Hair and Aging

Skinmed. 2016 Oct 1;14(5):338-343. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

Hair is the ultimate personal beauty tool of self-expression. It is more malleable than skin and it is more personal than clothing; however, hair does not remain constant with age. Hair is arguably in peak condition at about 30 years of age. With time, there is a gradual change in many aspects of hair: hair diameter is reduced, hair density is decreased, androgenic alopecia may develop, and pigmentation may be diminished, producing a significant psychological impact. These age-related changes can be exacerbated by blast drying, heat straightening, perming, and coloring. In this review, the changes in hair fiber and array (collection of fiber) properties that occur during aging and the impact on styling and potential interventions that consumers undergo to circumvent these issues are discussed.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aging / physiology*
  • Alopecia / etiology
  • Beauty
  • Beauty Culture / methods*
  • Hair / physiology*
  • Humans