Gray hair and loving your body can sometimes feel challenging. Age brings many changes, especially for your hair. Embracing gray hair might not come naturally to you, so learn a few tips to break societal norms about aging, care for your gray hair and love every inch of it.
Why Gray Hair Is Different
If your hair has gone gray and feels coarse, it’s not just you. Aging gray hair has a different porosity than younger hair. Microscopic pores develop as your melanin production decreases due to hormonal changes. Those changing strands aren’t getting the support they need to maintain their structural integrity or color.
Gray hair retains less water, so it won’t be as moisturized or soft. That’s why you’ll find products with more hydrating ingredients designed specifically for gray hair, like conditioners and hair masks. They feature more intense moisturizing ingredients to treat the dryness specifically related to more porous hair with less melanin.
Benefits of Going Gray
Society generally looks down on signs of aging. You may have had loved ones suggest — with the best intentions — you start dying your hair. What about embracing gray hair by leaving it alone or dying the rest of your head the same shade?
Between 1900 and 2000, people gained 30 years in average life expectancy due to advances like developments in medicine. No other generations have had the opportunity to live with their loved ones for that long. Gray hair is a gift, just like the wisdom and maturity that comes with a longer life span.
Need more reason to love your strands? Avoiding hair dyes also limits your exposure to the chemicals in each treatment. You’ll save time and money by avoiding constant touch-up appointments at your local salon. If you want to dye the rest of your hair gray to match your changing look, opt for something with a more gentle dying process to avoid harming your sensitive locks.
Hair Care Tips for Gray Hair
Aging with grace means caring for your body. You should take thoughtful care of your gray hair, just like you’d use natural skincare products to look and feel your best.
Find shampoo and conditioner products that moisturize. Avoid hot styling tools if you don’t have heat protectant spray. You could also eat a vitamin-packed diet to fuel your body’s processes, like growing hair. The extra nutrients could even boost cell regeneration so your skin becomes healthier while you eat delicious food.
Silver strands often glisten if they have enough hydration to defeat the dryness that comes with aging. If you prefer showering less often, moisturizing products like hair masks and leave-in conditioners can boost your shine between showers.
Common Challenges and How to Overcome Them
People with gray hair often deal with challenges other than dryness. You might notice it starting to yellow if you don’t dye it, which could indicate that your home has hard water. Hard water has extra minerals that cling to gray hair and create a yellowed appearance. A quick water test will reveal if this is the issue affecting you. Tip: Use purple shampoo to keep the yellow appearance at bay.
People also struggle when they decide to dye all of their hair after a few strands go gray. Picking the right shade for your skin tone is challenging but not impossible. As you age, your skin loses pigment-containing cells and becomes a bit paler.
Remember — your hair is losing pigment at the same time. It will match your skin’s cooling tone because they’re undergoing the same process. Try to dye the rest of your hair to match the gray strands that already complement your skin tone. If you pick a shade that’s too dark, you might accidentally look older because it will make your paler skin appear even more washed out.
You might also notice your unique shade of gray changing over time. Check your shower supplies if that’s the case. You may be using a colorful shampoo or conditioner that has chemical dyes. Switching to a dye-free product will ensure your extra porous hair doesn’t absorb any shade-changing chemicals.
Trying new hair care routines may be challenging while you’re supporting your age-related skin care challenges, but it’s worth your time. Simply switching products or testing your water will resolve common gray hair challenges to keep your locks looking their best.
Make Embracing Gray Hair the Next Confidence-Boosting Trend
Celebrate yourself when your hair starts turning gray the natural color will always be a compliment to you skin tone so keep that in mind if enhancing your hair with color.. Embracing your gray hair it is a privilege and easier than you might think. Try hydrating products, avoid chemical dyes and keep an open mind to new hair care solutions to continue caring for your body as it changes with time.
