Nearly everyone has some hair loss with aging. The rate of hair growth also slows. Hair strands become smaller and have less pigment.
For most women, this occurs sometime between the ages of 44 and 55. When your ovaries stop producing estrogen and progesterone—two hormones key to menstruating—this is when you go into menopause. Estrogen and progesterone also happen to be linked to your hair's health, including its growth.
As you age, the hair follicles start producing less pigment. This causes your hair to turn gray. The thickness of your hair may also change. It's common for the thick hair that you had as a young adult to eventually become fine and thin.
As you age, your hair may continue to grow, but the growth will become slower, and the follicles that were once coarse and thick will often become finer, thinner and lighter in color.
Just like a person's skin, hair goes through five specific signs of aging, says AGEbeautiful. They are: thinning hair, wiry gray hair, graying hair, dryness and dullness.
Hair growth rate slows at midlife and beyond—it spends less time in the growth phase and more in the resting phase, which means it will grow more slowly, and won't be able to grow as long as it once did. Good news—wonder-drug minoxidil can make your hair stay in the anagen phase longer and grow faster.
Over time, hair fibers become thinner and drop out; unfortunately, they never regenerate. There are natural pigment changes that occur in hair as you age as well.
The good news: hormonal hair loss can grow back after menopause. But before we get to that, it's important to know that hair goes through cycles of hair shedding and hair regrowth throughout our lives — on average, people usually lose between 50 and 100 strands of hair a day.
Pubic hair and hair on the body doesn't usually grow back after the menopause, this is due to levels of estrogen and progesterone remaining low as we continue to age.
Minoxidil (Rogaine, etc) is FDA approved for ages 18-65
Minoxidil is FDA approved for men and women 18-65 with a type of hair loss known as androgenetic hair loss.
Since our estrogen levels drop as we reach middle to later age, body hair growth corresponds by becoming sparser and thinner, too. In fact, most people will see a significant slow down in the production of leg and arm hair.
At what age do people typically start to lose their hair? Hair loss can start as early as your teenage years or might not occur until you're well past retirement. Generally, people begin noticing signs of hair loss in their 30s and 40s. More significant hair loss often happens when people reach their 60s and beyond.
Estrogen and progesterone levels fall, meaning that the effects of the androgens, male hormones, are increased. During and after menopause, hair might become finer (thinner) because hair follicles shrink. Hair grows more slowly and falls out more easily in these cases.
"Your hair bundles peak at around 12 years old." Then, sadly, as you age, bundles of four become bundles of three, bundles of three become bundles of two, and it's all downhill from there. End result: hair appears thinner and less full.
Product buildup, environmental factors, and overstyling can all contribute to hair that looks dry and lifeless. Fortunately, there are ways to add more shine and natural luster to your hair. Using basic home remedies, trying shine-boosting products, and nourishing your hair from the inside may all help.
Hair will generally be at its best in the early 20s, says Burg, because “hair shafts are thick and cuticles are tight.” Women may see changes if they are stressed, extreme dieting or using contraception.
Loose waves are more younger-looking, while straight hair can be aging. Play around with face-framing layers to give your hair some softness and movement. Layers can also make your hair appear to be more luscious and healthy. Parra recommends asking your stylist for perimeter layers that are cut in a straight line.
We know a lot about changes in pubic hair with the onset of puberty and about complications associated with pubic hair grooming, but less about changes with aging and menopause. The scant data we do have suggests that the growth rate and density of pubic hair decreases with age for both women and men.
Here's the truth: You can't change the size of your hair follicles. If you were born with fine hair, it's genetics, and no product will completely alter that. Of course, there are ways to maintain your hair health, add volume, and keep it from getting any thinner.