Thinning hair is something that most seniors deal with at some point. As people get older changes in their hair texture, color, and growth are very common. There are many things that can impact whether or not a senior has thinning hair like:
- Family history
- Stress
- Medications
- Hormonal imbalance
- Damage
- Weather
Seniors also can notice thinning hair or rapid hair loss if they are washing their hair too often. Using hot styling tools, hair spray, and other products can damage hair too. Seniors who are having trouble with hygiene tasks like washing their hair can benefit from personal care at home.
Personal care at home can help seniors gently wash their hair and apply things like conditioners and volumizers to help hide hair thinning. Here are a few other things seniors can do to fight thinning hair.
Eat More Veggies
There are many reasons why seniors should be eating mostly vegetables. Lower risk of serious disease is one. But eating vegetables can also give seniors the vitamins and minerals they need to slow down hair thinning and hair loss.
Leafy greens like kale and spinach are fantastic vegetables for seniors to eat every day. Sometimes it might get boring to eat piles of leafy greens but the health benefits make it worth it.
Take Supplements
There are lots of supplements seniors can take to help slow down hair loss and thinning. But, not all of them are effective. Seniors should talk with their doctor before starting any supplement for hair growth.
The doctor will be able to give personalized advice about what supplements may help hair grow or at least stop thinning. Because this is a common problem that seniors face there shouldn’t be any embarrassment about discussing it with a doctor.
Balance Hormones
Hair thinning and loss in women is very commonly caused by hormonal imbalance. When women enter menopause their body doesn’t make as much estrogen. That can affect the health and fullness of their hair.
Even though it might take several tries to find the right balance hormone replacement therapy can be a very effective way to stop hair thinning. Women who are over the age of 60 with thinning hair should discuss their hormones with an endocrinologist. An endocrinologist will run tests and may prescribe a hormone replacement.
Use The Right Brush
Tough wire brushes and brushes that use heat to style can be much too harsh for thinning hair. They can cause hair breakage and make hair loss worse. Experts recommend that seniors who have thinning hair switch to a different brush.
The brush that is most often recommended for anyone with thinning hair is a boar’s bristle brush. This old-fashioned style brush is inexpensive. It also is easy for seniors to grip. Brushing the hair with this type of brush will gently stimulate the hair follicle and massage the scalp. It won’t damage the hair as the hair is getting brushed. Boar’s bristle brushes are available at any drugstore or big box store.
