actually age-related alopecia.

You Start Losing Your Hair or It Starts Thinning

Whether you’re young or old, the last thing you want to experience is hair loss. For so many people, especially women, your hair is your crown and glory… For some people, their hair is a major part of who they are.

For those who aren’t experiencing hair loss, they tend to tell people who are losing their hair that “it’s just hair… it’ll grow back.” Well, it’s easier for those not going through hair loss to say that than for those who are.

Hair loss can be caused by many different things. Medications, certain illnesses or medical conditions, and also the use of harsh chemicals on your hair like dyes, perms, and excessive heat.

To stop hair loss, it’s always a good idea to make sure you’re drinking plenty of water, supplement with vitamins, and even take advantage of the powers of essential oils to stimulate hair growth.

Whether you realize it or not, your age plays a significant role in the health of your hair.

Your Hair Turns Gray

Gray hair is something that’s expected to come with age but the process behind it is often misunderstood. According to verywellmind.com, the theory behind the “graying” of hair is largely due to one of the major theories of aging, which is oxidative stress.

Oxidative stress occurs when there are too many free radicals in your body during the production of new hair. When this happens, it damages the pigment in the hair follicle, causing it to turn gray. This occurrence is also thought to be the reason why gray hairs are so coarse and difficult to manage due to the cells that create melanin and keratin are so closely linked near the hair shaft.

Takeaway

There’s no way to turn back the hands of time but you certainly can slow them down. Whether you’re experiencing balding, thinning, or gray hair, what it all boils down to is the overall health of your body.

Your immune system is your body’s natural defense against harmful infections and diseases but if your immune system is weak and you’re fighting the symptoms associated with an illness like Lupus, there’s no way for you to slow the aging on your body and hair until your body is back in a healthy state.

So whether you decide to take an immune-boosting supplement or simply incorporate healthier lifestyle changes, it’s very possible to maintain the health of your hair.

If you’re suffering from major issues with your hair and you don’t feel comfortable, consult with your doctor. There could potentially be other, more serious underlying health conditions going on.