Keep ageing hair young

If hair is ‘dead’, is there really any such thing as hair ageing?

As we get older, our hair can change colour (to the dreaded grey) and texture. But, although chronological ageing has some effect on the scalp and the metabolic processes that create strong hair, external factors – like the environment, pollution, sun exposure, styling stress and chemicals – are far more influential upon the state of our locks than physiological age. It’s just that the hair of older people may be slightly less resilient to external factors than that of younger people.

“Hair is dead when it leaves your scalp, so it doesn’t actually ‘age’ as such,” explains hairdresser Trevor Sorbie. “Long hair is older in the sense that you’ve had it for a longer time and shows more damage because of it, but shorter hair, or hair closest to your scalp, is only ‘healthier’ because it’s had less time in which to get damaged. What we do to our hair through styling, colouring and exposure to the elements damages our hair far more than biological ageing ever could.”

RELATED: The Best Hair Mask For Your Hair Type

So it makes sense to continually care for your hair and counteract ongoing damage right throughout your life. However, if you feel that your hair has become less resilient with age, there are products to help.

Kerastase Resistance Age Recharge, $40, for example, is a mask that works to reinforce the core of the hair shaft and fight free radical damage with vitamin E derivatives. Now, there are also an array of great hair products and supplements available that contain things like collagen which promote hair growth and can prevent greying.

bh also loves: Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream All-Over Miracle Oil, Swisse Ultiboost Hair Skin Nails+, OGX Thick & Full + Biotin & Collagen Shampoo, évolis® professional REVERSE mask 4 pack, Affinage Professional Essential Oils Indulgent Rosemary Treatment Mask,

Tricks for having great hair at a mature age:

• Most older women look better with softer, side-swept fringes rather than a square, blunt chop
• A ‘bedhead’ look tends to look ragged with age. Opt for smooth finishes and more groomed waves and curls
• As gravity starts to affect facial features, give them a lift with volumised styles
• Highlights are great for softening older features