When it comes to retirement, it’s not just about the freedom of not having to work or the pleasure of going on vacation, it also comes with growing old. And with old age comes issues we have to anticipate like hair loss.
Oh, how we love our hair! After taking care of our face and making sure it’s all clean and clear, we turn to our hair to make sure it looks good and is maintained well. If not, we do our best to make sure we figure out a solution to whatever hair problem we have to deal with. Our hair is so important to us that it has been, for so long, our basis of self-image, femininity or masculinity, and even identity. Cutting and coloring hair is a form of self-expression. And for the young and old alike, it is the source of their self-confidence. No one wants to have a bad hair day right? Hence, our hair is our crowning glory.
But what happens if our hair starts to fail us? It is but very normal for anyone to shed a little bit of hair every so often. Hair follicles, in its lifespan, on average produce 20 new hair. So of course, for the new to come in, the old has got to go. However, hair loss grows more rapidly as we age. That is also very normal. For men, they start to have hair loss issues such as balding patterns at the age of 40. Women, on the other hand, begin to experience hair loss at a noticeable amount by the age of 50 to 60.
Hair Loss and Old Age
As we get older, the hair follicles become smaller than the diameter of our hair gets thinner. This is the reason why aging men and women experience thinning hair issues. This is such a nightmare! We definitely do not want to lose our hair but it is one fact of life that we all must accept. Like how we are not able to make ourselves look younger forever, the same is true for our hair. Eventually, everyone will start to have changes in their hair and yes, you will experience hair loss too.
There are various reasons for losing our hair. Identifying the causes will greatly help you in finding the best solution so that even though you will not be able to make your hair look like how it was before, you can still make it look beautiful despite your age. Read through some of these common reasons and solutions and you might just get a little bit of encouragement that there is still something that you can do.
Anemia
We so often think that anemia is just a blood problem, but it also causes major hair problems too. Have your blood tested to check if you are anemic or not? If you are positive with anemia, by prescription of your doctor, of course, you can take ferritin. Ferritin is an iron storage protein that helps build up hair cells.
Hypothyroidism
Having low thyroid levels can dramatically affect hair growth. Have yourself tested to find out if your body is producing the right amounts of thyroid hormones and get a prescription if you’re not?
Fluctuating Hormones
Hormones are the key catalyst in hair growth and yes, hair loss too. For example, most pregnant women, after giving birth, lose a large amount of hair. For hormonal issues, consult your doctor and have anti-androgen pills such as Dianette and HRT. Topical anti-androgens are good too. Also, proper nutrition and good exercise help keep your hormones in check.
Poor Nutrition
Our hair is like plants that get their nutrition from our scalp which serves as its soil. If our bodies do not have the right nutrients our hair needs, then hair loss is definitely inevitable. Make sure to eat foods that are rich in protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin B5, and Vitamin C.
Aside from these that are mentioned, there are other inevitable causes that might affect hair loss, such as hereditary and health conditions for example. Bottom line is, you have to know the reason why you’re losing hair. The reason for your hair loss might be more serious, and not just related to aging. In this case, it is best to consult your doctor.