Hair Today

What happened to my husband’s incredible russet mane? I still love him and what’s left of his sexy, now silvery hair, but there’s no question that he, like other males, suffers more hair loss than women. (No gloating, ladies. We have our own problems.)

We typically lose fifty to 100 hairs each day throughout our lives but don’t notice because new hair is growing in at the same time. But plenty of things conspire to affect our hair. Number one, as you might have already guessed, is aging.

We are definitely at the mercy of our predecessors when it comes to male (and female) pattern baldness, but hormonal changes, medications, supplements, stress, poor nutrition, and radical hairstyles and hair treatments can also contribute.

It’s no surprise that some hair loss has to do with the male hormone testosterone, which men also lose as they age

when the chemical DHT, or dihydrotestosterone, breaks down testosterone. It causes individual hair follicles to shrink and lose their ability to regenerate new hair.

Then, of course, is how our hair changes texture and turns gray. The change in texture is attributable to a loss of density and diameter as well as the usual wear and tear imposed by life. We owe the gray to our melanocyte cells making less melanin,which creates the pigment. As we all know, color is easily addressed whether we are just trying to choose a color that will pass as God-given (you know, like makeup, which we are always told will make us look natural) or a wild orange, purple, or magenta that declares our defiance. My former hairdresser never discussed my gray hair, which she knew I wouldn’t color, but simply referred to it as “sparkly.” I can go with that.

Admittedly, gray and white hair looks better on some people than others, but if we have to live with it, let’s celebrate it. Some older folks go wild with purple, blue, or green hues which can make a statement without saying a word.